(a) Qualifications. - No person shall drive a school bus over the highways or public vehicular areas of North Carolina while it is occupied by one or more child passengers unless the person furnishes to the superintendent of the schools of the county in which the bus shall be operated a certificate from any representative duly designated by the Commissioner and from the Director of Transportation or a designee of the Director in charge of school buses in the county showing that the person has been examined by them and is fit and competent to drive a school bus over the highways and public vehicular areas of the State. The driver of a school bus must be at least 18 years of age and hold a Class A, B, or C commercial drivers license and a school bus driver's certificate. The driver of a school activity bus must meet the same qualifications as a school bus driver or must have a license appropriate for the class of vehicle being driven.
(b) Speed Limits. - It is unlawful to drive a school bus occupied by one or more child passengers over the highways or public vehicular areas of the State at a greater rate of speed than 45 miles per hour. It is unlawful to drive a school activity bus occupied by one or more child passengers over the highways or public vehicular areas of North Carolina at a greater rate of speed than 55 miles per hour.
(c) Punishment. - A person who violates this section commits a Class 3 misdemeanor. (1937, c. 397, ss. 1-3; 1941, c. 21; 1943, c. 440; 1945, c. 216; 1957, cc. 139, 595; 1971, c. 293; 1977, c. 791, ss. 1, 2; c. 1102; 1979, c. 31, ss. 1, 2; c. 667, s. 36; 1981, c. 30; 1987, c. 337, s. 1; 1989, c. 558, s. 1; c. 771, s. 6; 1991, c. 726, s. 22; 1993, c. 217, s. 1; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 761, s. 20; 2009-550, s. 3.2.)
§ 20-218.1: Repealed by Session Laws 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 761, s. 21.
Notes of Decisions
Irving v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Bd. of Educ., 781 S.E.2d 282 (N.C. 2016).
· cites it 2× “§ 20-218(b) (2013). In addition, the State Board has adopted uniform, statewide specifications for the appearance, color, and *614 lettering of school buses, and has made certain safety equipment mandatory for school buses only.”
Savage v. N.C. Dep't of Transp. (N.C. 2025).
· cites it 13× “N.C.G.S. § 20-218. Based on this statute, the department asserts that a “school bus driver in North Carolina is required to have, along with a commercial license and proper endorsements, a school bus driver’s certificate in order to drive a school bus.”
Sharpe-Johnson v. NC Dep't of Pub. Instruction E. NC Sch. for the Deaf (N.C. Ct. App. 2021).
· cites it 11× “ENCSD dismissed Petitioner effective 19 December 2019 based on both grossly inefficient job performance and unacceptable personal conduct of “exceed[ing] a speed of 55 mph while operating a student and staff occupied” ENCSD activity bus, which violated N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-218…”
Sharpe-Johnson v. NC Dep't of Pub. Instruction E. NC Sch. for the Deaf (N.C. Ct. App. 2021).
· cites it 11× “ENCSD dismissed Petitioner effective 19 December 2019 based on both grossly inefficient job performance and unacceptable personal conduct of “exceed[ing] a speed of 55 mph while operating a student and staff occupied” ENCSD activity bus, which violated N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-218…”
Shue v. Scheidt, 114 S.E.2d 237 (N.C. 1960).
· cites it 2× “— Notwithstanding any other provisions of this article, the Department shall suspend for a period of thirty days the license of any operator or chauffeur without preliminary hearing on receiving a record of such operator’s or chauffeur’s conviction of having violated the laws…”
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-218(a): 1 case
Savage v. N.C. Dep't of Transp. (N.C. 2025).
“N.C.G.S. § 20-218. Based on this statute, the department asserts that a “school bus driver in North Carolina is required to have, along with a commercial license and proper endorsements, a school bus driver’s certificate in order to drive a school bus.”
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-218(b): 3 cases
Irving v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Bd. of Educ., 781 S.E.2d 282 (N.C. 2016).
“§ 20-218(b) (2013). In addition, the State Board has adopted uniform, statewide specifications for the appearance, color, and *614 lettering of school buses, and has made certain safety equipment mandatory for school buses only.”
Sharpe-Johnson v. NC Dep't of Pub. Instruction E. NC Sch. for the Deaf (N.C. Ct. App. 2021).
“ENCSD dismissed Petitioner effective 19 December 2019 based on both grossly inefficient job performance and unacceptable personal conduct of “exceed[ing] a speed of 55 mph while operating a student and staff occupied” ENCSD activity bus, which violated N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-218…”
Sharpe-Johnson v. NC Dep't of Pub. Instruction E. NC Sch. for the Deaf (N.C. Ct. App. 2021).
“ENCSD dismissed Petitioner effective 19 December 2019 based on both grossly inefficient job performance and unacceptable personal conduct of “exceed[ing] a speed of 55 mph while operating a student and staff occupied” ENCSD activity bus, which violated N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-218…”
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