Illinois Code § 11-1424

§ 11-1424.

Operation of a religious organization bus. (a) No religious organization bus may be operated on any street or highway unless all passengers, except for supervisory personnel, are seated in seats permanently mounted to the vehicle, and the aisle of the bus is kept clean and open. (b) No religious organization bus may be operated on any street or highway while carrying more than the manufacturer's rated passenger capacity for such bus, or at a gross weight in excess of the chassis manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or gross axle weight rating (GAWR), or in excess of the weight load ratings of the tires on such bus. For buses or tires on which the manufacturer has not shown such ratings, by a label, embossment, molding or equivalent means, the Department shall provide, or assist in obtaining, the necessary ratings and may publish such ratings. (c) In loading or unloading passengers, the religious organization bus driver shall stop the bus out of the lane of moving traffic at any bus stop, officially designated as such by government authorities or in a parking lane on the pavement of the highway or on the shoulder off of the highway, if wide enough to permit the safe loading or unloading of passengers. If, however, there is no such bus stop, parking lane or shoulder within 50 feet of the residence or temporary residence of the passenger transported or to be transported by the bus or within 50 feet of the religious facility, the driver may stop the bus on the pavement of the highway after activating unison amber warning lights for not less than 200 feet before the bus is brought to a stop and while passengers are being loaded or unloaded, or if the bus is equipped as a school bus and meets the requirements of Article VIII of this Act, by complying with the subsections (b), (c) and (d) of Section 11-1414. (d) At all pickup points where it is necessary for a religious organization bus passenger under the age of 12 years to cross the roadway to board the bus, a responsible supervisor on the bus shall personally escort the awaiting passenger when it is safe to cross the roadway ahead of the bus. (e) At all discharge points where it is necessary for a religious organization bus passenger under the age of 12 to cross the roadway, a responsible supervisor on the bus shall personally escort the passenger to a point approximately 10 feet in front of the bus on the shoulder and then, when it is safe to cross the roadway, across the roadway to a place of safety. (f) If a school bus is used by a religious organization bus for the purposes specified in subsection (a) of Section 1-111.1a and activates the visual signals as required by subsections (b), (c) and (d) of Section 11-1414 when picking up or discharging passengers, compliance with subsections (d) and (e) of this Section is optional. (Source: P.A. 90-89, eff. 1-1-98.)