OAR 581-053-0140
Behind-the-Wheel Trainer Certificate

(1) The Oregon Department of Education shall issue a Behind-the-Wheel Trainer Certificate to an individual who has:
(a) Two years’ experience operating commercial motor vehicles;
(b) One year experience operating a school bus;
(c) Six months experience as a certified assistant trainer, except that:
(A) This requirement may be waived by the ODE Director of Pupil Transportation. Request for exception from this requirement will be decided on an individual basis.
(B) Trainers who have attended the Behind-the-Wheel Instructor Workshop prior to July 1, 2012 are exempt from this provision.
(d) A current School Bus Driver’s Certificate;
(e) Been recommended by a transportation entity or contractor; and
(f) Either:
(A) Completed the Behind-the-Wheel Instructor Workshop with a score of at least 80%; or
(B) Met all conditions of probation after being issued a Behind-the-Wheel Probationary Trainer Certificate in OAR 581-053-0145 (Behind-the-Wheel Probationary Trainer Certificate) prior to the expiration date of the probationary certificate.
(2) The Behind-the-Wheel Training Certificate authorizes an individual to:
(a) Train applicants for a School Bus Driver’s Permit or Certificate in accordance with OAR 581-053-0220 (School Bus Driver’s Permit and Certificate), only if the applicant has:
(A) A valid CDL with passenger (“P”) and school bus (“S”) endorsements listed and applicable restrictions removed on the CDL as required by DMV to operate the vehicle used for training, or a valid CLP with passenger (“P”) and school bus (“S”) endorsements listed and applicable restrictions removed on the CLP as required by DMV to operate the vehicle used for training; and
(B) A valid medical certificate.
(b) Train applicants for a Type 20 Certificate in accordance with OAR 581-053-0420 (Type 20 Training and Certification), only if the applicant has a valid driver license or CDL. If the type 20 vehicle is designed to hold 15 or more passengers, a CDL or CLP with a medical certificate is required.
(c) Test applicants for a School Bus Driver’s Permit or Certificate who have:
(A) Met all requirements of subsection (a) of this section;
(B) A School Bus Application Form signed by the a medical examiner, the applicant, and the behind-the-wheel trainer that conducted the training; and
(C) A completed school bus performance checklist on file that is initialed and signed by the applicant and the behind-the-wheel trainer that conducted the training.
(d) Test applicants for a Type 20 Certificate who have:
(A) A valid driver’s license or CDL. If the type 20 vehicle is designed to hold 15 or more passengers, a CDL with a medical certificate is required; and
(B) A completed type 20 performance checklist on file that is initialed and signed by the applicant and the behind-the-wheel or assistant trainer that conducted the training.
(e) Teach the material out of the Advanced Reference Point Manual, published by ODE, to school bus drivers who already possess a valid School Bus Driver’s Permit or Certificate and sign-off mastery of the reference points on the Advanced Reference Point Performance Checklist for the driver’s file and ODE training credit.
(3) The Behind-the-Wheel Training Certificate shall become invalid if the certificate holder:
(a) Does not have a valid School Bus Certificate; or
(b) Does not recertify when required by OAR 581-053-0100 (Non-Driving Related Certificates — Generally).
(4) Behind-the-wheel trainers shall not conduct skills tests for school bus driver applicants they have trained unless:
(a) The applicant has taken a CDL skills test at DMV that resulted in the issuance of a school bus endorsement; or
(b) The behind-the-wheel trainer has written permission from ODE.

Source: Rule 581-053-0140 — Behind-the-Wheel Trainer Certificate, https://secure.­sos.­state.­or.­us/oard/view.­action?ruleNumber=581-053-0140 (accessed May 26, 2025).

581–053–0002
Purpose and Applicability 581–053–0003
Definitions 581–053–0004
General 581–053–0010
Rules Governing Pupils Riding School Buses and School Activity Vehicles 581–053–0012
Waiver 581–053–0021
Minimum Record Retention Requirements 581–053–0031
Driving Hour Limitations 581–053–0040
Physical Examinations 581–053–0050
Driving and Criminal Records 581–053–0060
Refusals, Suspensions, Revocations and Invalid Certificates 581–053–0070
School Bus and School Activity Vehicle Acquisition, Maintenance and Inspection 581–053–0100
Non-Driving Related Certificates — Generally 581–053–0110
Supervisor Certificate 581–053–0120
Vehicle Inspector Certificate 581–053–0130
Assistant Trainer Certificate 581–053–0135
Reference Point Trainer Certificate 581–053–0140
Behind-the-Wheel Trainer Certificate 581–053–0145
Behind-the-Wheel Probationary Trainer Certificate 581–053–0150
Third Party Examiner Training and Support 581–053–0160
Core Instructor Certificate 581–053–0170
Core Refresher Instructor Certificate 581–053–0180
Transporting Students with Special Needs Instructor Certificate 581–053–0210
Administrative Requirements Pertaining to School Buses 581–053–0220
School Bus Driver’s Permit and Certificate 581–053–0225
Approved Training for School Bus Drivers 581–053–0230
Rules Pertaining to School Bus Drivers 581–053–0240
Minimum Standards for School Buses 581–053–0250
Retrofit Standards for Oregon School Buses 581–053–0310
Administrative Requirements Pertaining to Type 10 School Activity Vehicles 581–053–0320
Type 10 Driver Training and Approval 581–053–0330
Rules Pertaining to Type 10 Drivers 581–053–0340
Minimum Standards for Type 10 School Activity Vehicles 581–053–0410
Transportation Entity Requirements for Type 20 School Activity Vehicle Operation 581–053–0420
Type 20 Training and Certification 581–053–0430
Rules Pertaining to Type 20 Drivers 581–053–0440
Minimum Standards for Purpose Built Type 20 Vehicles 581–053–0445
Use of a School Bus as a Type 20 Vehicle 581–053–0511
District Requirements for Type 21 School Activity Vehicle Operation 581–053–0521
Type 21 Driver Training and Certification 581–053–0531
Rules Pertaining to Type 21 Drivers 581–053–0540
Minimum Standards for Type 21 Vehicles 581–053–0610
District Requirements for use of a Special Pupil Activity Bus 581–053–0615
Special Pupil Activity Bus (SPAB) Motor Carrier Requirements 581–053–0620
SPAB Driver Training and Certification 581–053–0630
Rules Pertaining to SPAB Drivers 581–053–0640
Minimum Standards for Special Pupil Activity Buses 581–053–0650
Minimum Standards for All-Electric School Buses

May 26, 2025

Rule 581-053-0140's source at or​.us