20-10-141. Schedule of maximum reimbursement by mileage rates. (1) The mileage rates in subsection (2) for school transportation constitute the maximum reimbursement to districts for school transportation from state and county sources of transportation revenue under the provisions of 20-10-145 and 20-10-146. These rates may not limit the amount that a district may budget in its transportation fund budget in order to provide for the estimated and necessary cost of school transportation during the ensuing school fiscal year. All bus miles traveled on bus routes approved by the county transportation committee are reimbursable. Nonbus mileage is reimbursable for a vehicle driven by a bus driver to and from an overnight location of a school bus when the location is more than 10 miles from the school. A district may approve additional bus or nonbus miles within its own district or approved service area but may not claim reimbursement for the mileage. Any vehicle, the operation of which is reimbursed for bus mileage under the rate provisions of this schedule, must be a school bus, as defined by this title, driven by a qualified driver on a bus route approved by the county transportation committee and the superintendent of public instruction.
(2) (a) The rate for each bus mile traveled must be determined in accordance with the following schedule:
(i) 50 cents for a school bus as defined in 20-10-101(4)(a)(ii);
(ii) 95 cents for a school bus with a rated capacity of not more than 49 passenger seating positions;
(iii) $1.15 for a school bus with a rated capacity of 50 to 59 passenger seating positions;
(iv) $1.36 for a school bus with a rated capacity of 60 to 69 passenger seating positions;
(v) $1.57 for a school bus with a rated capacity of 70 to 79 passenger seating positions; and
(vi) $1.80 for a school bus with 80 or more passenger seating positions.
(b) Nonbus mileage, as provided in subsection (1), must be reimbursed at a rate of 50 cents a mile.
(3) The rated capacity is the number of passenger seating positions of a school bus as determined under the policy adopted by the board of public education. If modification of a school bus to accommodate pupils with disabilities reduces the rated capacity of the bus, the reimbursement to a district for pupil transportation is based on the rated capacity of the bus prior to modification.
(4) The number of pupils riding the school bus may not exceed the passenger seating positions of the bus.
History: En. 75-7018 by Sec. 295, Ch. 5, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 469, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 22, Ch. 266, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 529, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 75-7018; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 590, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 454, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 515, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 559, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 344, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 711, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 298, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 550, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 221, L. 2017.
Structure Montana Code Annotated
Chapter 10. Transportation and Food Services
Part 1. School Buses and Transportation
20-10-102. School bus requirements
20-10-103. School bus driver qualifications
20-10-104. Penalty for violating law or rules
20-10-105. Determination of residence
20-10-106. Determination of mileage distances
20-10-108. Two-way radio operation
20-10-109. Liability insurance for school bus
20-10-110. School bus purchase -- contract -- bids
20-10-111. Duties of board of public education
20-10-112. Duties of superintendent of public instruction
20-10-113. through 20-10-120 reserved
20-10-122. Discretionary provision of transportation and payment for this transportation
20-10-123. Provision of transportation for nonpublic school children
20-10-124. Private party contract for transportation -- individual transportation contract
20-10-125. Bid letting for contract bus -- payments under transportation contract
20-10-126. Establishment of transportation service areas
20-10-129. Transportation for special activities
20-10-131. County transportation committee membership
20-10-132. Duties of county transportation committee
20-10-133. through 20-10-140 reserved
20-10-141. Schedule of maximum reimbursement by mileage rates
20-10-142. Schedule of maximum reimbursement for individual transportation
20-10-143. Budgeting for transportation and transmittal of transportation contracts
20-10-145. State transportation reimbursement
20-10-146. County transportation reimbursement
20-10-147. Bus depreciation reserve fund
20-10-148. Cost-effectiveness analysis required before purchase of small school bus