Section 3624. Drivers, monitors and attendants

The  commissioner  shall
  determine  and  define  the  qualifications  of  drivers,  monitors  and
  attendants  and  shall  make  the  rules  and  regulations governing the
  operation of all transportation facilities used by  pupils  which  rules
  and regulations shall include, but not be limited to, a maximum speed of
  fifty-five   miles  per  hour  for  school  vehicles  engaged  in  pupil
  transportation  that  are  operated  on  roads,  interstates  or   other
  highways, parkways or bridges or portions thereof that have posted speed
  limits  in excess of fifty-five miles per hour, prohibitions relating to
  smoking, eating and drinking and any and all other acts or conduct which
  would  otherwise  impair  the  safe  operation  of  such  transportation
  facilities  while  actually  being used for the transport of pupils. The
  employment of each driver, monitor and attendant shall  be  approved  by
  the  chief school administrator of a school district for each school bus
  operated within his or her district. For the purpose of determining  his
  or  her  physical  fitness,  each  driver,  monitor and attendant may be
  examined on order of the chief school administrator by a  duly  licensed
  physician  within  two  weeks  prior to the beginning of service in each
  school year as a school bus driver, monitor or attendant. The report  of
  the  physician,  in  writing,  shall  be  considered by the chief school
  administrator in determining the fitness of the  driver  to  operate  or
  continue  to operate any transportation facilities used by pupils and in
  determining the fitness of any monitor or attendant to carry out his  or
  her functions on such transportation facilities. Nothing in this section
  shall  prohibit a school district from imposing a more restrictive speed
  limit policy for the operation  of  school  vehicles  engaged  in  pupil
  transportation   than   the   speed  limit  policy  established  by  the
  commissioner.