New law allows 21-year-old school personnel to transport students amid bus driver shortage

Continue Reading

New Jersey Supreme Court to Rule on COVID Hazard Pay Dispute for School Workers

Trenton, NJ - The New Jersey Supreme Court is scheduled to issue a decision Wednesday in a closely…

Seaside Heights Once Touted as a Premier Destination for “Girl Watching”

If you've ever wondered what Seaside Heights looked like before Snooki, Karma nightclub, and the famous boardwalk brawls,…

Congress Demands New Jersey Surrender Documents in Non-Citizen Voting Scandal

Trenton, NJ - The Republican chairmen of two House committees have formally demanded records from the New Jersey…

TRENTON, NJ – Governor Murphy has signed new legislation in an effort to address the shortage of school bus drivers. The legislation, supported by Senators James Beach and Vincent Polistina, allows boards of education, nonpublic school governing bodies, and state agencies to designate certain personnel to transport students to and from school.

Eligibility criteria for potential designated drivers include being at least 21 years old, having held a valid basic driver’s license for a minimum of three years, and completing training on procedures for interacting with students with special needs. Additional requirements must be fulfilled as set out by the new law.

Senator Beach highlighted the importance of the bill, noting the significant inconvenience the driver shortage causes for families and school administrators. He emphasized that the legislation will create opportunities for individuals with standard driver’s licenses to become designated drivers, thus increasing the available pool of drivers for school districts.

Furthermore, designated drivers are required to submit a driving record covering the past five years, showing no alcohol or drug-related violations. They must also undergo a criminal history background check by the New Jersey Department of Education and a Child Abuse Record Information check.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.