A new bill introduced in the State House aims to lower the age requirement for school bus drivers in Tennessee, reversing a law passed following the deadly Woodmore bush crash in Chattanooga in 2016.
While some support the age restriction, lawmakers argue that it has contributed to the state’s ongoing school bus driver shortage.
The existing law raised the minimum age for bus drivers to 25, and was introduced following the tragic Woodmore bus crash where 24-year-old Johnthony Walker lost control of the school bus he was driving. Walker was speeding when he lost control of the bus, hitting a utility pole and tree, which resulted in the deaths of six student passengers.
Rep. Mike Sparks (R-Smyrna) introduced House Bill 84, arguing that the current age requirement makes Tennessee one of the most strict states in the country regarding driver age, pointing to a Tennessee Department of Safety study indicating the highest percentage of school bus crashes from 2020 until 2024 involved drivers aged 56 to 60.
If the bill passes, it would lower the minimum age from 25 to 21, however Sparks says he is open to amending the bill to set the minimum age to 23 instead.
House Bill 84 passed the transportation subcommittee in February with a 6-3 vote and later cleared the full transportation committee 11-7 last week. The bill is set for a vote in the state legislature on Monday before heading to Governor Lee’s desk.
If approved, Tennessee school districts could see younger drivers behind the wheel for the first time in nearly a decade.
