The Missouri State Highway Patrol recently released its 2025 school bus inspection report.
Colonel Michael A. Turner, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announces the results of the Driver and Vehicle Safety Division’s 2025 annual school bus inspection program. Missouri’s 2025 school bus inspection results are as follows: School buses rated as “approved” upon initial inspection — 10,144 School buses rated as “defective” upon initial inspection — 799 School buses rated as “out-of-service” upon initial inspection — 312 Buses with identified defective components require repair within 10 days. Buses placed out-of-service require the correction of the component(s), reinspection, and a return to service by Patrol personnel prior to further usage in transporting passengers. A total of 297 Missouri school districts earned the Patrol’s Total Fleet Excellence award for 2025. During the 2024-2025 school year, 6,782 buses in these award-winning fleets are eligible to display the Patrol’s Total Fleet Excellence sticker in the lower corner of the first window on the passenger entry side of the bus. “Missouri State Highway Patrol personnel, with the cooperation of pupil transportation professionals, completed the successful inspection of 11,255 school buses in accordance with Missouri revised state statutes,” said Colonel Turner. “These efforts help the Patrol, Missouri schools, and private pupil transportation companies ensure schoolchildren are safe while they travel on school buses.” Of Schuyler County’s fleet of 13 buses inspected, one bus was found to be defective but could remain in service while repairs were made, while one bus was removed from service until repairs could be made.
