# Paratransit Driver Requirements in 2027: License Class, FTA Drug Tests, ADA Training, and State Certificates

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/guides/paratransit-driver-requirements/ · Updated 2026-10-06

A paratransit driver needs the license the vehicle requires: a regular license for a vehicle built for 15 or fewer people including the driver (10 in California), and a CDL with the passenger endorsement above that. Contracts funded by federal transit grants add a verified negative FTA drug test before the first trip, and the ADA rule requires training to proficiency. California adds state certificates.

- The license follows the vehicle: 16 or more people including the driver means a CDL with the passenger endorsement, and 26,001 pounds or more means a CDL. California says more than 10.
- FTA testing reaches drivers of vans and cars, not only buses, and a verified negative drug test must come back before the first trip.
- The ADA rule sets no number of training hours. It sets a standard: every driver trained to proficiency, at any given time.
- California has two transit driver certificates with different training hours, and its general public paratransit definition leaves out vehicles that carry only riders with disabilities.
- Ask the transit agency in writing which certificates and tests it wants on file before you pay for any training.

A paratransit driver does the same work as a NEMT driver, but the paperwork behind the seat is different. Four things change: the license follows the vehicle, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) drug testing reaches drivers of vans and cars as well as buses, the ADA rule requires training to proficiency, and a few states ask for a transit certificate of their own. This page lists each one, the rule behind it, and what to do before the driver's first trip.

## What paratransit asks of a driver that Medicaid NEMT does not

Medicaid NEMT driver rules come from your state and your broker: a valid license, a driving record, a background check, and often a drug test. [NEMT driver requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-driver-requirements/) lays them out. A transit agency's paratransit contract usually repeats all of them, then adds these:

- **The license class follows the vehicle.** A minivan needs only a regular license. A cutaway bus can need a CDL with the passenger endorsement.
- **FTA testing covers vans and cars.** If the agency takes Section 5307, 5309, or 5311 transit grants, its contractors test drivers under the FTA rules, whatever the vehicle.
- **Training must reach proficiency.** The ADA rule in 49 CFR 37.173 applies to the driver's work with riders and equipment.
- **Some states add a certificate.** California is the clearest case, with two.

Paratransit here means the complementary service a public agency that runs fixed routes must offer riders with disabilities (49 CFR 37.121). [Paratransit vs NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/paratransit/) explains who qualifies and who pays, and [how to become an ADA paratransit contractor](https://nemtguide.com/guides/ada-paratransit-contractor/) covers bids and contracts. This page stays with the driver.

## Which license the vehicle needs

The license follows the vehicle's design, not the work. Under 49 CFR 383.5, a vehicle designed to carry 16 or more people including the driver is a commercial motor vehicle, and so is any vehicle that weighs or is rated 26,001 pounds or more. Its driver needs a CDL, and a passenger vehicle takes the passenger (P) endorsement, which adds a knowledge test and a skills test (49 CFR 383.93). A van, minivan, or sedan built for 15 or fewer people, under 26,001 pounds, needs only the license your state asks of any paid driver.

Cutaway buses are where small fleets cross the line, because the same body comes in sizes on both sides of 16. Get the designed seating in writing from the builder before you buy. The [cutaway bus page](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/cutaway-bus/) covers sizes and costs, and the [CDL guide](https://nemtguide.com/guides/do-nemt-drivers-need-a-cdl/) shows how to read the weight label and which states ask more of paid drivers.

California draws the line lower. A bus or general public paratransit vehicle designed, used, or maintained to carry more than 10 people including the driver needs a driver with the passenger endorsement (Vehicle Code 15278), and that endorsement makes it a commercial motor vehicle (Vehicle Code 15210).

A driver who needs a CDL and certifies interstate driving also needs a current medical examiner's certificate (49 CFR 383.71 and 391.41). The [NEMT DOT physical guide](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-dot-physical/) shows how to track it.

## Entry-level training before the passenger endorsement

Since February 7, 2022, a driver getting a first passenger endorsement must finish entry-level driver training before the skills test, from a provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov (49 CFR 380.609(b) and 383.71). Training from an unlisted provider does not count. A driver issued a passenger endorsement before that date is exempt (49 CFR 380.603(b)).

The curriculum has a theory part and a behind-the-wheel part, and both must be finished within one year of the first (49 CFR 380.603(c)(3)). Appendix C to part 380 sets no minimum hours for either part. The behind-the-wheel part must be in a passenger vehicle of the same group the driver will drive.

The topics already include the paratransit basics. One unit covers the ADA: operating lifts, engaging riders with mobility, sight, hearing, or cognitive limits, and recognizing service animals. Another covers handling and securing wheeled mobility devices and oxygen. That is a start, not the finish, because the employer's own duty to train to proficiency stays (49 CFR 37.173).

## FTA drug and alcohol testing

FTA's testing rule covers each recipient of federal grants under 49 U.S.C. 5307, 5309, or 5311 and any contractor of one (49 CFR 655.3). A contractor can be a written contract or an informal, ongoing arrangement. The rule defines a vehicle to include a van and an automobile, so a minivan driver is covered like a bus driver (49 CFR 655.4). Section 5310 grants are not on the list, so ask the agency what testing its agreement requires.

Before a driver does safety-sensitive work for the first time, the employer must have a drug test with a verified negative result (49 CFR 655.41). A driver who has been off safety-sensitive work for 90 consecutive days and out of the random pool needs a new one. The rest of the program, including the policy, random rates, post-accident tests, and records, is in the [paratransit contractor guide](https://nemtguide.com/guides/ada-paratransit-contractor/). [NEMT driver drug testing](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-driver-drug-testing/) shows how FTA testing fits beside broker and FMCSA testing.

## ADA training to proficiency

The ADA rule is one sentence long. Each public or private entity that runs a fixed route or demand responsive system must ensure personnel are trained to proficiency, so they operate vehicles and equipment safely and assist and treat riders with disabilities in a respectful and courteous way (49 CFR 37.173).

DOT's guidance in Appendix D to part 37 fills in what that means:

- **No required course.** DOT does not require a specific course or a training plan sent in for approval.
- **No refresher schedule.** There is no set requirement for recurrent training, but at any given time every employee must be trained to proficiency. A driver who has forgotten how to work the lift does not meet the standard.
- **Training fits the job.** A dispatcher and a driver need different training.
- **Private companies are covered.** The same appendix says training is as necessary for a taxi or hotel shuttle driver as for one in a city bus system.

Because the rule names no hours, the contract usually does. Pick a course your agency accepts, and keep the dated certificate and the hands-on lift and securement sign-off in the driver's file. Two sources of training are common:

- **PASS.** The Community Transportation Association of America's Passenger Assistance, Safety and Sensitivity course is offered online in 19 modules, each ending in a test, or as a two-day classroom course that adds hands-on wheelchair securement. The online course has no securement part, and CTAA recommends adding one. Ask CTAA for current prices and recertification terms.
- **National RTAP.** National RTAP's materials and eLearning courses are free to rural and tribal transit agencies, and small urban and urban providers are welcome to use them. Its eLearning catalog lists an ADA driver course, START Online, and a course on managing difficult passengers. Call 888-589-6821 to ask whether a contractor may enroll.

## California's two transit driver certificates

California asks for a state certificate in two cases, and the statutes decide which applies by how the service is run. The first is the transit bus driver certificate, issued by DMV. The second is the general public paratransit vehicle certificate, issued by DMV on the California Highway Patrol's exam.

| Item | Transit bus driver | General public paratransit driver |
|---|---|---|
| Service it covers | Fare-paying regular routes, and public dial-a-ride, subscription, or route-deviated service with no school pupils | The same public services when the vehicle also carries school pupils, in a vehicle for up to 24 riders plus the driver |
| Training to get it | 35 hours: at least 15 in class and 20 behind the wheel | 40 hours in the past two years: 8 of defensive driving and 20 behind the wheel |
| Training to keep it | 8 hours in each 12 months the certificate is valid | 2 refresher hours in each 12 months |
| Fee and term | The statute lets DMV charge $10. Lasts up to 5 years and ends with the driver license | The statute sets a Highway Patrol fee of $25 first, $12 to renew |

Training for an original or renewal transit bus certificate is recorded on DMV's Transit Driver Training Record, form DL 260 (Rev. 5/2016), signed by a state-certified instructor. State law makes it unlawful for an employer to let a driver without a valid certificate drive a transit bus (Vehicle Code 12804.6). A general public paratransit driver must also use a seat belt, not smoke, and report any accident reportable under Vehicle Code 16000 to the Highway Patrol (Vehicle Code 12523.5). The dollar amounts above are the statutes' own, so confirm the current fee with DMV or the Highway Patrol before you pay.

These definitions are narrower than most owners expect:

- **A transit bus** is a bus owned or run by a publicly owned transit system, or run under contract with one, that provides the general public regularly scheduled service for a fare. A general public paratransit vehicle is not a transit bus (Vehicle Code 642).
- **A general public paratransit vehicle** serves the general public under a transit system's control, and also carries school pupils. A vehicle that does the same without carrying pupils is a transit bus instead (Vehicle Code 336).
- **A vehicle used only for riders with disabilities, or only for riders 55 and older,** is not a general public paratransit vehicle. Carrying companions or attendants of ADA-eligible riders does not change that (Vehicle Code 336).

Read as written, a contract that carries only ADA-eligible riders does not obviously fall under either certificate. The statutes do not say which certificate, if any, such a contract needs, so do not buy training or assume an exemption on your own reading. Ask the agency in writing which certificate it requires, and keep the answer in the driver file. The Highway Patrol's handbook chapter on these vehicles is dated August 2005, so use the statute for the current rule.

## States and agencies that add their own rules

Several places add driver rules on top of the federal ones. Check these first if you work in one:

- **New York City.** A driver of a TLC-licensed paratransit van needs a TLC paratransit driver license: 18 or older, a commercial class A, B, or C license, active Article 19-A status, no more than 5 points in 15 months, and a 6-hour defensive driving course. TLC lists $367.25 in all, on a page marked 2025. See [starting a NEMT business in New York City](https://nemtguide.com/states/new-york/new-york-city/).
- **Florida.** Chapter 14-90 of the Florida Administrative Code sets safety standards for bus transit systems, with its own rule on driver medical examinations. The [Rule 14-90 guide](https://nemtguide.com/guides/florida-rule-14-90/) covers how it reaches private contract operators.
- **Nebraska.** As of October 2026, the state DOT says Section 5311 subrecipients that get state or federal operating assistance have had to follow its driver training rules since January 1, 2014. Each driver, volunteers included, finishes 8 hours of defensive driving and 8 hours of the PASS course within 2 months of hire, then 4 hours of continuing training each year. Agencies with Section 5310 funds may use the same courses, and the state's Rural Transit Assistance Program reimburses transit systems for them.

Other states run similar programs through their transit offices. Ask the agency or the state DOT public transit office whether training is required of contractors, and whether it is reimbursable.

## What an agency's own paratransit operator job asks

An agency's own paratransit operator job shows the baseline it sets for drivers. A contractor's standard may differ, so use it as a reference point. Kitsap Transit in Washington lists an ACCESS operator job on its employment page, as of October 2026. It asks for:

- age 18 or older at hire and a valid Washington license
- a commercial driver's license to obtain and keep, with training provided to get it
- a passing pre-employment drug test and a criminal background check
- no experience, with paid training

The duties include escorting riders from the door to the vehicle, running the lift, and securing wheelchairs and scooters. Ask any agency for the length of paid training and the physical demands in writing before you plan hiring around them. For what drivers earn, see [paratransit driver salary](https://nemtguide.com/guides/paratransit-driver-salary/).

## Before a driver's first paratransit trip

1. **Ask the agency for its driver standard in writing.** Get the license class, certificates, training hours, record limits, and drug testing it wants.
2. **Match the license to the vehicle.** Check the designed seating and the weight rating against the CDL lines above, and your state's own line.
3. **Complete entry-level training** for a new passenger endorsement, from a provider on the Training Provider Registry.
4. **Schedule the pre-employment drug test** and keep the driver off the vehicle until a verified negative result arrives.
5. **Finish ADA training and the securement check-off,** and date them in the driver file.
6. **Collect any state certificate** the agency requires, and record when its yearly training is due.
7. **Confirm the medical exam is current** if the driver needs a CDL and certifies interstate driving.
8. **Add the driver to your random testing pool** and set a reminder for each renewal date.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does a paratransit driver need a CDL?

Only when the vehicle needs one. Federal rules count a vehicle as a commercial motor vehicle for CDL purposes when it is designed to carry 16 or more people including the driver, or rated 26,001 pounds or more (49 CFR 383.5). A passenger vehicle takes the passenger endorsement (49 CFR 383.93). A minivan or wheelchair van built for 15 or fewer people and under 26,001 pounds needs no CDL under federal rules. California sets its line lower, at more than 10 people including the driver for a bus or a general public paratransit vehicle (Vehicle Code 15278).

### Do paratransit drivers need drug testing if they only drive a minivan?

Yes, when the company works for a transit agency that receives federal grants under 49 U.S.C. 5307, 5309, or 5311. FTA testing covers any contractor performing safety-sensitive work for such an agency, and 49 CFR 655.4 defines a vehicle to include a van and an automobile. The driver must have a verified negative pre-employment drug test before the first trip (49 CFR 655.41). Check with the agency if its funding comes only from Section 5310.

### How many hours of ADA training does a paratransit driver need?

The rule sets no hours. 49 CFR 37.173 requires every public or private entity that runs a fixed route or demand responsive system to train personnel to proficiency in operating vehicles and equipment safely and treating riders with disabilities respectfully. DOT says it does not require a specific course or a training plan, and sets no refresher schedule, but employees must be trained to proficiency at any given time. The contract may set hours of its own.

### What is the California transit bus driver certificate?

It is the DMV certificate Vehicle Code 12804.6 requires for any driver of a transit bus carrying passengers. An original applicant completes a 35-hour course with at least 15 hours in class and 20 behind the wheel (Education Code 40083), and renewal takes 8 hours in each 12 months of validity (Education Code 40085.5). The training is recorded on DMV form DL 260, and the employer may not let a driver without a valid certificate drive a transit bus.

### What is the California general public paratransit vehicle certificate?

It is a certificate for drivers of vehicles for up to 24 riders plus the driver that run general public dial-a-ride, subscription, or route-deviated service for a transit system and also carry school pupils (Vehicle Code 336). Vehicle Code 12523.5 requires 40 hours of training in the previous two years, including 8 of defensive driving and 20 behind the wheel, an exam given by the California Highway Patrol, and 2 refresher hours in each 12 months. The statute sets the fee paid to the Highway Patrol at $25 for an original certificate and $12 to renew.

### Does a driver who already holds a passenger endorsement need entry-level training?

Not if the endorsement was issued before February 7, 2022. 49 CFR 380.603(b) exempts drivers issued a passenger endorsement before that date. Anyone getting a first passenger endorsement since then must finish theory and behind-the-wheel training from a provider on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry before the skills test, and finish both parts within one year of the first.

## Official resources

- [eCFR: 49 CFR 37.173, ADA training requirement](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-37.173)
- [eCFR: 49 CFR part 655, FTA drug and alcohol testing](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/part-655)
- [FMCSA: Training Provider Registry (entry-level driver training)](https://tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov/)
- [California DMV: Transit Driver Training Record, form DL 260](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/file/transit-driver-training-record-dl-260-pdf)
- [California Highway Patrol: General public paratransit vehicle requirements](https://www.chp.ca.gov/siteassets/policy/hph/hph-82.7/hph-82.7-ch-9.pdf)
- [NYC TLC: Get a paratransit driver license](https://www.nyc.gov/site/tlc/drivers/get-a-paratransit-drivers-license.page)
- [National RTAP: free transit driver training](https://www.nationalrtap.org/Training/National-RTAP-Training-Overview)
- [CTAA: PASS driver training](https://ctaa.org/pass/)