(a) Inspections by Department. Motor carriers shall afford authorized representatives of the department a reasonable opportunity to enter terminals, maintenance facilities, farm labor camps, or other private property to inspect vehicles and records to determine compliance with this chapter. Every driver shall permit the inspection of any vehicle or pertinent records for which the driver is responsible or has under his or her control.

(b) Authority of District Boards. The governing board of any school district, county superintendent of schools, or equivalent private school entity or official, may adopt and enforce additional requirements governing the transportation of pupils. Such requirements shall not conflict with any law or state administrative regulation.

(c) Application to Private School Buses. The provisions of this chapter shall apply equally to private school buses and to private school officials and agencies unless the context clearly indicates that no such application may reasonably be made.

(d) Special Application. Regulations in this title relating to buses and to the transportation of passengers shall also apply to trailer buses.

(e) Exemptions. The Commissioner may grant exemptions from any of the requirements of this chapter when, in the Commissioner's judgment, requests appear reasonable, or the results intended by these regulations can be accomplished by alternate methods of compliance. However, no exemption will be granted if, in the opinion of the Commissioner, the exemption would compromise the safety requirements of these regulations. In addition, any exemption granted by the Commissioner is nontransferable and may be rescinded at any time for cause.

(f) Motor Carrier of Property Certificate of Compliance. Any motor carrier of property, as defined in Section 34601 of the Vehicle Code, who contracts or subcontracts with, or otherwise provides transportation services for, another motor carrier of property shall provide to that motor carrier a certificate as set forth in Section 34620(b) of the Vehicle Code. The certificate may be on a form provided by the department, or may be a carrier-provided form containing the following information:

(g) As used in subsection (f), “contracted motor carrier” means the motor carrier providing the transportation service. The motor carrier for whom the transportation service is provided shall be referred to as the “contracting motor carrier.”