Bus Ridership Rules

School bus transportation is a privilege contingent upon compliance with the necessary safety rules:

Meeting the Bus

• Students must be on time and visible at the bus stop. It is recommended that students be at their bus stop five (5) minutes before pick-up time.  Once a bus departs a stop or school, it will not stop for late students or stop at unauthorized locations to receive or discharge passengers.
• Students must not stand on the traveled portion of the roadway while waiting for the bus.
• Students must not approach a moving bus until it stops.  Once the bus has stopped, the student may walk toward the bus to board once the driver signals to the student.
• Students must enter the bus carefully in an orderly manner as instructed.
• Once on the bus, students must go directly to their assigned seat and be seated properly so the bus may continue the route. If the bus is equipped with passenger seatbelts, the student is required to wear the seatbelt while the bus is in motion.

Bus Safety Rules

• Observe the same conduct level as is expected in the classroom.
• Profanity and obscene gestures are not allowed.
• Do not eat or drink on the bus except for water in a closed plastic bottle.
• Do not litter or damage the bus in any way.
• Students are expected to cooperate with driver seating assignments.
• All items prohibited at school are also prohibited on the bus.
• Remain seated while the bus is moving with all body parts inside the windows. If the bus is equipped with passenger seatbelts, the student is required to wear the seatbelt while the bus is in motion.
• Fighting, horseplay, and throwing objects are prohibited.
• No live/dead animals or flammable materials are allowed.
• Large, bulky items that cannot fit under the seat or in the lap of the student are not allowed on the bus.  Arrangements must be made for the parent to transport these items.  This includes large band instruments and school projects.
• No skateboards, balls, roller blades, or balloons may be brought on the bus.

Departing the Bus

• Students are allowed to depart the bus at their designated bus stop ONLY!
• When getting off of the bus, students should move quickly but safely away from the unloading area.

Incidents at the Bus Stop

Student incidents occurring at a bus stop when the bus driver is not present are not within the scope of authority of the Transportation Department. If the driver becomes aware of an injury that happened while a student was waiting for the bus, the driver will report the injury to the Transportation Department and arrangements will be made for the nurse to meet the bus or other appropriate response.

Disciplinary Action

Disciplinary action will be taken with students who fail to comply with the school bus safety expectations. Disciplinary action may include verbal correction, seating reassignment, issuing a bus safety report, and suspension of bus service.

The bus driver is authorized to issue a bus safety report to the Transportation Department office for a student bus safety violation. The Assistant Director of Transportation or designee will review bus safety reports and administer appropriate action commensurate with the safety infraction and considering the student’s prior bus safety reports (if any.)
 
The following guidelines will be used for determining appropriate corrective action for bus safety reports:

1st Report   Warning

2nd Report   Suspension of bus service for up to 3 days

3rd Report   Suspension of bus service for up to 5 days

4th Report   Suspension of bus service for the remainder of the semester. Student may resume bus service in the second semester, but the next report will be subject to suspension of bus service for up to 5 days.

Severe Clause   If an incident is deemed to be a serious safety infraction, the prior steps may be bypassed and the student may have transportation services suspended for a length of time as deemed appropriate by the transportation administrators.

Any parent or guardian wishing to appeal a decision regarding disciplinary action for a school bus safety report may contact the Transportation Department at 281-485-3562 and speak with the Transportation Supervisor.