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Policies

Purpose

 

Transportation for students shall be provided in accordance with law and Board policy.

 

Definitions

 

School bus means a motor vehicle that is designed to carry eleven (11) passengers or more, including the driver, and is used for the transportation of preprimary, primary or secondary school students to or from public, private or parochial schools or events related to such schools or school-related activities. A school bus is used for the transportation of preprimary, primary or secondary school students while registered by or under contract to the school district. The term includes vehicles having chartered, group and party rights under the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and used for the transportation of school children.

 

School vehicle means a motor vehicle, except a motorcycle, designed for carrying no more than ten (10) passengers, including the driver, and used for the transportation of preprimary, primary or secondary school students while registered by or under contract to the school district. The term includes vehicles having chartered, group and party rights under the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and used for the transportation of school children.[1]

 

Authority

 

The Board shall provide transportation for resident students in grades kindergarten through 12 to the district’s public schools and charter, regional charter and nonpublic schools located in the district or within the district’s transportation boundary or other placements as required by law or agreements. The district’s transportation boundary is a distance not exceeding ten (10) miles by the nearest public highway outside the school district’s border.[2][3][4]

 

The Board shall purchase, lease, equip, and maintain school buses/vehicles and/or contract for school bus/vehicle services for transportation of students to and from school at regularly scheduled hours and for field trips and extracurricular activities.[2][3][5][6][7][8][9]

 

The Board shall provide transportation for students living within the prescribed limits when walking conditions to the school are found to be hazardous by the Department of Transportation.[3][10]

 

The Board shall provide transportation for students with disabilities, without regard to distance or hazardous walking conditions, when required by the student’s individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 Service Agreement.[11][12][13][14][15]

 

The Board shall provide transportation for eligible resident students who are enrolled in nonpublic schools or charter schools as required by law.[2][4][16]

 

The Board shall provide transportation for children in foster care in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations, and the local transportation plan.[17][18]

 

The Board shall provide transportation for homeless children and youths in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations.[19][20]

 

The Board prohibits any diesel-powered motor vehicle weighing 10,001 pounds or more to idle for more than five (5) minutes in any continuous sixty-minute period while parked, loading or unloading, except as allowed by law.[21]

 

The Board shall ensure that permanent signs, notifying drivers of the idling restrictions, are maintained on district property at locations where diesel-powered motor vehicles weighing 10,001 pounds or more load or unload. Signs shall also be posted at locations that provide fifteen (15) or more parking spaces for such diesel-powered motor vehicles.[22][23]

 

Delegation of Responsibility

 

The school bus/vehicle driver shall be responsible to maintain order while students are being transported.

 

The school bus/vehicle driver shall report all incidents, including, but not limited to, discipline problems, medical problems, bullying/harassment, safety issues, accidents or injuries, and violations of Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law to the Superintendent or designee as soon as practicable.

 

The building principal may suspend a student from bus transportation for disciplinary reasons, and the parents/guardians shall be responsible for the student's transportation.[7]

 

The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible to:

  1. Maintain records and make required reports regarding school transportation.[5][7]
     
  2. Distribute rules governing student conduct during transport; such rules shall be binding on all students transported by the district.[7]
     
  3. Provide each school bus/school vehicle driver with:
     
    1. The Pennsylvania School Bus Driver’s Manual;
       
    2. The written rules for student conduct on buses/vehicles;
       
    3. The procedures for evacuation drills; and
       
    4. Any additional laws and applicable Board policies and administrative regulations which apply to school bus/vehicle drivers.
       
  4. Prepare a district map or schedule indicating each bus stop and bus route.[7]

Guidelines

 

Student Health Information

 

When necessary for student safety, or when required by a student’s IEP or Section 504 Service Agreement, a school bus/vehicle driver shall be provided with relevant student health and medical information.[15][24][25][26]

 

School bus/vehicle drivers shall maintain the confidentiality of student health/medical information in accordance with district policies and procedures and applicable law.[27][28]

 

Evacuation Drills

 

Bus evacuation drills shall be conducted twice a year and reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, in accordance with law and Board policy.[29][30][31]

 

PROVISION OF SERVICE

 

Elementary/Secondary Students

 

The Canton Area School District will provide for the free transportation of all students whose residence lies one and one-half (1½ ) miles from the school of attendance.[3]

 

All such distances shall be computed by the public highway from the nearest point where a private drive connects the dwelling house of the student with the highway to the nearest point where said highway touches the school grounds of the school to which the student has been assigned.

 

Students residing less than one and one-half (1½ ) miles from the school of attendance must provide their own transportation to and from school.

 

All students residing more than one and one-half (1½) miles from the school of attendance, but less than one and one-half (1½) miles from a school conveyance, must provide their own transportation to and from said conveyance.

 

The Board will, however, provide transportation for students living within the limits of this policy when:

  1. The walking conditions to the school are found to be hazardous by the Department of Transportation.[3][10]
     
  2. Space exists on the bus to allow entire grade groups to ride, starting with kindergarten and ascending through the grades until seating space is not available for another entire grade level.
     
  3. The Board will arrange for the transportation of handicapped children without regard to distance or hazardous walking conditions.[11][12][13][14][15]

Student Count and Statistics

 

By September 15 of each school year, all contractors shall update and return to the administration a complete roster of passengers by name, stop, time and grade level. All stops will furthermore be recorded on a route map as provided for this purpose.[7]

 

Route Designation and Operation

 

All bus routes, stops and time schedules shall be determined by the administration and adhered to by the bus driver.

 

The operator shall not deviate from the designated route except by the consent of the Board or its designated representative, except when emergency dictates.

 

An operating time schedule shall be prepared by the Board or its designee in cooperation with the contractor. The schedule shall designate the time and place of all bus stops. Drivers are not required to wait for students who are not present at the approved loading zone at the proper time, except on those occasions when a student is observed to be making an effort to meet the bus. The bus shall not depart from any designated stop before two (2) minutes after the scheduled time unless the students to be transported from that point are aboard.

 

If the bus is running unusually late, the driver will attempt to notify parents/guardians and the appropriate school authority.

 

Students will be taken on and discharged only at the designated stops and at the extreme right of the roadway.

 

No operator shall start his/her bus or signal the driver of any vehicle, who has stopped in compliance with provisions of the laws of Pennsylvania, to proceed until after each child who may have alighted there from shall have reached a place of safety.

 

Students wishing to ride to or from school on a vehicle other than their regular school bus will be permitted to do so upon receipt of a parental permission slip with sufficient detail countersigned by the building principal or designee. This privilege is offered only if appropriate seating capacity is available and the route of the school vehicle is not altered. Additionally, if this privilege is abused, the Board reserves the right to deny the privilege to any individual(s).

 

Permanent bus changes will ONLY be approved for the following reasons:

  1. Change of residence.
     
  2. Change of permanent sitter. Permanent = one (1) month or longer.
     
  3. Emergency situations.
     
    1. Emergency examples include – family illness, death or “extreme” circumstances.
       
    2. Emergencies are nonrecurring.
       
    3. Emergency changes must be approved by the building principal and supported with a note explaining to the principal the emergency situation. (Notes must be forwarded next day.)
       
    4. Bus changes must be in writing and submitted to the office forty-eight (48) HOURS in advance of any requested change. Requests for changes without forty-eight (48) hours advanced notice will not be approved except for extreme emergencies.
       
    5. Bus drivers will be responsible to physically check notes for new riders or bus stop changes.
       
  4. Legal shared custody.
     
  5. Allowance for an alternating arrangement will be made provided this is a permanent situation.

Nonschool Personnel

 

No person, other than a regularly enrolled student of the Canton Area School District, shall be transported on a regular daily run. Exceptions may be made, on a case-by-case basis, when approved by the Board or designee.

 

Nothing except passengers and their belongings shall be transported in the school vehicle while it is engaged in transporting students to and from school. Belongings shall be limited to those items which can be held on a lap or secured in such a manner as to not present a safety hazard.

 

Student Transportation Contracts

 

Student transportation contracts shall not be written for a term in excess of one (1) year.

 

Contracts for existing routes will be offered annually based upon the Board-approved formula or stated contract rate and in accordance with need for service.

 

The Board shall exercise its option to request proposals for any or all routes should an existing contractor reject the Board-offered formula or rate.

 

In the event of a contractor’s death, illness, disability or inability to fulfill the terms and conditions of his/her contract, the route(s) may be transferred to a qualified spouse or child of the contractor upon approval of the Board.

 

In the absence of a qualified transfer, the administration is authorized to contract for substitute transportation to provide service until such time that requests for proposals can be sought.

 

Contracts written in the name of a partnership or corporation will continue to be offered to the entity as long as one of the original signatures remains active in the business.

 

The Canton Area School District reserves the right to assign, terminate or transfer contractual rights in the best interest of the district.

 

SAFETY

 

Student Conduct on Bus

  1. The school bus is to be considered an extension of the classroom and students are required to abide by the rules of the bus.
     
  2. Riding a school vehicle is a “privilege” and not a “right”.
     
  3. Be at the bus stop and ready to board the bus at the designated time.
     
  4. Remain relatively quiet to prevent distracting the driver.
     
  5. Remain in the seat while the bus is in motion.
     
  6. Go directly to seat when entering bus.
     
  7. Cross the road in accordance with instructions from school authority.
     
  8. Keep head, arms and hands inside the bus.
     
  9. Fighting, yelling and obscene language prohibited.
     
  10. No eating, drinking on the bus.
     
  11. No use or possession of alcohol, drugs or tobacco products.
     
  12. No throwing of objects or destruction of property.
     
  13. No weapons are permitted even if they are for instructional purposes. If they are required in school, the parents must transport such items.
     
  14. Obey bus driver.
     
  15. Help keep the bus clean and sanitary.
     
  16. Be alert to traffic when leaving the bus.
     
  17. Stay off roadways at all times while waiting for the bus.
     
  18. Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before attempting to get on or off.
     
  19. All students are required to take ridership classes on bus behavior and safety as planned and scheduled by the school administration.
     
  20. Large items are not to be taken on the bus unless they are kept under control by the student.
     
  21. Do not sleep on the bus so that you can hear any directions from the driver, especially in the case of an emergency.
     
  22. No animals or pets are permitted on the bus.

Parent/Guardian Responsibility

 

Parent/Guardian responsibilities include:

  1. It is the responsibility of the district to set up safe and appropriate bus stops and it is the parent’s/guardian’s duty to get their children to the bus stop.
     
  2. Have students at the bus stop five (5) minutes before the scheduled time of arrival by the bus and prepared to wait up to fifteen (15) minutes minimum in case the bus is late.
     
  3. Provide necessary protection of children when going to and from the bus stop.
     
  4. Dress students appropriately for waiting at the bus stop.
     
  5. Accept responsibility for proper conduct of their children.
     
  6. Make reasonable effort to understand and cooperate with those responsible for student transportation. Failure to make a reasonable effort is cause for suspension of affected students.
     
  7. Keep their children home when buses are operating during inclement weather if parents feel this is necessary. The child will receive an excused absence, or an unexcused absence as determined by the principal on a case-by-case basis.

Consequences of Misconduct on Buses

 

Misconduct on the school bus will be handled according to the school handbook.

 

Chain of Command

 

If you have a question concerning transportation, the following chain of command is to be followed. Contact the:

  1. Bus driver. If not resolved,
     
  2. Bus contractor. If not resolved,
     
  3. Building principal. If not resolved,
     
  4. Business Manager. If not resolved,
     
  5. Superintendent. If not resolved,
     
  6. Your regional Board member.

After this chain of command is exhausted, the Board decision is final. At this point you can accept the decision or arrange for alternative transportation provided by the parent/guardian.

 

Driver Requirements

 

All school bus drivers shall meet the requirements of the Bureau of Traffic Safety of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in regard to application, age, fitness, competence, conduct, licensing, physical examination (to be performed by a “qualified physician”), drug and alcohol testing, certification and continuing eligibility and in doing so demonstrate a working knowledge of the school bus operator’s manual, traffic rules and laws and regulations of federal, state and local governments.[32][33]

 

Drivers of contracted school vehicles transporting children other than their own must also comply with the fitness requirements.

 

All school bus drivers operating vehicles under contract to the Canton Area School District must be annually registered with the administration and approved by the Board.

 

All contractors and drivers:[32][33][9]

  1. Must secure the necessary Act 34 and Act 151 clearance through the applicable agency (State Police, FBI, or Department of Health and Human Services).
     
  2. Must be free from any form of tuberculosis in a transmissible stage.
     
  3. Must comply with Pennsylvania Department of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regulations and policies regarding communicable diseases.

It shall be the responsibility of the contractor to supply the district with the appropriate proof of compliance prior to placing a driver in service.

 

All school bus drivers and substitutes must be a minimum of twenty-one (21) years of age.

 

The school bus operator will fulfill responsibilities relative to the safety, care and operation of his/her vehicle.

 

Conviction of a moving violation or failure to comply with the rules and regulations of the Canton Area School District may subject said driver to removal as a school bus operator within the district.