Transportation

School Bus Safety Guidelines

Getting "our" children to school safely is our number one concern. In order to ensure the safety of all children we expect all students to behave appropriately at ALL times-remember bus transportation is a privilege.

Bus drivers are responsible for supervising behavior on the bus. If any child’s behavior is distracting to the bus driver or harmful to another child, verbal and/or written warnings will be issued. These warnings will be given to the Transportation Department, the Principal or Vice Principal of the school, and a copy is to be kept by the Driver. The Principal will take an appropriate action, which may include suspension of bus privilege.

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    All school buses are equipped with seatbelts which must be worn at all times by all passengers.

  • The following School Bus Rules and Safety Guidelines should be known by all students:

  • Be at your designated stop 10 minutes prior to bus arrival.

  • Never stand and or play in the roadway while waiting for the bus.

  • Behave in a courteous manner while waiting-be considerate of others property. 

  • Walk facing the traffic-the school bus has many "blind spots". Do not attempt to come up from behind; chances are the Driver will not see you.

  • Stay in the "SAFE ZONE"-ten feet in front of the bus. Never cross behind the bus.

  • Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before entering (you should be at least 3 GIANT steps from the curb to allow the driver to pull the bus up to the curb) or leaving. 

  • Always remain seated, facing forward with a seatbelt on.

  •  No eating or drinking.

  • No student will be permitted to ride on any bus other than the one to which he/she is assigned, unless approved by the Principal and the Transportation Department.

  • Keep conversations at a "normal’ volume, with no vulgar language or gestures to the driver, other passengers, or passersby. This is a serious safety issue; any distraction to the driver may result in an accident.

  • In an emergency, remain seated and wait for instructions from the driver.

  • Keep all body parts inside the vehicle at all times.

  • The bus driver reserves the right to assign seats and to grant permission to open windows. (a good rule of thumb-you open it you close it)

  • Musical Instruments, school projects, etc. are not permitted on the bus; unless the student can carry the object safely on his/her lap.

  • No smoking.

  •  Defacing property or otherwise damaging the bus is not permitted. Charges will be made for any damage, and bus privilege may be revoked.

  • No pets. 

  • The District/contractor is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged property.

THE DISTRICT MAY USE VIDEO TAPING SYSTEMS ON ALL VEHICLES TO MONITOR STUDENT ACTIVITY.

 

The District reserves the right to add, delete or modify bus rules/safety guidelines at any time.

 

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY

This report was written by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.

Getting children to and from school safely each day is serious business. Every year, thousands of children are injured in school bus-related accidents. Many of these accidents can be prevented if children know and follow these rules for bus safety:

Rushing Roulette:

When children are late for the bus, they concentrate more on getting aboard than on safety. Too often, accidents result. Set your morning routine so that your child arrives at the bus stop at least ten minutes before the bus is due.

  

Stay in the safe zone:

Bus drivers have blind spots because of bus design and many children have been injured because the bus driver simply did not see them. Tell your children to always stay in the "safe zone" of at least ten feet in front of the bus.

  

Save the horseplay:

Bus stops are not playgrounds. Goofing around while waiting for the bus, especially if the play extends into the street, can be deadly. Make sure your children understand the danger.

 

One at a time:

Every child wants to get a "good" seat, but it is important for children to take their time entering the bus, lining up in a single file and not trying to push their way through a swarm.

  

No distractions:

Children may think that bus rules (no shouting, no throwing things, no horseplay) are just to keep them in line, but there are serious safety issues involved. They should understand the importance of never distracting the bus driver.

  

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY (continued)

Stay put:

Children are so eager to leave the bus that they often start for the front before the bus has stopped. Let them know that they should wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before leaving their seats.

  

Cut the ties:

Clothing with drawstrings can be a real danger because loose strings can get caught on bus handrails. To be safe, remove drawstrings from your children’s jackets and look for backpacks that do not have drawstrings.

  

Heads up:

A dropped book can turn into a serious accident if the bus driver does not see it. Tell your children to let the bus driver know immediately if they drop something while getting on or off the bus.

  

The inside story:

Figure out the safest route to and from the bus stop and walk it with your children a few more times. Make sure they cross streets only at crosswalks or corners, never darting out between parked cars, and that they always look both ways before crossing.

  

It only takes a few minutes to review these bus safety tips with your children. Please make the time.