EEA

STUDENT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

Operation of the School Bus System

A. Bus routes shall be established by the Superintendent, subject to review by the School Board. Routes will be over the most direct roads practical for bus travel to serve those entitled to transportation service. Routes will be designed to employ, as nearly as practical, the full carrying capacity of each school bus. New routes will be established only when full capacity of the bus on the existing routes has been reached or is imminent.

B. In so far as educational requirements permit, school schedules shall be adjusted to allow maximum utilization of each bus in the system by alternating elementary and high school trips with the same fleet of buses.

C. Bus stops shall be established under the direction of the Superintendent in cooperation with the operator of the bus system. A bus stop so established will be designated as authorized when the School Board has approved its designation as such. The operator may not permit the school bus drivers to load or unload pupils at other than authorized school bus stops.

D. Authorized bus stops shall be located at convenient intervals in places where pupils may be loaded and unloaded, cross highways and await arrivals of buses with the utmost safety permitted by highway conditions. The number of bus stops on each trip shall be limited, consistent with the policy stated as to service, so as to enable buses to maintain a reasonable average speed.

Walking Distances

1. Pupils in grades 1, 2 and 3:

Walkers: Pupils may be required to walk up to 1 mile to get to their assigned school;

Bus riders: Pupils who live beyond 1 mile from their assigned school may ride a school bus; pupils living within a busing area, may be required to walk up to 1 mile to get to the nearest school bus stop. Pupils may not walk from a walk zone into a school bus zone in order to ride a school bus.

2. Pupils in grades 4 and 5:

Walkers: Pupils may be required to walk up to 1 and 1/2 miles to get to their assigned school;

Bus riders: Pupils who live beyond 1 and 1/2 miles from their assigned school may ride a school bus; pupils living within a busing area, may be required to walk up to 1 and 1/2 miles to get to the nearest school bus stop. Pupils may not walk from a walk zone into a school bus zone in order to ride a school bus.

3. Pupils in grades 6 through 12:

Walkers: Pupils may be required to walk up to 2 miles to get to their assigned school;

Bus riders: Pupils who live beyond 2 miles from their assigned school may ride a school bus; pupils living within a busing area, may be required to walk up to 1 and 1/2 miles to get to the nearest school bus stop. Pupils may not walk from a walk zone into a school bus zone in order to ride a school bus.

4. Pupil assignments to schools are always based on the pupil's home address. Pupils are not assigned to schools from a baby-sitter’s address.

5. Special permits for health-related reasons may be issued on a temporary basis. Written verification from a medical doctor is required.

6. Pupils are NOT permitted to bring other pupils home with them on their school bus. Space is not available to allow this practice to take place.

7. Pupils may NOT ride a school bus to and / or from work situations, including jobs as baby-sitters.

8. Regular school buses are intended to provide safe transportation to eligible pupils from their homes to school and to home again.

9. The privilege of riding on a school bus may be revoked for unsatisfactory conduct.

10. The Board reserves the right to charge all pupils over the age of 14 in grades 9 through 12 for transportation to and from school.

Adoption Date: April 8, 1993

Amended: December 11, 2008