Article 77 - Transportation

Section 77.1 Purpose
Section 77.2 Student Transportation
Section 77.3 Bus Routes
Section 77.4 Student Conduct on School Buses at Bus Stops
Section 77.5 School Trips Extracurricular Events
Section 77.6 Use of District Vehicles Other Than Buses
Section 77.7 Use of Private Vehicles on School Business
Section 77.8 Use and Rental of School Buses for Non-District Purposes

Article 77

TRANSPORTATION

Adopted 12/03/01

 

Section  77.1       Purpose

 

The District shall provide a safe, efficient and economical transportation system for eligible District students, which shall be administered by the Superintendent.  The transportation system shall be designed so as to: insure that all students whose disability or distance from school requires them to receive necessary transportation do, in fact, receive it; meet the demands of the instructional program; and comply with all applicable laws, regulations and policies established by federal, state and local authorities.

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Section  77.2  Student Transportation

 

(A)            Transportation to and from District school facilities for participation in educational programs shall be provided at District expense to meet the need of the following eligible District students:

(1) all students in Grades K through 5;

(2) each student in Grades 6 through 8 who lives more than one (1) mile from the school which said student attends;

(3) each student in Grades 9 through 12 who live more than 1.5 miles from the High School.

 

(B)            Notwithstanding any other provision of this policy, all handicapped students  shall be transported up to fifty (50) miles one way from their home to the appropriate special service or program.   

(C)            When events necessitate that a student ride on a bus other than the bus which he/she usually rides on, the student must obtain a permission slip from his/her parents and the school principal before arrangements can be made for alternate transportation. 

(D)            The parent or guardian of a child residing in the District who desires for that child during the next school year to attend parochial or private school outside of the District shall submit a written request for transportation services to the Board no later than the first day of April preceding the next school year, or if the parent of guardian does not reside in the District on such date then within thirty (30) days of establishing residency.  No late request for transportation shall be denied where a reasonable explanation is provided for the delay. 

(E)  The District shall not provide transportation to non-resident students.

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Section  77.3   Bus Routes

 

(A)            The Superintendent, in cooperation with the District Transportation Supervisor, shall establish bus routes.

 

(B)            The Transportation Supervisor shall prepare and maintain documentation for  use in determining the transportation requirements necessary to satisfy the needs established by state law, Board policy, and voter mandate, and which shall show the routes traveled.

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Section  77.4  Student Conduct on School Buses & at Bus Stops

 

(A)            The parents of students shall be responsible and liable for the supervision and conduct of their children until such time as the child boards the bus in the morning and after the child leaves the bus at the end of the school day.

 

(B)            The District shall be responsible and liable for the supervision and conduct of District students only after a child boards a District bus and until the child is delivered to the regular bus stop at the close of the school day.

 

(C)            All District students shall comply with the Code of Conduct contained in Article 15 of the District's Policies not only while in or upon a District bus or other vehicle, but also while at designated bus stops and pickup locations.  The failure of a child to comply therewith may result in their riding privileges being suspended, in which event the parents of the child involved will be solely responsible for seeing that their child gets to and from school safely.

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Section  77.5   School Trips & Extracurricular Events

 

(A)            School District buses with the approval of the Board may be used for transportation of pupils and teachers for any purpose that is clearly and distinctly a school purpose.

 

(B)            The Superintendent may authorize the use of District buses and vehicles, along with staff supervision, to transport students to and from athletic events, class or grade field trips, club trips, or other school-related excursions;  provided that no overnight travel or lodging shall be allowed except upon prior approval by the Board requested through the office of the Superintendent and before any commitments are made to, by, or for pupils, parents, staff, or other interested parties.

 

(C)            All students must ride on school buses to extracurricular and athletic events.  A student may ride home from such events with his/her parent(s)/guardian(s), or with the parent/guardian of another student, provided that the student's parent/guardian has requested and specifically authorized the same in writing.  No student shall be released to ride home other than on the school bus except in the presence of a supervising District staff member and the transporting parent or guardian.

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Section  77.6   Use of District Vehicles Other Than Buses

 

(A)            District vehicles may be used by any District official, employee or Board member when traveling on official District business, provided that approval for such use is granted by the Superintendent or his/her designated representative and a vehicle is available.

 

(B)            When use of a District vehicle is approved by the Superintendent, the employee/operator of the vehicle must have a valid New York State driver's license and a good driving record.  The Transportation Supervisor may establish filing requirements to assure that these requirements are met.

 

(C)            Use of the vehicle will be limited to the travel required to accomplish District business, and the vehicle may not be used for personal reasons.  Passengers in the vehicle will be limited to other District representatives, or representative of other educational institutions or governmental jurisdictions traveling on official business, if specifically approved by the Superintendent.

 

(D)            Except as provided in paragraph (E) below, any transporting of students, including for scholastic, athletic, extracurricular and student club activities, must always be accomplished by a certified bus driver in a DOT inspected vehicle owned or leased by the District, or by public carrier if approved by the Superintendent or Transportation Supervisor.

 

(E)            A certified teacher may qualify to transport students in certain District owned vehicles so long as the following qualifications are met:

(1) the teacher must take and pass a bus driver's physical given by the school physician yearly;

(2) an up to date copy of a driving record abstract must be on file with the Transportation Supervisor and it must indicate a good driving record;

(3) current 19A certification (both written and driving test must be passed yearly);

(4) The teacher must have an appropriate class of license for the vehicle being used;

(5) the teacher can receive no compensation for driving; and

(6) each trip must be specifically approved by the Superintendent or the Transportation Supervisor.

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Section  77.7  Use of Private Vehicles on School Business

 

(A)            When a District vehicle is not available for approved travel, or when an employee's duties require regular travel within the District, the Superintendent or his/her representative may approve the use of a vehicle owned or leased by the employee, subject to the driver and vehicle meeting the following requirements:

(1) the private vehicle shall be insured under a liability insurance policy valid in New York State with coverage in an amount not less than $300,000 single limit, and proof of insurance shall be submitted to the Transportation Supervisor before a personally owned vehicle will be approved for use on District business;

(2) the District will not be responsible for the risks normally covered by Comprehensive and Collision Insurance coverages, and the owner/operator assumes the responsibility for any damage to the personally owned vehicle;

(3) while on District business, the vehicle must be operated only by the employee approved by the Transportation Supervisor;

(4) if anyone other than the employee-driver is authorized to ride in the personal vehicle when on school business, the vehicle must be physically sound and mechanically safe, except that this limitation shall not apply to the employee's family members of the employee riding at the employee's convenience and for whom the employee assumes full responsibility; and

(5) the following proof and/or documentation must be submitted to and approved by the Transportation Supervisor before a vehicle will be approved for use on District business:

(a) the employee-operator shall have a valid New York State driver's license and a good driving record,

(b) the vehicle shall have a valid New York State registration and  a valid inspection sticker.  The Transportation Supervisor may disqualify vehicles displaying NYS inspection stickers if visual inspection indicates poor maintenance or uncorrected problems.

 

(B)            Students will not be transported in privately owned vehicles.

 

(C)            Notwithstanding any other provision of this policy, the Building Principal or his/her designee may authorize the transportation of students in private vehicles:

(1) to transport a student or students to a hospital or other medical facility in the event of a medical emergency;

(2) to transport a student home or to a location designated by the student's parent in cases where the student has a medical condition which may imperil the health of other students; and/or

(3) to transport a student home when District transportation is unavailable.

Prior authorization may not be necessary where circumstances require immediate action.  District administrators will exercise caution in authorizing transportation of students in private vehicles, since the District potentially assumes liability for any accident claim which exceeds the driver's automotive liability coverage.

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Section  77.8  Use and Rental of School Buses for Non-District Purposes

 

(A)            District buses and other vehicles may, for the official purposes of such user, be used by or rented to another school District, a municipality, a state or federal department or agency, a senior citizen center recognized and funded by the Office for the Aging, a not-for-profit organization serving the physically or mentally handicapped, or a not-for-profit organization providing recreational youth services or neighborhood recreation centers.

 

(B)            Use or rental of a District bus or other vehicle may only be authorized by the Board in accordance with the following:

(1) a written request is made to the Superintendent or Transportation Supervisor;

(2) permission for such use is recommended by the Transportation Supervisor and granted in writing by the Superintendent based upon review of such factors as the nature and legality of the use, the anticipated time a particular bus will be needed and the ability of the District to meet its normal transportation commitments;

(3) the user pays to the District the rental fee, if any, established by the Superintendent on the recommendation of the Transportation Supervisor;

(4) the user furnishes sufficient insurance coverage naming the District as an additional insured, and

(a) if a bus is involved, the same may only be operated by a qualified District bus driver and, unless otherwise waived by the Superintendent, the expenses of the District are paid by the user, and

(b) if a District vehicle other than a bus is involved,

(i) the same may be operated by only by a qualified District operator or by a person determined by the Transportation Supervisor to be qualified to operate the same, and

(ii) unless otherwise waived by the Superintendent, the expenses of the District are paid by the user.

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