Responsibilities

The safe and efficient transportation of your child relies on the cooperation and efforts of the school staff, The Pupil Transportation Office, the Office of Special Education, the bus driver and monitor, and you the parent. The following section outlines some of the various responsibilities of those involved.

1. Parent Responsibilities
It shall be the responsibility of the parent to:

• Assist the school by submitting accurate and timely information to be included on the Transportation Request Form, and if applicable, the alternate Bus Plan and Student Emergency Card. Incorrect and untimely information delays the onset of transportation services.
• Inform the school administrator, bus driver and monitor of any medical condition or behavior which might affect the student's safety or health on the bus.
• Provide up-to-date emergency information to the school and Pupil Transportation Office.
• Assure that an authorized person will be at the bus stop, on time, when the child is dropped off.
• Assure that the student meets the bus at the scheduled time. Buses are scheduled to arrive within a few minutes of the designated time each day. The bus driver is required to wait for three minutes and cannot wait for a tardy student as this creates late pick-up times for other students.
• Inform the school principal of any change of address or telephone number as soon as this information is available. If the address change requires rescheduling, 3 working days may be needed to establish a new route and time schedule.

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2. Student Responsibilities
It shall be the responsibility of the student to:

• Obey the rules for bus riders.
• Respect the rights of the other student passengers.
• Be ready at the designated pick-up time.

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3. Driver & Monitor Responsibilities
It shall be the responsibility of the bus driver, and monitor to:

• Notify the parent/guardian of the bus number and approximate time of pick-up and drop-off.
• Be on time for the pick-up and drop-off. The driver is not required to wait for a student for more than 3 minutes. This procedure must be adhered to because of the number of students to be transported in a fixed period of time. If the driver arrives earlier than the designated time of pick-up, he/she must wait.
• Ensure the overall safe operation of the bus.
• Be prepared to provide appropriate first aid.
• Display appropriate care and patience.
• Be located in a position inside the bus that best meets the needs of all students (monitor).
• Maintain an emergency evacuation play, listing each passenger, for use by medical personnel in the event of a vehicle accident.
• Be prepared to effectively and efficiently evacuate the bus in the event of an emergency.
• Understand and support the privacy and confidentiality of the families whose children they transport.
• Complete and submit a notice of unsatisfactory conduct to the designated school administrator if a behavior problem occurs on the bus.
• Report to the school administration any significant changes in a child's behavior.
• Assist students on and off of the bus as required by their handicapping condition. At the school, it is the administrator's responsibility to make appropriate arrangements to assist the driver and monitor in loading and unloading students.

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4. School Responsibilities
It shall be the responsibility of the school to:

• Work with the Special education Office in the formulation of an Admission, Review, and Dismissal Committee (ARD) decision and the completion of an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Upon completion of the IEP, the Special Education Office will submit a transportation request to the Pupil Transportation Office.
• Involve the Pupil Transportation Office in any special transportation arrangements that may be necessary.
• Submit timely and accurate updates to the Pupil Transportation Office at the end of each year to assist in routing and scheduling for the following year.
• Update the information contained on the Special Transportation Request form when necessary.
• Assure that the students are ready for dismissal at the time established by the principal and the Pupil transportation Office.
• Notify parents of schedule changes that may affect pupil transportation (i.e., early dismissals, inclement weather, etc.)
• Provide appropriate arrangements for those students needing assistance in boarding and discharging from the bus at the school.
• Refer requests by the parent or guardian involving alternate transportation arrangements to the Pupil Transportation Office. The bus driver must be notified by the school principal or his designee when approval is given for the student to go home by another method. Notify the driver if the student arrives at school by means other than the bus and the student requires bus transportation home.
• Accept and act on discipline forms submitted by the bus driver or monitor. The principal or his/her designee is responsible for disciplinary action, including the suspension of the student's transportation privilege, when appropriate.

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5. Office of Special Education Responsibilities
It shall be the responsibility of the Office of Special education

• Assist the Pupil Transportation Office in getting appropriate updates from the schools at the end of each school year.

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6. Pupil Transportation Office Responsibilities
It shall be the responsibility of the Pupil Transportation Office to:

• Assign each eligible student to a bus. No one may assign a student to a bus or reassign a student to a different bus without the permission of the Pupil Transportation Office
• Determine bus stop locations according to the handicapping condition of the student and the accessibility of the residence.
• Route, schedule and tier special education buses. The routing and scheduling plan will ensure the safest and most effective use of the vehicle. Beyond the onset of the school year, a minimum of 3 working days may be needed to establish a new route and schedule any pick-up/drop-off changes.
• Address concerns from parents, school administrators, drivers and monitors, and the motoring public regarding special education transportation.
• Provide the appropriate training and screening for bus drivers and monitors.
• Establish and enforce transportation procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Inspect all buses in accordance with all state and local statutes and regulations.
• Provide assistive devices as needed, including, but not limited to vests, harnesses, car seats, and booster seats.