Bus Safety and Eligibility

Is My Student Eligible to Ride the Bus? 

To receive bus service, a student must live more than one mile from their neighborhood school. 

Each school has a boundary area which it serves. The bus stop lookup shows the school your student will attend based on your address and school district boundaries. It will also indicate if your address is eligible for bus services. Transportation is not provided for students who live in one boundary area but choose to attend a school outside of it. 

Students may also receive bus service if:

• Hazards that can’t be overcome make it unsafe for a student to walk to school.
• A disability makes it necessary to ride a bus. For these students with disabilities, a 504 plan must be in place as well as a doctor's written verification of the medical problem.
• The student stays before or after school at a home or child care site in an area that is served by a school bus and where that address is used for enrollment purposes.
• The student is served by a special program in the district, such as English Language Learner, Special Education or McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance. Please inquire with your school to determine program eligibility.

Safe and Appropriate Behavior Keeps our Buses Safe

Safely transporting students to and from school is our top priority. Please help your student become familiar with these guidelines for safe and appropriate behavior while riding the bus. Students are expected to follow all bus safety rules. Failure to adhere to the safety standards may result in disciplinary action or suspension from riding the bus.

The Dos and Don'ts of Riding the Bus

What students should DO when riding the bus:

• Always cooperate with all bus drivers, including substitutes
• Follow the directions given by the bus driver and be respectful
• In the morning, be at your stop between five to ten minutes before the scheduled pick-up time 
• (Buses will not wait for students who are not present)
• When waiting at a bus stop, wait in a line that starts back from the curb
• In the afternoon, walk quickly to your bus. Buses depart 5 to 7 minutes after the bell.
• (If students miss the bus, the parent/guardian will need to pick them up from school)
• When crossing the street, cross only in front of the stopped bus when the STOP paddle is out and red lights are flashing
• If crossing the street at an intersection, cross with the green light and WALK signal
• Get on or off the bus only when it is completely stopped
• Only leave the bus at your assigned stop. 
• Have student identification ready to show the driver when boarding the bus or at any time the driver asks for identification
• If the bus driver asks a student to sit in a particular seat, the student should follow that request
• Sit in only one seat; do not save seats for others
• Stay in your seat at all times when the bus is moving
• If there is a seat belt, keep it fastened
• Keep the aisles of the bus clear
• Help keep the bus clean by keeping waste paper off the floor
• If you are using a cell phone, use it appropriately so that it does not create a disturbance for the driver or other students

What students should NOT DO when riding the bus:

• Do not stand when the bus is moving
• Do not place any part of your body outside the bus windows
• Do not bring anything onto the bus that is heavy, sharp or bulky, or that could affect the safety of other bus riders. This includes skateboards, sticks, unicycles, skis or vaulting poles, breakable containers, straps or pins sticking out from clothing, or anything flammable.
• Weapons, including knives and guns, are strictly prohibited. There is a zero tolerance policy on weapons
• Do not eat or drink on the bus
• Do not bring matches or tobacco on the bus
• Do not open windows, unless you have permission from the bus driver
• Do not take photos or videos of students or the driver without their permission

Discipline Procedures 

All instances of misbehavior on the bus and at bus stops are serious because they can impact student safety and well-being. Discipline ranges from warning to suspension. A student who commits a major offense will be suspended from riding the bus. The length of the suspension will depend on the severity of the offense. For each offense, a student receives a School Bus Incident Warning Report. A copy will be sent to the parent/guardian. When a student receives several Incident Reports, this will result in suspension of three to 30 days, or for the remainder of the school year, depending on the offense. 

Students may face disciplinary action for committing the following offenses:

• Defying the bus driver
• Fighting with another student or with the driver
• Inappropriate dress or stages of undress
• Riding a bus that is not the assigned bus without the permission of a parent/guardian and the school
• Exiting at the wrong bus stop without permission from the parent/guardian and the school
• Failing to give a name, or giving a false name, to the driver when asked
• Not showing student identification (ID) card to the driver when asked
• Doing anything on the bus that seriously harms the safety of others
• Smoking
• Opening an emergency exit or exiting by an emergency exit or the window
• Possessing banned items on the bus: drugs, alcohol, bullets, explosives, fireworks or weapons
• Making a bomb threat
• Inappropriate displays of affection
• Bullying or harassment of other students or the driver
• Throwing anything from the bus
• Making obscene gestures
• Using profane language toward anyone on the bus
• Using laser lights
• Spitting or biting

Minor Offense:

• Verbal warning from driver to student; Driver may also contact the parent/guardian.
• Written warning from driver to student: 
• The driver verbally warns the student and completes an Incident Warning Report; copies are mailed to the parent/guardian and school.

Major Offense:

• The driver completes an Incident Report; copies are mailed to the parent/guardian and school; parent/guardian may be contacted by the driver or the Transportation office to discuss the student’s behavior.
• The student will be suspended from riding the bus.
• When suspended, the student is not allowed to ride any district bus, including after-school activity buses, for a specified period of time.