Transportation

School Bus Routes & Services

The Board of Education directs the Business Administrator to develop bus routes to provide safe, economical and reasonably expeditious transportation for:

• Pupils who live remote from the school as defined by New Jersey Law
• Pupils whose route to the school is deemed hazardous by the Board
• Educationally handicapped pupils
• Pupils participating in Board approved extracurricular activities or field trips
• Pupils who may qualify for Subscription Courtesy Busing (fee basis) if seats are available.

The criteria to be used in designating routes and assigning pupils to them shall include:

• The distance to be traveled to and from school
• The hazards involved on the route to be traveled
• The age and state of health of the child
• The requirements of the instruction program.

Transportation to and from school shall be provided as required by law to eligible nonpublic school pupils.  All pupils riding on district buses shall be required to observe the district’s bus conduct regulation or risk loss of the privilege of such transportation.

In the interests of student safety and parent convenience, the Board of Education has established the following criteria for Subscription Courtesy Busing eligibility:

• Age of children to be transported
• Distance from school and traffic patterns
• Hardship.

Subscription Courtesy Busing will be available according to the established criteria and/or a lottery system for available seats.  The Board will set an annual fee for this service and a special adjustment in those fees will be granted for individuals whose children qualify for free and reduced meal prices.  Buses, whether contracted or district-owned, shall be kept in optimum condition and shall conform to all state safety regulations.

School Bus Behavior Guidelines

• Pupils who live remote from the school as defined by New Jersey Law.
• All students are to sit in assigned seats that are designated by the driver.
• All riders should use seat belts.  If a seat belt is broken, the student should notify the driver and request a change in seating.  Belts are inspected and repaired twice per week. 
• All students are to remain seated at all times when the bus is in motion.
• Students in the front seats should not speak to the driver while the bus is in motion and should not distract the driver.
• Students should not open or close windows and should keep hands and limbs inside the school bus.  The driver will assist students for safety reasons in lowering or raising the windows.
• Students should not board the bus unless a driver is seated in the driver’s seat.
• Students should not block the aisle with packages and large band instruments.  These items should be placed under the seats.  If assistance is needed, the driver will give appropriate direction.
• Students will be “dropped off” only at the students’ designated bus stops or at school.
• Students will only be permitted on buses to which they are regularly assigned.  If emergencies or special situations exist and if seating is available, exceptions to this rule may be approved by the building principal.

Discipline

All discipline problems will be handled by the school principal or his/her designee.  Upon receipt of a complaint, the principal will take the following action:

First Offense:  The student will receive a verbal warning and the parents will be sent a copy of the “Bus Discipline” form.

Second Offense:  The student will be removed from the bus for three days.

Third Offense:  The student will be removed from the bus for one week.

Further offenses will be handled according to the progressive discipline procedures of the district.  Bus stop behavior problems should also be reported to the school principal for appropriate action.