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Parents/guardians
of all pupils not previously transported in a school bus and who are
enrolled in grades K-6, are provided with a transportation safety plan
that includes:
- General rules of conduct at school bus loading zones.
- Red light crossing instructions.
- School bus danger zone.
- Walking to and from school bus stops.
At
least once each school year, all pupils in kindergarten through grade
eight who receive transportation services receive safety instruction
which includes: proper loading and unloading procedures, including
escorting by the driver, proper passenger conduct, bus evacuation and
location of emergency equipment.
School
buses are large vehicles and have blind spots where the driver has
difficulty seeing students. Because of the size and visibility problems
inherent with school buses, the following safety precautions are to be
adhered to by all students.
WALKING TO AND FROM THE BUS STOP
Walk
on sidewalks if available. If you must walk along the side of the
road, stay well away from the road itself and always try to walk against
oncoming traffic. When crossing streets always use a crosswalk, if
available, and stop, look and listen before crossing.
Respect the property of others and do not walk on lawns or pick flowers. Do not talk to or accept rides from strangers.
BUS LOADING PROCEDURES
Plan
to arrive at your bus stop about 5 minutes early. At the bus stop,
stand in an orderly line at least ten feet back from the area the bus
stops in. Never get closer than ten feet to a bus unless you are
entering or leaving it. Keep your hands to yourself in all bus loading
zones. Do not walk toward the bus until the bus driver opens the door
and signals you to move toward the bus. If you drop something around
the bus, do not attempt to pick it up. Ask the driver to pick it up for
you or to watch you pick it up.
BUS UNLOADING PROCEDURES
Remain
seated until the driver tells you to exit the bus. When you get off
the bus, walk at least ten feet from the bus. Never walk in front of or
behind the bus. If your bus stop requires you to cross the street, you
must be escorted by the school bus driver. STUDENTS WHO NEED TO CROSS THE STREET MUST NOTIFY THE BUS DRIVER PRIOR TO EXITING THE BUS. The
driver will stop the bus, activate the red flashing lights, and enter
the street first to ensure all vehicles have stopped. The driver will
then use a hand-held stop sign and escort all students as a group across
the street in front of the bus. Never cross the street behind the bus.
You may not return to the bus or re-cross the street at any time after
being escorted across the street by the school bus driver.
DESIGNATED BUS STOP
You
must always get on and off the bus at your designated bus stop.
Exceptions for special occasions may be made by submitting, to the bus
driver, a note signed and dated by your parent/guardian stating why,
when, and where you are requesting to load or unload. The note must have
the Principal's/designee's signature on it signifying approval of the
request.
BUS EVACUATION DRILLS
Consistent
with existing State regulations, the principal/designee and District
transportation staff will provide annual bus evacuation training for
students. The students may either participate directly or observe an
evacuation demonstration by other students.
BUS DRIVER AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY*
The
bus driver is responsible for the safe and orderly conduct of students
when they are being escorted across a roadway, loading/unloading the bus
and while riding on the bus. When students are to be escorted across a
roadway, the driver will first ensure that it is safe to cross the
roadway; then the driver will escort all students in Kindergarten
through Grade 12 across the roadway. When being escorted across a
roadway, students will be directed to cross in front of the bus, between
the bus and the driver. The driver will make certain that all students
have safely crossed the roadway before moving the bus. The bus driver
need not escort students across a roadway when pedestrian traffic is
controlled by a traffic signal. Bus drivers shall have the authority to
discontinue the operation of school buses whenever the bus driver
determines that it is unsafe to continue.
To
help ensure the safety and well being of each student, the bus driver
will not require a student to leave the bus while in route between home
and school or any other destination. Also, the bus driver will not make
a bus stop when fog reduces visibility to less than 200 feet in the
immediate area of the bus stop.
Drivers
shall activate the flashing amber light warning system, if the bus is
so equipped, beginning 200 feet before any bus stop where students are
loading or unloading. They shall operate the flashing red signal lights
and stop signal arm at all times when the bus is stopped to load and
unload students. The flashing amber warning lights, flashing red signal
lights and stop signal arm shall not be operated at any other time, or
at any place where traffic is controlled by a traffic officer.
The
use of amber lights, red lights, and stop signal arms will not be
required when loading or unloading special education students who are
confined to wheelchairs or who may require assistance to load or unload
the school bus.
The
flashing red signal lights and stop signal arm requirements shall not
apply to locations identified by the Superintendent or designee, in
consultation with the California Highway Patrol, as presenting a unique
traffic hazard due to roadway design or proximity to an intersection.
When
the bus is stopped on a highway or private road to load or unload
students, and traffic is not controlled by a traffic officer or official
traffic control signal, the driver shall:
- Check
for approaching traffic in all directions and activate the flashing red
light signal system and, if the bus is so equipped, the stop signal
arm.
- Before
opening the door, ensure that the flashing red signal lights and stop
signal arm are activated and that it is safe to exit the bus.
- Escort all students who need to cross the highway or private road, using an approved hand-held "STOP" sign while so doing.
- Require all students to walk in front of the bus as they cross the road or highway.
- Ensure
that all students who need to cross the road or highway have crossed
safely and that all other unloaded students and pedestrians are a safe
distance from the bus before setting the bus in motion.
The bus driver will make verbal or written reports to the Transportation Supervisor under the following circumstances:
- Recurring and/or serious student misbehavior.
- Parent and/or student complaints regarding transportation services.
- Any traffic violation involving the driver's bus.
- Any accident involving a student or District vehicle.
- Repeated
late school dismissals that cause transportation delays. The driver
will also report such late school dismissals to the school principal.
- Any incident of a bus overload.
- Mechanical or other problems with buses and equipment.
*NOTE:
This section (Bus Driver Authority and Responsibility) applies to all
Chico Unified School District employees who transport students. This
includes teachers, coaches, etc., who may operate District vans to
transport students. |
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