8600D - TRANSPORTATION ROUTES AND SCHEDULES

Southern Local School District

Administrative Guidelines

8600D - TRANSPORTATION ROUTES AND SCHEDULES

The Board of Education shall approve, not later than ten (10) days after the beginning of the school year, a time schedule for all buses. A copy of this schedule shall be kept in each bus and in the administrative office. When buses are running on this schedule, there shall be no waiting for tardy students. If buses are running ahead of this schedule, the driver shall wait for any student until the time scheduled for the stop. "Schedule" shall be interpreted as including the times and locations of all stops.

The establishment of school bus stops shall be limited as far as possible, so that students from several homes can safely meet at a central point for group pickup. Safety and efficiency of operation shall be a factor in scheduling bus stops.

Students shall not be required to walk more than one-half (1/2) mile to a bus stop, unless such requirement is specifically authorized by Board resolution.

Guidelines

The following guidelines shall be considered as Board policy:

	A.	Drivers shall operate their buses in a safe and careful manner and have their bus under control at all times. The speed of the bus shall be kept within the maximum of any given area that is posted, and preferably below the maximum, to assure full control of the bus.
		Discretion in the operation of the bus will be used according to varying conditions of driving. The total maximum speed of buses shall not exceed the posted speed limit.
	B.	Good order must be maintained during the loading and unloading of students. Adequate supervision shall be assigned by the principal of each building. The driver shall be in the bus while loading.
	C.	A student riding a school bus to school is to be returned to his/her home or regular bus stop, unless arrangements satisfactory to the parents of the student and the administration have been made and the driver informed of this change.
	D.	Students riding the school bus shall be under the charge of the bus drivers at all times. Each driver shall be responsible for the control of the conduct of the students on his/her bus.
	E.	Students are to board the bus in an orderly fashion and take their assigned seats. Students shall not move from seat to seat while the bus is in motion.
	F.	Eating on a school bus is not permitted during regularly scheduled trips.
	G.	In cases of disorderly conduct, the driver shall stop the bus and shall not proceed until the situation is remedied.
	H.	All guidelines for student transportation shall be in accordance with the "Ohio School Bus Operations Regulations" issued by the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Department of Highway Safety.
	I.	In no case should the buses be overloaded beyond their student capacity.
	J.	The transportation supervisor or principal shall make such rules as necessary for safe and orderly conduct and are responsible for informing the students of the "Rules".