School Bus Safety Rules

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY

The most important issue for the Transportation Department is the safety of every student who rides a school bus or activity bus.  In order to ensure each student has a safe ride, the District Five Student Behavior Code applies to all students while at the bus stop, on the school bus or on any School District Five vehicle.  Inappropriate behavior will be treated with the same level of scrutiny as inappropriate behavior in the classroom and will lead to appropriate school consequences in accordance with the Student Behavior Code and includes suspension from bus riding.  In addition to the Student Behavior Code, students must also follow the Safety Rules listed below. 

   

 SAFETY RULES FOR BUS RIDERS

• No glass containers, baseball or softball bats, lacrosse sticks or skateboards are allowed on the bus.
• No spitting, eating or drinking on the bus.
• No profanity, verbal abuse, harassment, teasing, obscene or sexual gestures.
• No standing while the bus is in motion.
• No hanging any part(s) of your anatomy out a window or passing items through the window.
• No throwing or shooting any type of objects.
• No play fighting or horse playing.
• Do not ride any bus that you are not assigned to.
• Do not ride any bus during a suspension of bus privileges.
• Do not vandalize the bus or ignite any flammable object.
• Do not hold onto the bus from the outside.
• Do not make excessive noise or other disruptive behavior.
• Keep your feet, body and bags out of the aisle.
• Students must always obey the directions of the driver.
• Do not exhibit behavior that disturbs the students or driver.
• Talk quietly and avoid loud, boisterous behavior, including singing,clapping, stomping or yelling.
• No spraying of cologne, deodorant, body spray or any other type of chemicals or aerosols, pump spray or lotion while on the bus.
• Never tamper with the emergency exits or any other part of the bus including lights, horn, fire extinguishers and first aid equipment, unless there are reasonable grounds to believe that an actual emergency situation exits.
• Students may only board and exit the bus at their designated stop or school, unless otherwise approved.
• Be at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time.
• Do not use cell phones, iPods, MP3's, GameBoys or other devices that may cause disrupted or distractive behavior on the bus/to the bus driver.

                                                                                        

Additionally, these rules apply on the school bus:

• Students must not sit on their book bags or legs because a serious injury could occur if the child rises above the height of the seat.
• Students must sit in their assigned seats. They can be held responsible for any vandalism to their seat or in the general area of their seat.
• Students must be quiet when the bus approaches and crosses railroad tracks.
• Objects that the driver deems dangerous to other riders will not be allowed on the bus.
• Students are required to wear their Identification Card (ID Card) at all times while on the bus to include while boarding the bus at the bus stop or school.

Timeliness at Bus Stops    

 

State policy requires students to be waiting at the bus stop when the bus arrives. Students should be at the bus stop five minutes prior to the scheduled pickup time and remain at the bus stop for five minutes past scheduled pick-up time. This is a safety issue so that traffic is not delayed excessively and to ensure that students do not run at or near a moving bus.  Students are considered late for the bus if they are not at the bus stop when the bus arrives.  Once the bus has proceeded past the designated bus stop, it will not stop again.

School Dismiss Procedures

At the end of the school day, school buses will begin to depart within 7 minutes from release time.  Once the door is closed no additional students will be allowed to board the bus.  The drivers have already begun their safety procedures to move the bus and with the buses parked so close together, it would be very unsafe to stop the buses for any student.  Students who miss the bus must report to the school administrator in the bus loading area.  They will be instructed to contact an authorized individual who can take them home.  Buses will not return to the schools to pick up students who miss the bus.

Oversized Objects on the Bus  

      

   

  

  

State and federal regulations prohibit transporting items in school buses that obstruct access to all exits by any occupant or would cause injury as a result of falling or displacement. Items that will not fit on the student’s lap or between their legs will not be transported on district buses. School projects, items sold for fund raisers and other unsafe items such as live animals, glass objects, baseball or softball bats, lacrosse sticks, skateboards, sharp objects or similar items can not be allowed on the bus and must be transported to and from school by means other than the school bus. This includes baseballs, basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, volleyballs and tennis rackets unless they are kept in the student's backpack or in a separate bag.  Parents must arrange to pick-up or deliver oversized or unsafe items in personal vehicles or items should be kept at school whenever possible.  Please speak with your student's coach to make arrangement to keep items at the school or for items to be provided during practices or training sessions.

Band Instruments       

The following list of instruments are considered to be too large to be transported on a school bus: French Horn, Drums, Baritone Sax, Tenor Sax, Baritone, Euphonium, Tuba, and Cello.  Schools usually provide an instrument to use at school when necessary.

Concerns About School Bus Driver

If you have a concern with the bus driver, please contact the appropriate area Transportation Supervisor.  Do not approach the bus driver or stop the bus or interfere with the operation of the school bus in any way.   South Carolina state law states that "no person shall willfully and wrongfully interfere with the operation of a school bus by boarding, restricting movement, using threats, either physical or verbal, to the driver or any passenger while the bus is engaged in the transportation of pupils; nor shall any person willfully fail or refuse to obey a lawful order of a school bus driver relating to the occupancy of a school bus".   Call your area Transportation Office for any concerns you have about the driver.

Medical Concerns         

Medical information or concerns that are shared with a school may not necessarily be available to the Transportation Department or bus driver.  In order for the Transportation Department to be better prepared to handle an emergency, please forward any information or concerns relating to medical conditions for your student.  This information will be kept confidential at all times.Contact the Transportation Supervisor for the area your student attends.