Policy 709 - Student Transportation Safety Policy
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide safe transportation for students and to educate students on safety issues and the responsibilities of school bus ridership.
II. PLAN FOR STUDENT TRANSPORTATION SAFETY TRAINING
A. School Bus Safety Week
The school district may designate a school bus safety week. The National School Bus Safety Week is the third week in October.
B. Student Training
1. The school district shall provide students enrolled with age-appropriate school bus safety training of the following concepts:
a. transportation by school bus is a privilege, not a right;
b. school district policies for student conduct and school bus safety;
c. appropriate conduct while on the bus;
d. the danger zones surrounding a school bus;
e. procedures for safely boarding and leaving a school bus;
f. procedures for safe vehicle lane crossing; and
g. school bus evacuation and other emergency procedures.
2. All students in grades Pre K through 6 who are transported by school bus and are enrolled during the first or second week of school must receive the school bus safety training by the end of the third week of school. All students in grades 7 through 10 who are transported by school bus and are enrolled during the first or second week of school must receive the school bus safety training or receive bus safety instruction materials by the end of the sixth week of school, if they have not previously received school bus training. Students in grades Pre K through 10 who enroll in a school after the second week of school, are transported by school bus, and have not received training in their previous school districts shall undergo school bus safety training or receive bus safety instructional materials within 4 weeks of their first day of attendance.
3. The school district and a nonpublic school with students transported by school bus at public expense must provide students enrolled in grades Pre K through 3 school bus safety training twice during the school year.
4. Students taking driver’s training instructional classes must receive training in the laws and proper procedures for operating a motor vehicle in the vicinity of a school bus as required by Minn. Stat. § 169.446, Subd. 2.
5. The school district and a nonpublic school with students transported by school bus at public expense must conduct a school bus evacuation drill at least once during the school year.
6. The school district will make reasonable accommodations in training for students known to speak English as a second language and students with disabilities.
7. The school district may provide kindergarten students with school bus safety training before the first day of school.
8. The school district may provide student safety education for bicycling and pedestrian safety for students in grades Pre K through 5.
9. The school district shall adopt and make available for public review a curriculum for transportation safety education.
10.Nonpublic school students transported by the school district will receive school bus safety training by their nonpublic school. The nonpublic schools may use the school district’s school transportation safety education curriculum. Upon request by the school district superintendent, the nonpublic school must certify to the school district’s school transportation safety director that all students enrolled in grades Pre K through 10 have received the appropriate training.
III. CONDUCT ON SCHOOL BUSES AND CONSEQUENCES FOR MISBEHAVIOR
A. Riding the school bus is a privilege, not a right. The school district’s general student behavior rules are in effect for all students on school buses, including nonpublic and charter school students.
B. Consequences for school bus/bus stop misconduct will be imposed by the school district under adopted administrative discipline procedures. In addition, all school bus/bus stop misconduct will be reported to the school district’s transportation safety director. Serious misconduct may be reported to local law enforcement.
IV. PARENT AND GUARDIAN INVOLVEMENT
A. Parent and Guardian Notification - The school district school bus and bus stop rules will be provided to each family. Parents and guardians are asked to review the rules with their children.
B. Parents/Guardians Responsibilities for Transportation Safety - Parents/Guardians are responsible to:
- Become familiar with school district rules, policies, regulations, and the principles of school bus safety, and thoroughly review them with their children;
- Support safe riding and walking practices, and recognize that students are responsible for their actions;
- Communicate safety concerns to their school administrators;
- Monitor bus stops, if possible;
- Have their children to the bus stop 5 minutes before the bus arrives;
- Have their children properly dressed for the weather; and
- Have a plan in case the bus is late.
V. SCHOOL BUS DRIVER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
A. School bus drivers shall have a valid Class A, B, or C Minnesota driver’s license with a school bus endorsement. A person possessing a valid driver’s license, without a school bus endorsement, may drive a type III vehicle set forth in Sections VII.B. and VII.C., below. Drivers with a valid Class D driver’s license, without a school bus endorsement, may operate a “type A-I” school bus as set forth in Section VII.D., below.
B. The school district shall conduct mandatory drug and alcohol testing of all school district bus drivers and bus driver applicants in accordance with state and federal law and school district policy.
C. A school bus driver, with the exception of a driver operating a type A-I school bus or type III vehicle, who has a commercial driver’s license and who is convicted of a criminal offense, a serious traffic violation, or of violating any other state or local law relating to motor vehicle traffic control, other than a parking violation, in any type of motor vehicle in a state or jurisdiction other than Minnesota, shall notify the Minnesota Division of Driver and Vehicle Services (Division) of the conviction within 30 days of the conviction. For purposes of this paragraph, a “serious traffic violation” means a conviction of any of the following offenses:
- excessive speeding, involving any single offense for any speed of 15 miles per hour or more above the posted speed limit;
- reckless driving;
- improper or erratic traffic lane changes;
- following the vehicle ahead too closely;
- a violation of state or local law, relating to motor vehicle traffic control, arising in connection with a fatal accident;
- driving a commercial vehicle without obtaining a commercial driver’s license or without having a commercial driver’s license in the driver’s possession.
D. A school bus driver, with the exception of a driver operating a type A-I school bus or type III vehicle, who has a commercial driver’s license and who is convicted of violating, in any type of motor vehicle, a Minnesota state or local law relating to motor vehicle traffic control, other than a parking violation, shall notify the person’s employer of the conviction within 30 days of conviction. The notification shall be in writing and shall contain all the information set forth in Attachment A accompanying this policy.
E. A school bus driver, with the exception of a driver operating a type A-I school bus or type III vehicle, who has a Minnesota commercial driver’s license suspended, revoked, or cancelled by the state of Minnesota or any other state or jurisdiction and who loses the right to operate a commercial vehicle for any period or who is disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle for any period shall notify the person’s employer of the suspension, revocation, cancellation, lost privilege, or disqualification. Such notification shall be made before the end of the business day following the day the employee received notice of the suspension, revocation, cancellation, lost privilege, or disqualification. The notification shall be in writing and shall contain all the information set forth in Attachment B accompanying this policy.
F. A person who operates a type III vehicle and who sustains a conviction as described in Section VII.C.1.g. (i.e., driving while impaired offenses), VII.C.1.h. (i.e., felony, controlled substance, criminal sexual conduct offenses, or offenses for surreptitious observation, indecent exposure, use of minor in a sexual performance, or possession of child pornography or display of pornography to a minor), or VII.C.1.i. (multiple moving violations) while employed by the entity that owns, leases, or contracts for the school bus, shall report the conviction to the person’s employer within 10 days of the date of the conviction. The notification shall be in writing and shall contain all the information set forth in Attachment C accompanying this policy.
VI. SCHOOL BUS DRIVER TRAINING
VII. OPERATING RULES AND PROCEDURES
- A. General Operating Rules
- B. Type III Vehicles
- C. Type III Vehicle Driven by Employees with a Driver’s License Without a School Bus Endorsement
- D. Type A-I “Activity” Buses Driven by Employees with a Driver’s License Without a School Bus Endorsement
A. General Operating Rules
B. Type III Vehicles
C. Type III Vehicle Driven by Employees with a Driver’s License Without a School Bus Endorsement
D. Type A-I “Activity” Buses Driven by Employees with a Driver’s License Without a School Bus Endorsement
VIII. SCHOOL DISTRICT EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
A. If possible, school bus drivers or their supervisors shall call “911” or the local emergency phone number in the event of a serious emergency.
B. School bus drivers shall meet the emergency training requirements contained in Unit III “Crash & Emergency Preparedness” of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Model School Bus Driver Training Manual. This includes procedures in the event of a crash (accident).
C. School bus drivers and bus assistants for special education students requiring special transportation service because of their handicapping condition shall be trained in basic first aid procedures, shall within 1 month after the effective date of assignment participate in a program of in-service training on the proper methods for dealing with the specific needs and problems of students with disabilities, assist students with disabilities on and off the bus when necessary for their safe ingress and egress from the bus; and ensure that protective safety devices are in use and fastened properly.
D. Emergency Health Information shall be maintained on the school bus for students requiring special transportation service because of their handicapping condition. The information shall state:
- the student’s name and address;
- the nature of the student’s disabilities;
- emergency health care information; and
- the names and telephone numbers of the student’s physician, parents, guardians, or custodians, and some person other than the student’s parents or custodians who can be contacted in case of an emergency.
IX. SCHOOL DISTRICT VEHICLE MAINTENANCE STANDARDS
A. All school vehicles shall be maintained in safe operating conditions through a systematic preventive maintenance and inspection program adopted or approved by the school district.
B. All school vehicles shall be state inspected in accordance with legal requirements.
C. A copy of the current daily pre-trip inspection report must be carried in the bus. Daily pre-trip inspections shall be maintained on file in accordance with the school district’s record retention schedule. Prompt reports of defects to be immediately corrected will be submitted.
D. Daily post-trip inspections shall be performed to check for any children or lost items remaining on the bus and for vandalism.
X. SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY DIRECTOR
The school board has designated an individual to serve as the school district’s school transportation safety director. The school transportation safety director shall have day-to- day responsibility for student transportation safety, including transportation of nonpublic school children when provided by the school district. The school transportation safety director will assure that this policy is periodically reviewed to ensure that it conforms to law. The school transportation safety director shall certify annually to the school board that each school bus driver meets the school bus driver training competencies required by Minn. Stat. § 171.321, Subd. 4. The transportation safety director also shall annually verify or ensure that the private contractor utilized by the school has verified the validity of the driver’s license of each employee who regularly transports students for the school district in a type A, B, C, or D school bus, type III vehicle, or MFSAB with the National Driver Register or the Department of Public Safety. Upon request of the school district superintendent or the superintendent of the school district where nonpublic students are transported, the school transportation safety director also shall certify to the superintendent that students have received school bus safety training in accordance with state law. The name, address and telephone number of the school transportation safety director are on file in the school district office. Any questions regarding student transportation or this policy may be addressed to the school transportation safety director.
XI. STUDENT TRANSPORTATION SAFETY COMMITTEE
The school board may establish a student transportation safety committee. The chair of the student transportation safety committee is the school district’s school transportation safety director. The school board shall appoint the other members of the student transportation safety committee. Membership may include parents, school bus drivers, representatives of school bus companies, local law enforcement officials, other school district staff, and representatives from other units of local government.
Legal References:
- Minn. Stat. § 122A.18, Subd. 8 (Board to Issue Licenses)
- Minn. Stat. § 123B.03 (Background Check)
- Minn. Stat. § 123B.42 (Textbooks; Individual Instructor or Cooperative Learning Material; Standard Tests)
- Minn. Stat. § 123B.88 (Independent School District's; Transportation)
- Minn. Stat. § 123B.885 (Diesel School Buses; Operation of Engine; Parking)
- Minn. Stat. § 123B.90 (School Bus Safety Training)
- Minn. Stat. § 123B.91 (School District Bus Safety Responsibilities)
- Minn. Stat. § 144.057 (Background Studies on Licensees and Other Personnel)
- Minn. Stat. Ch. 169 (Traffic Regulations)
- Minn. Stat. § 169.011, Subds. 15, 16, and 71 (Definitions)
- Minn. Stat. § 169.02 (Scope)
- Minn. Stat. § 169.443 (Safety of School Children; Bus Driver’s Duties)
- Minn. Stat. § 169.446, Subd. 2 (Driver Training Programs)
- Minn. Stat. § 169.451 (Inspecting School and Head Start Buses; Rules; Misdemeanor)
- Minn. Stat. § 169.454 (Type III Vehicle Standards)
- Minn. Stat. § 169.4582 (Reportable Offense on School Buses)
- Minn. Stat. §§ 169A.25-169A.27 (Driving While Impaired)
- Minn. Stat. § 169A.31 (Alcohol-Related School Bus or Head Start Bus Driving)
- Minn. Stat. §§ 169A.50-169A.53 (Implied Consent Law)
- Minn. Stat. § 171.02, Subds. 2, 2a, and 2b (Licenses; Types, Endorsements, Restrictions)
- Minn. Stat. § 171.168 (Notification of Conviction for Violation by a Commercial Driver)
- Minn. Stat. § 171.169 (Notification of Suspension of License of Commercial Driver)
- Minn. Stat. § 171.321 (Qualifications of School Bus Driver)
- Minn. Stat. § 171.3215, Subd. 1(c) (Canceling Bus Endorsement for Certain Offenses)
Cross References:
- Minn. Stat. §181.951 (Authorized Drug and Alcohol Testing)
- Minn. Stat. Ch. 245C (Human Services Background Studies)
- Minn. Stat. § 609.02 (Definitions)
- Minn. Rules Parts 7470.1000-7470.1700 (School Bus Inspection)
- 49 C.F.R. § 383.31 (Notification of Convictions for Driver Violations)
- 49 C.F.R. § 383.33 (Notification of Driver’s License Suspensions)
- 49 C.F.R. § 383.5 (Transportation Definitions)
- Princeton Public Schools Policy 416 (Drug and Alcohol Testing)
- Princeton Public Schools Policy 506 (Student Discipline)
- Princeton Public Schools Policy 515 (Protection and Privacy of Pupil Records)
- Princeton Public Schools Policy 707 (Transportation of Public Students)
- Princeton Public Schools Policy 708 (Transportation of Nonpublic Students)
- Princeton Public Schools Policy 710 (Extracurricular Transportation)
- Transportation Expectations Student Handbook
Adopted: May 23, 1995
Revised: November 14, 1995
Revised: May 14, 1996
Revised: January 14, 1997
Revised: April 8, 1997
Revised: September 23, 1997
Revised: May 23, 2000
Revised: November 14, 2000
Revised: August 28, 2001
Revised: May 24, 2005
Revised: September 15, 2005
Revised: December 8, 2009
Revised: August 9, 2011
Revised: November 13, 2012
Revised: July 15, 2014
Revised: January 20, 2015
Reviewed: April 19, 2016
Revised: October 18, 2016
Revised: March 19, 2019