Transportation

Training

Bus drivers are trained in-district. Each driver must meet strict Federal and State guidelines and must participate in on-going training each year in order to receive and maintain their certification.

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Bus Service Eligibility

The district shall provide, at its expense, safe and efficient transportation to and from school for any student living in the district:

• Whose residence is beyond the 1 mile-radius from the school to which the student is assigned.
• Whose walking route to school is hazardous as defined by state standards.
• Whose handicapping condition, as defined by state standards, prevents the student from walking. 
• Who has another compelling and legally sufficient reason to receive transportation services.  (See board policy 8100 for more information).  This privilege may be withdrawn for violation of the bus rules or for continued misconduct (see board policy 8123P).

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Getting to Your Bus Stop & Boarding the Bus

Getting to the Bus Stop:
Parents are encouraged to review their student’s walking route to the bus stop, advising them about safety concerns.  Students who have to walk some distance along the road to the bus-loading zone, where practicable, must walk on the left-hand side facing the oncoming traffic, using walkways.  This will also apply to students leaving the bus-loading zone in the evening.

Be Prompt!
Bus passengers should arrive at the bus stop five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive ... but no sooner, please.

At the Bus Stop:
While waiting at the bus stop, or at school for a bus, students are expected to stand a safe distance from the street and avoid activities that could injure themselves or others.  Students are expected to respect other people's property.  When the bus approaches, students must follow the instructions of the driver. These concerns are doubly important in the winter when slick road conditions may cause slips.

Boarding & Departing the Bus:
It may be necessary to cross the road to board the bus.  Students are expected to observe the driver’s instructions (eye/voice contact) and always cross in front of the bus with the aid of the flashing stop sign lights and crossing arm. Students need to be in full view of the driver at all times.  Students should refrain from pushing or shoving others.

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Requesting an Exception for Drop-Off Location

Bus passes are issued from the school office only when a parent/guardian requests in writing or over the phone the ability for their son/daughter to get off the bus at a bus stop other than their own. Bus drivers will not accept hand written notes, only school issued bus passes. Students will need to present this bus pass to the bus driver when they enter the bus.  If the parent requests that a student be dropped off at a location requiring a different bus, a bus pass is also issued. Drivers will allow the student on the bus based on space availability.

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Student Conduct and Bus Rules

Please discuss these bus passenger rules and procedures with your student so he/she will appreciate the important part he/she plays in accomplishing SAFE and EFFICIENT District transportation.

Your student should understand that riding a school bus is a privilege and that appropriate, safe, respectful behavior is expected.  Unruly conduct on the bus creates a very real risk to the safe operation of a school bus.  Please refer to the School Board Policies under Non-Instructional Operations (series 8000) for more Transportation related information.

Driver Authority:
The driver has full authority over the students on the bus.  Seating assignments may be necessary to assure passenger safety.  If a student demonstrates inappropriate behavior, the parent will be contacted to help assist the student to keep his or her bus riding privileges.

Passenger Conduct:
Safe, respectful conduct is expected of all passengers.  The positive statements associated with this conduct are:

• This is a safe bus.
• Obey the driver’s instructions when first requested.
• Remain seated while bus is in motion.
• Respect others and their property.
• Keep your hands to yourself.
• Keep noise level down.

Other Bus Rules:

• Get permission from bus driver prior to opening a window.
• Keep book bags and other personal belongings out of the aisle.
• Please limit your conversation with the driver, while the bus is in motion for safety reasons.
• Walk on and off bus in an orderly manner.
• Do not throw objects in, out of, or at the bus. No littering on the bus.
• Do not extend any part of your body outside of the bus, whether bus is moving or not.

Serious or persistent violations offensive to or endangering the safety of others will result in progressive discipline. Certain activities may result in removal from bus riding privileges/or suspension from the bus. These include:

• Fighting on the bus.
• Possession of dangerous weapons or sparking devices (lighters/matches) that may cause injury.
• Destroying or defacing district or private property/vandalism.
• Possession or use of cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, or any form of tobacco.
• Harassment/intimidation.
• Aggressive action and/or profanity toward the bus driver.

Items NOT allowed on the bus:
For reasons of safety and health and in order to comply with state and district policies, the following items are not allowed on a school bus.

• Glass objects; bottles, jars, etc.
• No eating food, drinking and gum chewing (*see below).
• Balloons, Skateboards, Scooters, Rollerblades, etc.
• Live critters; bugs, animals, worms, etc.
• Any item that is dangerous, illegal or against school district policy.
• Sports equipment (heavy, sharp, bulky, and/or other articles which may be hazardous in the event of an accident or an emergency stop shall not be transported in the passenger area of any school bus).  Other items/musical instrument(s) etc. must be able to fit safely within the confines of the seat with the student.
• Weapons, guns, knives (real or toy), razor blades, etc.

* (From number 2 above)  Exceptions to this rule (regarding eating/drinking) may be made during field/athletic trips when there is a second adult (staff member) in attendance to supervise the safety of the students.  The supervising staff member is also responsible for cleanliness of the bus.

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Student Discipline

The district has adopted a progressive discipline policy, which emphasizes logical behavior/conduct interventions for inappropriate behavior.  The six-step discipline policy applies any time a student rides district transportation including but not limited to:  to and from school, field trips, athletic events, etc.  The Bus Conduct Report is a document through which the district communicates with parents/guardians.  It also ensures that parents/guardians are involved in the process from the first incidents of inappropriate behavior.

If warranted, your child will be given a written notice for you to review and sign. It is required THAT THE STUDENT HAVE THE SIGNATURE OF A PARENT/GUARDIAN ON THE BUS CONDUCT REPORT IN ORDER TO BOARD THE BUS AFTER ANY WRITTEN WARNING. (Students who do not return with a signed Bus Conduct Report, will be allowed to board the bus, but will be given an assigned seat and will be reminded to return the signed Bus Conduct Report the next day.  The driver will inform the student's principal who will attempt to contact a parent).

When the first Bus Conduct Report is issued, the bus driver will discuss this behavior with the student and then will give the Bus Conduct Report to the school principal.  The principal will review and give the Bus Conduct Report to the student to bring home for the parent to review and sign.  The bus driver may attempt to call the parent to discuss this as well.  Upon the second written notice, a school administrator will discuss the behavior with the student, clarifies expectations and reviews consequences of continued misbehavior.  The additional steps are implemented when inappropriate behavior continues.  Refer to the Bus Conduct Report, if/when issued, for more information.

Parents/guardians are encouraged to contact the principal and/or transportation supervisor if they have concerns.  If appropriate, a conference with other parties including the student and the driver may be arranged through the school principal.

The District reserves the right to suspend transportation privileges for any student that demonstrates unsafe behavior.

Some district buses have cameras to record video and audio.  Tapes are only kept if needed to document what happened on a bus.  Tapes can be available for the driver, transportation or other administrator in a conference in the school to review what happened, otherwise tapes are recorded over.

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Information for Riders with Special Needs

The district shall provide SPECIALIZED BUS SERVICE if it is indicated in your student’s individual Education Plan (IEP).  It is considered a related service.

Click here for specific information for families who have riders with special needs.

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Accidents / Breakdowns

Bus drivers are thoroughly trained in defensive driving techniques and buses are carefully maintained. Yet, given the thousands of miles traveled annually, the traffic conditions in our area, accidents and breakdowns may occur. All buses have two-way radios and help can be just minutes away. In the meantime, the bus driver depends on passenger cooperation to ensure that all riders remain safe.  In the event of an actual emergency, emergency exit procedures will be followed.

To insure the success of emergency procedures, each bus driver shall conduct an emergency evacuation drill within the first 6 weeks of each semester.  Drivers and schools will be informed of the date for these drills in advance.  For more information, refer to Board Policy 8124.  In an accident, buses are evacuated only if absolutely necessary.

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Inclement Weather / Snow Days

The district shall develop emergency bus routes and schedules to be used when weather conditions make the usual routes impassable, or too hazardous. This information will be available in the fall on our district web site (www.sno.wednet.edu) and at the schools. Local radio and TV stations will provide up-to-date information when the roads are slick and/or unsafe. School delay and closure information is also available at www.schoolreport.org.  Refer to the District calendar for more information.

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Did you know?... Interesting Facts

• 100 people (including 15 substitute bus drivers) provide Transportation Services to the students of our Snohomish School District.
• 4 mechanics maintain a fleet of 150 vehicles/pieces of equipment ... including 91 school buses which cover 77 routes
• Buses have preventative maintenance performed on them every 1,000 miles.
• There are 50 different types of filters and 19 different types of light bulbs used for our buses and support vehicles
• Buses drove a total of 1,166,750 miles during the last school year.

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