Bus Rider's Handbook General Safety Rules

1. Obey the instructions of the bus driver.
2. Elementary, middle, and high school students must board the bus at their
designated stop only.
3. Only students who are eligible to ride may be transported. Changes to a single day's routine may be made for emergency purposes only and must be arranged through the Transportation Department with details stated in writing and given to the bus driver.
4. DO NOT ask to ride home on another bus with a friend.
5. Ride only the bus to which you are assigned. Riding another bus requires
written permission from the custodial parent/guardian of the student desiring the change.
6. Students are only allowed to get off the bus at their regular stop.
7. Getting off the bus at another stop requires approved written permission from
the custodial parent/guardian of the student desiring the change.

Procedures for Waiting for the Bus

1. Be at your bus stop five (5) minutes before scheduled pick-up time. The bus is considered on time if it arrives as early as five (5) minutes before the posted time or as late as five (5) minutes after the posted time. Drivers will not wait or honk the horn.
2. Stand on the sidewalk or back from the roadway while waiting for the bus.
3. When the bus approaches, form a line and be prepared to load immediately.
4. Stand clear of the bus until it comes to a complete stop and the door opens.
5. If you miss the bus, go home immediately.
6. Parents should instruct their children on what procedures to follow if the bus is
missed.
7. Parents are responsible for providing transportation to school if a child misses the
bus.
8. Students must follow campus procedures for boarding and riding the bus.
9. Once the door of the bus has closed and the wheels have moved, no matter how slight, the driver will not reopen the door to allow students to board. This is to prevent injuries caused by students falling under the rear wheels while running to catch the bus.

Loading the Bus

1. Do not push or shove.
2. Use the handrail and steps.
3. Go to your assigned seat. The bus will not move until all students are seated.
4. Elementary, middle, and high school students are to board the bus at their assigned bus stop.
5. After boarding the bus, the student is not to get off the bus except at the school.
Unless the bus routes necessitate a scheduled student transfer onto another bus.

In-Transit Operation

1. Buses will not be driven on private property (business, etc.) unless authorized by Jefferson County Schools. Field trip buses are exempt from being driven on private property.
2. No student shall be allowed to ride or stand in front of either front passenger seat or white standee line.

Vandalism on the Bus

To ensure that school buses can serve our students for multiple years, littering, defacing, or damaging school buses is not tolerated. Students will be required to pay for damages they cause to the school buses and will be subject to criminal proceedings as well as disciplinary consequences in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Community service, with parent permission, supervised by campus administrators, and approved by the campus principal may be substituted for monetary restitution.

Prohibited Items

1. Tobacco.
2. Glass containers.
3. Alcoholic beverages.
4. Weapons, explosive devices, harmful drugs, or chemicals.
5. Matches or lighters.
6. Any item that might distract the driver or cause a disruption on the bus.
7. Laser pointers.
8. Projects or equipment that cannot be held safely in the student's lap and/or causing an obstruction of the student's face /head.

Departure from School

1. Bus departure time is set by the campus principal or designee. Buses will not depart from the school prior to that time. That designee will be responsible for the safety of all tardy bus students.
2. Once the door of the bus has closed and the wheels have moved, no matter how slight, the driver will not reopen the door to allow students to board. This is to prevent injuries caused by students falling under the rear wheels while running to catch the bus.
3. Parents are responsible for providing transportation home from school if a child misses the bus.
4. Parents should instruct their children on what procedures to follow if the bus is missed.
5. Students must follow campus procedures for boarding the bus when leaving
school.

Getting off or Exiting the Bus

1. Stay seated until the bus is completely stopped.
2. Use the handrail and take one step at a time when leaving the bus.
3. Wait for your turn to leave the bus.
4. Elementary, Middle, and High School students must get off the bus at their
assigned bus stop.
5. Getting off the bus at another stop or riding another bus requires an approved
written note from the child's custodial parents/ guardian of the child desiring the
change.
6. Stay clear of the bus when the engine is running. Do not chase or hang onto
the bus.
7. If any article drops or rolls near, or under, the bus - do not go after it. Go to the
door and ask the driver for help.
8. Students should leave the bus stop after exiting the bus.

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Programs

The Jefferson County Schools' transportation procedure requires that a parent or designated adult be at the school bus stop in the afternoon to receive his or her child. If a parent or designated adult is not present to receive the child, she or he will be returned to the child's school (unless circumstances at the school prohibit this, then the student will be taken to the Transportation Department).

Grades One and Two

For students in grades one and two, it is strongly recommended that a parent or designated adult be at the school bus stop in the afternoon to receive his or her child.

Crossing the Street or Highway

1. All students living on the left side of the roadway shall exit the bus and move to a point 10 to 12 feet in front of the right bumper and wait for the driver to signal that it is safe to cross.
2. Check in both directions and walk directly across the road.
3. NEVER CROSS THE ROAD BEHIND THE BUS.
4. CAUTION: Be alert for vehicles that do not stop when the bus is loading or
unloading students.
5. Cross all streets at intersections when possible. Obey all traffic signals and
signs on the way home.

Accidents or Emergencies

1. Follow the driver's instructions.
2. If you must leave the bus, stay in a group.
3. Students are not to leave the scene of a bus accident (even with parents) until authorized by school authorities. This procedure accounts for all students.
4. The following procedures will be used for evacuation in an emergency situation:
a. Follow the driver's instructions completely.
b. Driver will designate evacuation helpers.
c. Leave the bus in single file as quietly as possible.
d. Go to the designated safety zone.

Bad Weather

During inclement weather the decision to close or delay schools will normally be made prior to 5:30 A.M. School closing will be announced on the radio, television, Jefferson County Schools Cable Channel 18, and the Jefferson County Schools Website: https://boe.jeff.k12.wv.us/status

Isolated Early Release

For grades Pre-Kindergarten to five, when school is released early due to isolated occurrences such as power outages, no water service, no electricity, etc., Jefferson County Schools' transportation procedure requires a parent or designated adult to be at the bus stop to receive his or her child. "; Isolated occurrences" is defined as a non-weather related early dismissal which affects a minimal number of schools. In such cases, a diligent effort will be made to contact parents or designated adults as soon as the decision to close school early due to isolated occurrences is made. If a parent or designated adult is not present at the school bus stop to receive the child, the child will be returned to his /her school (unless circumstances at the school prohibit this; then the student will be taken to the Transportation Department).

Emergency Forms and Contacts

Parents/guardians are encouraged to have an alternate child care plan in place. It is equally important to keep parental and emergency contact information current with each child's school(s) and the Transportation Department. This information should be listed on the Student Information Form provided to every Jefferson County Schools' student. Further, the information should also be listed on the Student Transportation Form which is distributed to all students riding the school bus. *Schools do not send updated information to the Transportation Department.

Extracurricular Trips

1. Bus rider rules apply to all school-sponsored events.
2. Discipline will be the responsibility of the building principal and the trip sponsor.
3. Strict loading and unloading time schedules will be followed.
4. The bus must return clean from the trip.
5. If a student's bus privileges are suspended from one bus, privileges are also
denied for all buses, including extracurricular trips.

Bus Procedures - Frequently Asked Questions

1. Bus Conduct Procedures

2. Procedures for Bus Routes/Bus Stops

3. Bus Discipline

4. Procedures for riding a bus other than the student's home bus (Permanent change)

5. Procedures for riding a bus other than the student's home bus (One day)

6. I live out of district. Can I ride a bus to and from school?

7. Elementary Transportation Procedure

8. Bad Weather

9. Isolated Early Dismissal/Release

10. Emergency Forms and Contacts

11. Extracurricular Trips

12. Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Transportation Procedure

13. Bus Rider's General Safety Rules