Jerome Joint School District No. 261

NONINSTRUCTIONAL OPERATIONS 8120

Bus Routes, Stops and Non-Transportation Zones

Each year, no later than the regular Board of Trustee’s meeting in August, the Superintendent or designee shall

present their recommendation for bus routes, school safety busing zones and non-transportation zones to the

Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall consider student health and safety in considering the

recommendations of the superintendent or designee.

Definitions:

Safety Busing Zone: The transportation of a student who lives less than one and one-half (1 1/2) miles from school

when, in the judgment of the Board of Trustees, the age or health or safety of the students warrants such action.

(See Safety Busing Policy #8110.)

Non-Transportation Zone: An area of the District designated by the Board which is not served by District

transportation because of sparsity of students, remoteness, or condition of roads makes such service impractical.

Establishing Bus Routes

In order to operate the transportation system as safely and efficiently as possible, the following factors shall be

considered in establishing bus routes:

1. School bus routes shall be established with due consideration of the sum total of local conditions affecting

the safety, economic soundness and convenience of its operation, including road conditions, condition of

bridges and culverts, hazardous crossings, presence of railroad tracks and arterial highways, extreme

weather conditions and variations, length of route, number of families and children to be serviced,

availability of turn-around points, capacity of bus, and other related factors. Further, the Board of

Trustees shall consider the criteria set out in its measuring and scoring instrument. (Exhibit 1 to Policy

8110—Safety Busing – consists of Maps and Procedures.)

2. School bus drivers are encouraged to make recommendations in regard to establishing or changing

routes.

3. Parents should be referred to the Superintendent or designee for any request of change in routes, stops,

or schedules.

Bus Stops

Buses should stop only at designated places approved by school authorities. Exceptions should be made only in

cases of emergency and inclement weather conditions. Bus stops shall be chosen with safety in mind and

protection of the health of the student.

School loading and unloading zones are to be established and marked to provide safe and orderly loading and

unloading of students. The principal of each building is responsible for the conduct of students waiting in loading

zones. The principal of each building shall provide for the supervision of loading and unloading areas at or near

schools during the unloading and loading of school buses. The principal of each building shall provide an adequate

number of supervisors for the size of the loading area and number of students present and ensure close,

continuous and interactive supervision whenever students and/or buses are present in the loading area (Section

33-512(4), Idaho Code)

Delay in Schedule

The driver is to notify the administration of a delay in schedule. The administration will notify parents on routes

and radio stations, if necessary.

Responsibilities – Pupils

Pupils must realize that safety is based on group conduct. Talk should be in conversational tones at all times.

There should be no shouting or loud talking which may distract the bus driver. There should be no shouting at

passersby. Pupils should instantly obey any command or suggestions from the driver and/or his/her assistants.

A pupil may be denied transportation upon a showing of good cause. The reason for the denial of transportation

services shall be provided to the parent(s)/guardian(s) in writing.

Responsibilities - Parents

The interest and assistance of each parent is a valued asset to the transportation program. Parents’ efforts

towards making each bus trip a safe and pleasant experience are requested and appreciated. The following

suggestions are only three of the many ways parents can assist:

1. Ensure that students are at the bus stop in sufficient time to efficiently meet the bus.

2. Properly prepare children for weather conditions.

3. Encourage school bus safety at home. Caution children regarding safe behavior and conduct while riding

on the school bus.

Responsibilities – Drivers

Each school bus driver shall at all times possess a valid and appropriate commercial driver’s license, including

endorsements as specified in section 49-105, Idaho Code, and if applicable, a waiver for insulin-dependent

diabetes mellitus issued by the state department of education.

Each school bus driver shall maintain such route books and other records as may be required by the state

department of education or by the board of trustees of the school district. The school bus driver shall report any

pupil whose behavior is such as may endanger the operation of the vehicle, or who damages the same or any part

thereof, or whose language is obscene.

It shall be the duty of each school bus driver to report any condition on, or bordering, his route which constitutes a

hazard to the safety of the pupils being transported.

Within the course and scope of his or her duties, a school bus driver shall not be civilly or criminally liable for

reasonably acting to aid a rider on the bus whom the school bus driver reasonably believes to be in imminent

danger of harm or injury.

Responsibilities – Contractor

The contractor shall evaluate a minimum of once per year each route and each driver for the purpose of assessing

driver performance and the safety of routes and bus stops (National School Transportation Specifications &

Procedures, Identification and Evaluation of School Bus Route and Hazard Marking Systems). The time schedule for

pickup and delivery of children shall be followed as accurately as possible. Documentation of the driver and route

evaluation shall be retained in the driver's personnel file. The district shall be given access to all evaluation

documentation of personnel and routes upon request.

Safety

The Superintendent shall develop written rules establishing the procedures for bus safety and emergency exit

drills, which complies with State law and/or Federal Highway Safety Guideline 17, and for student conduct while

riding on buses.

If the bus and driver are present, the driver is responsible for the safety of his/her passengers, particularly for

those who must cross a roadway prior to loading or after leaving the bus. Except in emergencies, no bus driver

shall order or allow a student to board or disembark at other than his/her assigned stop unless so authorized by

the Superintendent. In order to assure the safety of all, the bus driver may hold students accountable for their

conduct during the course of transportation and may recommend corrective action against a student. Bus drivers

are expressly prohibited from using corporal punishment.

Further, the Board of Trustees shall consider the criteria set out in its measuring and scoring instrument which by

this reference is incorporated and attached to this policy as by Cross Reference: Policy 8110 Safety Busing.

The bus driver is responsible for the use of the warning and stop signaling systems and the consequent protection

of his/her passengers. Failure to use the system constitutes negligence on the part of the driver.

Inclement Weather

The Board recognizes the unpredictability and resulting dangers associated with the weather in Idaho. To achieve

the maximum safety for children and efficiency of operation, the

Superintendent is empowered to make decisions as to the emergency operation of buses, the cancellation of bus

routes and the closing of school in accordance with his/her best judgment. The Board may develop guidelines in

cooperation with the Superintendent to assist him/her in making such decisions.

Cross Reference: 8110 Safety Busing

Legal Reference: I.C. § 33-1501 Transportation Authorized

I.C. § 33-1502 Bus Routes—Non-transportation zones

I.C. § 49-1422 Overtaking and Passing a School Bus

Other Reference: Standards for Idaho School Buses and Operations

Idaho Department of Education, Idaho’s School Bus Driver Training Classroom Curriculum

Policy History:

Adopted on: 12/19/2006

Revised on: 05/26/2015

Revised on: 02/25/2020