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 student transportation 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”:  shall mean areas where a student who lives less than 1½ miles from school will be transported to and from school because, in the judgment of the Board of Trustees, the age, health or safety of the students warrants such action as described in Policy 8110 Safety Busing.

“Non-Transportation Zone”:  shall mean an area of the District designated by the Board which is not served by District transportation because of scarcity of students or remoteness, or because the condition of roads makes it impractical to provide service.

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. Transportation 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 served, 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, Form 8110F. 

2. School bus drivers and employees to drive other vehicles transporting students to and from school are encouraged to make recommendations about establishing or changing routes.

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

4. At least once each year, the transportation supervisor or the District’s school bus driver trainer shall evaluate each route for the purpose of assessing the safety of routes and transportation stops. Documentation of the route evaluation shall be retained by the District. The District may use the State Department of Education’s model evaluation procedure and forms for these evaluations.

Transportation Stops

District vehicles should stop to load and unload passengers only at designated places approved by school authorities.  Exceptions should be made only in cases of emergency and inclement weather conditions. Student transportation stops shall be chosen with safety and protection of the health of the student in mind No transportation stop shall be established within 1 1⁄2 miles from the students’ school except in safety busing zones.

All transportation stops shall be in safe locations with at least 100 yards of clear visibility in both directions. All stops shall be located at a site that allows the vehicle to stop without blocking any intersection; whenever possible stops shall be at least 40 feet from intersections.

District drivers shall load and unload from the right side of the roadway. Transportation shall be sited to ensure that students do not have to cross any road with more than three lanes to board the bus or to proceed home after exiting the vehicle unless the location has easily accessible traffic control signals. 

District vehicles shall only stop to load or unload passengers at designated bus stops, as required by law.

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 and shall ensure that the loading and unloading areas are supervised adequately for the size of the loading area and the number of students present to ensure close, continuous, and interactive supervision whenever students or vehicles are present in the loading area.

Delay in Schedule

The schedule for pickup and delivery of students shall be followed as accurately as possible. The driver is to notify the administration of a delay in schedule.  The administration will notify parents/guardians on routes experiencing delays, if necessary.

Responsibilities – Pupils

Pupils  should recognize that safety is based on group conduct.  Talk should be in conversational tones at all times.  Students should not shout or talk loudly because it  may distract the bus driver.  Students should not shout at passersby.  Pupils should instantly obey any command or suggestions from the driver or their assistants.

A student may be denied transportation upon a showing of good cause as described in Policy 8140 Student Conduct on Vehicles.  

Responsibilities - Parents

The transportation program values parents' interest and assistance. Parents’ efforts towards making each 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 stop transportation in sufficient time to efficiently meet the vehicle;

2. Properly prepare children for weather conditions; and

3. Encourage school bus safety at home. Teach children about safe vehicle related behavior, including its importance.

Safety

The Superintendent shall develop written rules establishing the procedures for transportation safety and emergency exit drills, which complies with State law and/or Federal Highway Safety Guideline 17, and for student conduct while riding on District Vehicles.

If the vehicle and driver are present, the driver is responsible for the safety of their passengers, particularly for those who must cross a roadway prior to loading or after leaving the  vehicle.  Except in emergencies, no bus driver shall order or allow a student to board or disembark at other than their assigned stop unless authorized by the Superintendent.  In order to assure the safety of all, the driver may hold students accountable for their conduct during the course of transportation and may recommend corrective action against a student.  Drivers are expressly prohibited from using corporal punishment.

The bus driver is responsible for the use of the warning and stop signaling systems. Failure to use the system constitutes negligence on the part of the driver.

Inclement Weather

The Board recognizes the unpredictability of Idaho weather and resulting dangers.  To achieve the maximum safety for students and efficiency of operation, the 

Superintendent is empowered to make decisions as to the emergency operation of vehicles, the cancellation of transportation routes and the closing of school in accordance with their best judgment.  The Board may develop guidelines in cooperation with the Superintendent to assist them 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

Revised on: 03/17/2026