Bus Rules Regulations & Safety

Safety Considerations While Waiting for Bus

• Be at your stop 10 minutes early.  Please do not wait in the car.  It helps us stay on schedule if students are physically standing at the stop 10 minutes before their scheduled bus stop time.
• Be considerate of private property (no ball or game playing)
• Wait until bus comes to a complete stop. Never cross street to a bus stop until bus has put its red lights on and crossing arm is extended.
• If you are late, never run after a moving bus! (be 10 minutes early)
• Never chase after a bus to another bus stop in a car. You are not authorized to board the bus anywhere except at your assigned stop.

Safety Considerations While Exiting the Bus

• Stay seated until bus comes to a complete stop.
• Students may exit the bus only at their assigned bus stop.
• Stand a safe distance away from the bus after exiting
• If crossing the street, always do so in front of the bus beyond the crossing arm where the driver can see you at all times.

Bus Passes

Students are not allowed to board or get off a bus other than at their officially assigned stop in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. In the case of an emergency you must contact your school office and bus pass may be issued for your student to give to the bus driver. The passes are valid for one day only and will not be issued for things like play dates, work, and/or non-Parkland School District related activities/practices. Bus passes will only be issued for emergency situations. 

Lost & Found

Each bus driver is required to “walk through” the bus after each run to primarily to make sure there are no sleeping children. If the driver finds an article of clothing or a personal item of a student, the driver will keep the item on the bus so it can be returned to the student.

Discipline Policy
The safety of students while riding the school bus is a responsibility that must be shared by all students. Students must obey all rules and regulations. The bus driver is in charge of the bus and the students riding it. The regulations that follow apply to anyone being transported by the Parkland School District during normal school hours, after-school activity runs and co-curricular trips. Violation of any of the regulations may result in the withdrawal of transportation privileges for a period of time and/or other disciplinary action to be determined by the seriousness or frequency of the offense. School authorities reserve the right to assign students to specific seats on the bus when deemed necessary. Withdrawal of transportation privileges does not relieve the parent or the student of their responsibilities as school attendance applies. Absence from school due to withdrawal of transportation privileges is not an excused absence.

All persons being transported by the Parkland School District shall not:

1. smoke, eat or drink on the bus;
2. engage in scuffling, fighting or other unwarranted behavior;
3. use profane, foul or indecent language;
4. use the emergency exit unless directed to do so by the driver;
5. tamper with the bus or any of its equipment;
6. regulate windows unless permitted to do so by the driver;
7. extend any part or their bodies out of the window;
8. throw any object(s) on the bus or out of the window;
9. litter the floor of the bus or the seats;
10. stand, walk, change seats while the bus is in motion;
11. place any articles in aisles or in front of the emergency exit;
12. carry or use any potentially dangerous objects including, but not limited to knives, firearms, matches, lighters, fireworks, water guns, scissors, etc.;
13. transport any animal;
14. board or debark at any but their own designated bus stop unless given written permission by a school official;
15. behave in any manner which would endanger the health, safety or welfare of other students or the driver by distracting the driver from his/her responsibility to operate the bus in a safe manner.
In the event of serious or repeated violations of bus regulations, the Parkland School District reserves the right to file a summary offense, misdemeanor or felony complaint with the local authorities.

Discipline For Violations
The driver will maintain appropriate bus behavior, enforce safety rules and handle routine discipline issues. When a student’s misconduct persists, the driver will complete and submit to the building principal and/or designee a Bus Conduct Incident Report. The principal will review the report, interview the driver and/or student if necessary, determine disciplinary action, and complete the form. A copy of the form will be sent to the parent/guardian and the Transportation Department, and a copy will be retained and filed by the principal. The Transportation Department will inform the bus driver of the discipline.
Disciplinary action will follow a general rule of increasing severity of consequences, including:
1. Warning/Assigned seating.
2. Detention/Indoor recess.
3. Suspension of bus privileges for one (1) to three (3) days.
4. Suspension of bus privileges for five (5) to ten (10) days.
A student who is a discipline problem on a school bus may have his/her riding privileges suspended by the building principal. In such cases, the parents/guardians are responsible for seeing that the student gets to school safely and on a regular basis.

Violations By Large Group Of Students
The following procedure will be followed by the driver when a large number of students are violating student conduct rules:
1. Driver will proceed to school with all the students who are on the bus at the time s/he makes the decision.
2. Driver will contact principal or designee and will remain on the bus until the administrator arrives.
3. Administrator will review the situation, determine appropriate action and subsequent discipline, and inform the Transportation Department.
4. The principal or designee will notify the Superintendent or designee regarding the incident.

Carry – On Policy
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation mandates that the interior of a school bus must be free of any objects that could cause injury. All objects must be secured and the aisles, emergency exits and the driver’s compartment must be free and clear of any object.

The following rules must be adhered to at all time – NO Exceptions.
• No food in open containers (No eating or drinking is allowed on buses). Many students have allergies to certain foods and for their safety no one is allowed to eat while on the bus.
• Students may not bring skate boards or any live animals (including animals for class projects) on board the buses. Guide or trained companion dogs are the only exception.
• No student may bring any latex products, plants, or balloons on board a bus.
• No student may bring any suitcase, book bag, school class project or any other object unless it can be held on their lap or placed under the seat.
• Musical instruments may be brought on board if it can be held on their lap. If it does not fit on their lap, provided there is room, a student may place the instrument on the seat or on the floor between them and the window. In this manner it will not interfere with the access to the exits by other students, nor block any portion of the aisle. This exception does not apply if the seat is one with an emergency window exit.
• Any object in the opinion of the bus driver that may endanger other students may not be allowed on the bus by the driver. Examples, but not limited to this list are glass bowls or Aquariums, look alike knives/guns, ice skates, cutting tools etc.