Board of Education Transportation Safety
TRANSPORTATION
SAFETY
The safety and welfare of pupils
shall be a primary consideration in all matters pertaining to transportation.
The Board directs the Superintendent
or designee to oversee development of regulations to govern:
A. Pupil conduct on buses;
B. Education for bus drivers to
include:
1. Management of pupils;
2. Safe driving practices; recognition of hazards;
3. Special concerns in transporting pupils with disabilities;
4. Emergency procedures on the road; accident report;
5. Information on required drug and alcohol
testing.
Accident Reporting
Forms shall be provided
for the immediate reporting of all incidents involving a district‑owned
or contracted vehicle that include any of the following:
A. Physical
injury to anyone concerned, no matter how minor
B. Property
damage of any kind, even if the financial loss is negligible
C. Failure of any mechanical function of a
district‑owned or contracted vehicle during operation, even if no injury
or damage results
It shall be the
responsibility of the superintendent to direct an investigation on the report
and to comply with the law. The
information gained shall be considered in evaluating personnel performances,
and in scheduling inspection of vehicles.
Drills
Emergency evacuation drills shall be conducted
regularly throughout the school year by the building principals to acquaint the
pupil riders thoroughly with emergency situations. An emergency evacuation drill shall be held
as soon as possible after the opening day of school and then at least twice a
year. One of the drills will include all
students (even those who do not regularly ride the bus to school.)
Vehicles and Equipment
All district‑owned or contracted vehicles used
to transport children shall be maintained in such condition as to provide safe transportation
service with a minimum of delays and disruption due to mechanical or equipment
failure.
All district‑owned or contracted vehicles used
to transport children shall conform with state standards for such vehicles and
shall be equipped with all safety devices required by code and statute.
All passengers on buses equipped with seat belts will
wear properly adjusted and fastened seat belts or other child restraint systems
at all times while the bus is in operation.
Transportation Safety Policy No. 3541.33
Bus Drivers
Drivers of all Type I and Type II school vehicles
used to transport district pupils shall be licensed by the State of
DATE REVISED:
Revised:
Legal References N.J.S.A.
18A:6-7.1 Criminal
history record; employee in regular contact with pupils; grounds for
disqualification from employment; exception
N.J.S.A.
18A:25‑2 Authority
over pupils
N.J.S.A. 18A:39-1 et seq. Transportation To and From Schools
See
particularly:
N.J.S.A. 18A:39-17, -18,
-19, -20
N.J.S.A. 39:3-10.9 et seq.
N.J.S.A. 39:3B-1.1 et seq. School Buses, Equipment and Regulations
See
particularly:
N.J.S.A. 39:3B-10
through -12
N.J.A.C. 6A:27-1.1et seq. Student Transportation
See particularly:
N.J.A.C. 6A:27-11.1, -11.2,
-12.2,
-13.3
34
CFR Part 85.100 et seq., Government wide Debarment and
Suspension
(nonprocurement) and Government wide
Requirements for Drug‑Free Workplace
(Grants)
49
U.S.C. § 31306 et seq.
Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991
49
C.F.R. Part 40.1 et seq. Procedures
for Transportation Workplace Drug Testing
Programs
49
C.F.R. Part 382.101 Controlled
Substance and Alcohol Use and Testing
49
C.F.R. Part 391.1 et seq.Qualification of drivers
Policies
and Procedures Manual for Pupil Transportation,
N.J. State Department of Education
Manual
for the Evaluation of Local School Districts
(August 2000)
Cross
References: 3516 Safety
3541.1 Transportation routes and services
4211 Recruitment, selection and
hiring
4219.23 Employee substance abuse
4231/4231.1 Staff development; in-service
education/visitations/conferences
5131 Conduct/discipline
5142 Pupil safety