Transportation Safety

Overview

Safety is of prime importance for our students as we transport them to and from school and for school-sponsored activities. Safety requires the cooperation of students, parents/guardians, and school personnel. Parents/guardians should review and discuss school bus rules with their child/children in an effort to help them understand and assume responsibility for good school bus conduct. Students are charged with the responsibility of conduct that will result in safe transportation, respect for all school personnel and respect for other students. Failure to abide by the school bus rules, show proper respect to others, and comply with requests of school personnel may result in a student being issued a School Bus Conduct Report and subsequent suspension or denial of bus transportation.

Guidelines for Discharge

As the safety of students is our highest priority, the district relies on parents/guardians as active partners. If possible, a responsible adult should be close to the bus stop at drop-off time for elementary students. We recommend that parents and caregivers are out of their homes and/or vehicles and visible to their children and their bus driver.

Kindergarten students riding home from school on DTSD buses, however, will only be discharged from their buses if a parent/guardian or other authorized caregiver is present to meet the child. If we are unable to make contact with a family member before the end of the bus run, the student will be taken to the Primary/Intermediate Elementary School Office until an authorized family member is able to pick them up. (PLEASE NOTE: At neighborhood/development bus stops serving a large number of families it is not possible for a bus driver to ensure that every child is greeted at their stop due to the volume of students departing from the vehicle and dispersing in various directions.)

Implement a “Bus Stop Buddy” system; discuss with your child that they should walk home with an older sibling and/or other older neighborhood children.

If you cannot meet your child at the bus stop, develop a family plan and discuss with your child what they should do if no one is there to rendezvous with them. Do you want to go to their house? A friend’s house? A trusted neighbor’s house? Maintain and communicate your contingency plans to your family, friends and/or trusted neighbors to be as prepared as possible for various situations that may arise.

When unexpected emergencies arise, don’t hesitate to call your child’s school building office and the Transportation Department (717-566-7422).

Safety Tips

At the Bus Stop

Be ready and waiting outside for your bus five (5) minutes prior to your scheduled pick-up time.
The bus driver is not expected to stop the bus and traffic unless they know that the student will be taking the bus. Be outside and be visible!!
Be on time to be courteous to the other motorists and fellow students that are waiting for the bus.
Students who have to walk to their assigned bus stop:
- Use a direct route from home to the bus stop and from the bus stop to home.
- Do not accept a ride to the bus stop from another person.
- When possible, please remain on a sidewalk.
- Walk facing traffic.
- When crossing the road/street:
  - Look left, right, and left before crossing.
  - Listen for other vehicles.
  - Ensure that no vehicles are approaching or that all vehicles have stopped completely.
  - Use crosswalks, traffic signals, and pedestrian traffic signals (where available).
  - Wear bright colored clothing, to increase visibility to motorists.
  - When waiting for the bus-stand at least (10) feet from the edge of the roadway whenever possible.
- Never stand in the road/street!
- Never walk towards a moving school bus-wait for the bus to stop and for the doors to open.
Respect other people’s property and be respectful and courteous to other people waiting at the bus stop.
Parents/guardians should accompany students to/from the bus stop whenever possible.
School rules apply to student behavior while at bus stops.
- Consult student handbooks and other school documentation for school rules.
Oversized items including oversized backpacks, oversized athletic bags, large musical instruments, skateboards and the like are not permitted on any Derry Township School Bus or Van due to safety concerns associated with delays and difficulty during the boarding process and our inability to safely secure larger items in the seating area.
- Students must be able to carry his/her belongings with ease and hold their belongings on their lap-not in a seat or aisle which could block emergency exits in the event of an emergency

Boarding the Bus

The yellow flashing warning lights.
- Warn pedestrians and motorists that the bus is approaching a bus stop.
- No one should walk towards the bus when the yellow lights are flashing because the bus may still be moving.
The red flashing warning lights
- Warn pedestrians and motorists that the bus is stopped at a school bus stop.
- All motorists are required to come to a complete stop and remain stopped until the red warning lights are turned off.
When the bus driver opens the door completely, students may board the bus.
- Be orderly-no pushing or shoving.
- Students may need to cross the road in front of the bus.
- Wait for the driver to signal you to cross the street.
- Stop, look and listen before crossing the street.
- Walk at least ten (10) feet in front of the bus.
- Student should always be visible to the driver.
- Never cross the street behind the school bus.
- Always use the handrail to avoid slipping while on the steps of the bus.
- Find your assigned seat (if applicable) and sit down immediately (back to seat back, and bottom on the seat.)
Remain seated until the bus arrives at your destination-school or home.
When the bus driver closes the door and the red lights are not flashing, the bus will begin to move away from the bus stop.
- Everyone must be ten (10) feet away from the bus after its doors have closed.
- NEVER run or walk towards the school bus after the doors have closed.
- Parents/Guardians are responsible for taking students to school who miss the bus.
  - Do not follow the bus to another bus stop location, your child will not be allowed to board at any stop other than their assigned bus stop.

Riding the Bus

Failure to abide by the School Bus Safety Guidelines may result in school personnel issuing one or more of the following consequences:
- Verbal warning.
- Change in seat assignment (at discretion of the Bus Driver, Administration or other DTSD staff).
- Written School Bus Conduct Report.
- Written notification from the school vehicle driver to the building Principal/Designee and the parent/guardian.
- The school Principal/Designee determines which disciplinary step(s) will be taken in response to the report.
Parent/Guardian cooperation is greatly appreciated in addressing student behavioral issues that occur on DTSD vehicles.
Students must ride their assigned bus.
Students must board and exit the bus at their assigned bus stop.
Students may not ride another bus route to or from school with another student for any reason.
Notes from parents granting a student permission to get on or off any other stop other than their assigned stop will not be honored.
Parents/Guardians are responsible for transporting students to or from a friend’s house when necessary – students may only ride their assigned buses. No Exceptions.
Parents/Guardians requesting to permanently change their child’s bus stop must do so in writing to the Administrative Assistant of Transportation with a minimum of 48 hours' notice.
Bus stop changes will only be considered if:
- The requested bus stop is found on the same bus route that the student is currently assigned
- The bus stop is an existing bus stop location
In the event of an emergency situation, a student may be granted permission to get off the bus at an alternate location on the same bus route. In this case, the Transportation Office must be contacted prior to the time of the occurrence with an explanation of the emergency.

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