Transportation Services
Frequently Asked Questions
1) What should I do if the bus doesn’t show up?
Answer: Pick up and
drop off times will not vary to any great extent on a normal basis.
Circumstances beyond our control could make the bus late occasionally. Vehicle “break
downs”, detours, emergencies, or weather related problems are a few reasons
that could make the bus late. We will always make sure a bus will be at your
stop. If the wait is longer than fifteen minutes please contact the
transportation office at 874-8240.
2) My child is not eligible for transportation. Can my child
still ride the school bus?
Answer: Under certain
circumstances, ineligible students may be allowed to ride the school bus.
Medical necessity, safety, special hardship, etc. are just a few reasons. You
may request an exception for your student from the Superintendent of School by
contacting that office at 874-8100.
3) The bus goes right by my house. Why can’t it stop here?
Answer: School bus
stops are placed in central locations to shorten route length and travel times.
Transportation Services makes every effort to see that these stops are safe and
have appropriate walking routes to them. In many cases a bus will stop at a
front door if there is no appropriate stop within a reasonable distance. By
statute, school buses must also have at least one hundred feet between bus
stops. Please contact the transportation office if you feel your child’s stop
is unsafe or should otherwise be changed.
4) My child goes to school in one district but my daycare is in another. Can my child ride to and from daycare to school?
Answer:
Transportation across district lines is not permitted under normal
circumstances. Route timing, distances, and bus capacities make it impossible
to accommodate this type of request.
5) My child is not eligible for transportation but attends a daycare in an area that is eligible for transportation. Is my child eligible to ride to and from school from the daycare?
Answer: No. A
student who is ineligible for “to and from” school transportation is not
eligible to ride to a daycare in an eligible area.
6) I think my child is eligible for transportation but I’m told the distance is not far enough? How do I resolve this?
Answer: All home
locations within the city use the city tax maps to calculate distances. They
are very accurate. If you feel your child is eligible contact Transportation
Services and they measure the distance.
Answer: Eligible
students may be dropped off at a different location only with the written
permission of a parent or guardian, and only if the alternate location is
eligible for transportation. Parents should present a note to the school
administrator when this becomes necessary.
Answer:
Transportation Services makes every effort to fully maximize bus capacities. On
occasion, buses may not be fully utilized due to the nature of the
transportation. Special Education, ELL, and other programming needs may dictate
fewer students riding a particular bus.
Answer: Drivers
inspect the interior of the bus after each route. Drivers are instructed to
keep all found articles of unknown origin on board the bus at least one day.
Articles may be claimed directly from the driver or you may contact the
transportation office at 874-8240. Unclaimed articles are kept at the
transportation office “lost and found”.
Answer: Seat belts on
school buses are not required equipment. School buses utilize the “compartmentalization”
concept to insure student safety. Since the mid - 70’s the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration has determined that this approach to student
safety is the most practical for school buses. Compartmentalization is an
arrangement whereby seats are placed close together to absorb the energy of a
child’s body thrown against it. Additional padding, higher seat backs, frame
construction, and anchoring requirements make compartmentalization the accepted
choice of and the industry standard.
Transportation
Services does utilize lap belts and other restraint systems in certain
circumstances. Special Education buses currently provide lap belts for all
students. Pre-school students utilize a child-restraint system especially
designed for younger children weighing less than 40 pounds.
Answer: Please call
the transportation office AT 874-8240 between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 4:00
p.m. daily. Please ask for the Director of Transportation or the Assistant
Director of Transportation.
12) My child is a Special Education student. Who do I
contact to arrange transportation?
Answer: Please call
the learning strategist at your child’s school. They will contact the
transportation office to arrange for special needs transportation.
13) My child attends one school for most of the day but occasionally receives services at another school. Is transportation provided for this?
Answer: Yes,
transportation is provided anytime a student needs access to an alternative
program within the district.
14) My child attends PATHS. Is transportation provided to and from PATHS.
Answer: Yes,
transportation is provided from both Deering H.S. and Portland H.S.
DHS to PATHS 7:20
Return to DHS 10:15
(M-T-F)
Return to DHS 10:05
(W-TH)
PHS to PATHS 7:45
Return to PHS 10:15
(M-T-TH-F)
DHS to PATHS 10:35
(M-T-F)
DHS to PATHS 10:50
(W-TH)
Return to DHS 1:35
PHS to PATHS 10:47
Return to PHS 1:35
15) Do you need a special license to drive a school bus?
Answer: Yes, all
drivers are required to maintain in good standing a commercial drivers license
(CDL) with a Y (school bus) endorsement.
16) Do students practice emergency evacuations from the school bus?
Answer: Yes, by law
it is required on a semi-annual basis that all students be instructed in the
proper way to evacuate a school bus in an emergency situation. Drills are
performed on each route in the early fall and late spring of each school year.
Drivers are trained in the proper use of emergency exits and procedures.