No. 3541

BUSINESS

Series 3000

transportation

policy

It is the policy of the Region 15 Board of Education that:

Section I:

The Regional Board of Education will assume such transportation responsibilities as are reasonable and desirable to make it possible for children to attend school and as provided for under Sections 10-47 and 10-222 of the General Statutes of Connecticut and Supplements.

Section II ‑ Term of Contract:

All contracts shall be let by competitive bidding.  In the event that only one bid shall be submitted on an existing route, the Regional Board of Education will not be obligated to accept the bid as submitted, but may negotiate such rates.  Contracts may be written for a period of not more than five years.

Section III ‑ Bus Contractor:

Transportation shall be furnished by buses of sufficient capacity, without crowding or overloading.  All buses shall be equipped and maintained in accordance with rulings of the State of Connecticut, Department of Motor Vehicles, and shall comply with all rules and regulations now in force or from time-to-time adopted and approved by the State Board of Education, the Regional Board of Education, and the Motor Vehicle Department of the State of Connecticut.

The Contractor shall employ only fully qualified drivers holding Connecticut Public Service Operator’s licenses.  It is the responsibility of the Contractor that all drivers observe the rules and regulations, both State and local, applying to transportation of school pupils.  Each driver must be in complete charge of his vehicle allowing no misconduct to endanger the passengers or the operation of the bus.  All bus operators must pass satisfactorily a complete physical examination, including a tuberculin test, or an x-ray examination if recommended by the physician, within 30 days of the opening of school or of being employed, this examination is to be at the expense of the bus contractor.  All examinations shall be made in triplicate on forms provided for this purpose by the State Motor Vehicle Department.  One copy of this record of examination is to be filed with the Superintendent of Schools.  All drivers must be approved by the Regional Board of Education before driving a vehicle under any contract, and the Regional Board may rescind approval of any driver at it discretion.

Section IV ‑ Schedules and Routes

Part 1.:  All routes and schedules will be set up by the Office of the Superintendent of Schools, with assistance from the bus contractors as necessary.  All routes will be subject to change only on written notice by the Office of the Superintendent.  It will be the responsibility of the bus contractors to notify the Superintendent of any conditions arising which will require changes in routes or schedules, in order that the Superintendent may act accordingly.

No pupil shall ride on a school bus for a period of longer than one hour before school and one hour after school.

No pupil will be permitted to change from his assigned schedule of transportation unless the request is directed in writing or in person to the Superintendent of Transportation by the parent or guardian.

All requests or complaints concerning transportation are to be directed in writing to the Supervisor of Transportation. 

The above provision will also apply to all students being transported by Regional School District 15.  Failure of students to conduct themselves in a proper manner and to observe rules and regulations will be just causes for denial of transportation.

Part 2:  No elementary student shall be required to walk more than one mile on public roads.  No high school student shall be required to walk more than one and one-half miles on public roads.  Where hazardous conditions prevail, the Regional Board may take action to reduce the mileage accordingly.

Section V ‑ Kindergarten Transportation

The bus routes and regular bus stops established for the transportation of elementary school children (grades one through eight) are to be utilized for both morning and afternoon.

When transporting kindergarten students on separate routes, no kindergarten youngster shall be required to walk more than one-half mile to the nearest bus stop.  Distance to be measured from entrance of private road or driveway along a town road.  Where hazardous conditions prevail, the Regional Board may take action to reduce the mileage accordingly.

Adopted:

20

October

1969

Revision Approved:

28

September

1998