The safety and welfare of pupils shall be the first consideration in all matters pertaining to transportation, when transportation is contracted for school trips and activities. The board directs the chief school administrator to oversee development of regulations to govern:

A. Pupil conduct on buses;

B. Information 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.

Accidents

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 contracted vehicle during operation, even if no injury or damage results

It shall be the responsibility of the chief school administrator 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.

Training for Interacting with Students with Special Needs

The board of education contractor that provides student transportation services shall administer the New Jersey Department of Education developed training program on the proper procedures for interacting with students with special needs to all school bus drivers and school bus aides that it employs. The training program includes appropriate behavior management; effective communication; use and operation of adaptive equipment; and understanding behaviors that may be related to specific disabilities.

The training program shall be administered prior to that individual operating a school bus or serving as an aide on a school bus.

All school bus driver or school bus aide shall file a certification with their bemployer that the individual has completed the training program within five business days of its completion. The employer shall retain a copy of the certification for the duration of the individual’s employment, and shall forward a copy of the certification to the New Jersey Department of Education. The board directs the chief school administrator or his or her designee to verify that any contracted transportation provider retained by the district meet this training requirement.

The parent or guardian of a student with an individualized education plan shall complete the student information card when the individualized education plan is developed or amended for a student who receives transportation services. The student information card, developed by the New Jersey Department of Education, shall include information that should be readily available to a school bus driver and school bus aide for the purpose of promoting proper interaction with a student with special needs.

Upon receiving consent from a student’s parent or guardian, the a copy of the completed student information card shall be provided to the student’s assigned school bus driver and school bus aide.

Drills

Emergency procedures and evacuation drills shall be reviewed and conducted before field trips involving contracted buses. All pupils must receive evacuation instruction at least once within the school year.

Vehicles and Equipment

All contracted vehicles used to transport children shall be maintained in such condition as to provide safe and efficient transportation service with a minimum of delays and disruption due to mechanical or equipment failure.

All 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 shall wear properly adjusted and fastened seat belts or other child restraint systems at all times while the bus is in operation.

Bus Drivers

Drivers shall comply with all state requirements on physical condition, criminal history clearance, etc. The district shall be in compliance with all drug and alcohol testing requirements of the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act and implementing regulations and shall provide all bus drivers with required information on them (see policy 4219.23 Employee substance abuse). Bus drivers are responsible for the safety of pupils entering, riding, and departing their vehicle.

NJSBA Review/Update: August 2008, October 2017
Adopted: January 21, 2009
Revised:

Key Words

Safety, Bus Safety, Transportation Safety, Pupil Transportation, Student Transportation

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 of pupils remote from school
See particularly:
N.J.S.A. 18A:39-17, -18,
-19.1, -20
N.J.S.A. 18A:39-19.2 Training program for school bus drivers, bus aides
through N.J.S.A. 18A:39-19.4 relative to students with special needs
N.J.S.A. 18A:39-26 School Bus Safety Act
N.J.S.A. 18A:39-27 Bus Driver Presence Required
N.J.S.A. 18A:39-28 Inspection of School Bus for Pupils
N.J.S.A. 39:3-10.9 et seq New Jersey Commercial Driver License Act
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,
-11.3, -11.4,-12.2, -13.3

34 CFR Part 85.100 et seq., Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension
(nonprocurement) and Governmentwide 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

The Department of Education School Bus Driver and Aide Training for Interacting with Students with Special Need: located on the New Jersey Department of Education website at: http://www.nj.gov/education/finance/transportation/training/dis/

Possible
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; inservice education/visitations/conferences
*5131 Conduct/discipline
*5142 Pupil safety

*Indicates policy is included in the Critical Policy Reference Manual.