Regular Program

1. Student transportation is the responsibility of the School Board for those students living more than two miles from a school. With certain exceptions, student transportation is the responsibility of the parent for those students living two miles or less from a school.

2. School bus stops will not be implemented within two miles of a school unless the area qualifies under Board Policy TITLE: HAZARDOUS WALKING CONDITIONS, or unless the area qualifies through recommendations of the School Safety Advisory Committee. To the extent possible, school bus stops will be no more than one and one-half miles from the property where the student resides.

3. Students who live less than two miles from the school will be permitted to ride school buses from existing stops on a “Space Available Only” basis. Students will not be permitted to cross areas designated as Hazardous Walking conditions (per FS 1006.23 or by recommendation of the School Safety Advisory Committee) to get to bus stops. When the bus becomes over crowded, students who reside within two miles will be removed from the bus. Students residing outside the attendance zone for a school are not eligible for spaceavailable busing.

4. At least two weeks notice will be provided for discontinuation of service. 

5. The distance to schools and bus stops will be measured from the closest pedestrian entry point of the property where the student resides to the closest pedestrian entry point of the assigned school building or to the assigned bus stop. The pedestrian entry point of the residence shall be where private property meets the public right-ofway. The district shall determine the shortest pedestrian route whether or not it is accessible to motor vehicle traffic.

6. Students who are eligible for school transportation will be transported from the stop closest to their residence and back to the same stop. In cases of emergency, the stop location can change on a temporary basis if written authorization is provided to the school bus driver by the school principal or other district designee. Exceptions to this procedure are found in part nine (9) below.

7. Students eligible for school transportation may be permitted to ride their assigned bus to an authorized stop other than the one closest to their residence in accordance with Board Policy TITLE: AUTHORIZED BUS PASSENGERS.

8. Students eligible for transportation will ride from and to the same bus stop. Students will not be permitted to ride one bus in the morning and a different bus in the afternoon unless assigned by Transportation Services. Students may not ride from/to different places on different days. 9. Students eligible for transportation will not be transported to and from day care providers except under the following conditions:

a. Student rides from and to the same stop every day.

b. The day care provider is two miles or more from school and on an established route.

c. Space is available on the bus. d. A student may not change day care providers more than one time during any school year, and then only if it meets the criteria above

10. School bus stops will be placed at locations that provide the maximum safety and convenience for the majority of the students living in the immediate area. School bus stops will not knowingly be implemented at unsafe locations i.e., on curves, near the crest of hills, or at extremely busy intersections.

11. Students will not be bused outside the zone of the school where they reside except for academic programs deemed eligible by the Board for school bus service.

12. School bus stops will not be implemented within 2/10 mile from one another except in situations where unsafe conditions exist as determined by the Transportation Department and/or the School Safety Advisory Committee.

13. A school bus route or bus stop will not be moved from an existing location until the Transportation Department has thoroughly investigated the circumstances and approved the relocation. The following procedure shall be used by the Transportation Department for changing the location of bus routes or bus stops:

a. Bus routes and stops will be reviewed on a regular basis by the Safety Manager, Area Manager and/or the Routing Department and changes will be made as needed to provide safer or more efficient service.

b. To change a school bus route or stop, the requesting party will complete and return the Transportation Request Form or make written request to the appropriate school.

c. The request will be reviewed by a member of the Routing Department and , if sufficient data is available to make a decision, the request will be approved or disapproved immediately. If sufficient data is not available, the requested route or stop(s) will be visited by a member of the Transportation Services staff or referred to the School Safety Advisory Committee.

d. The School Safety Advisory Committee is the final authority regarding placement or relocation of school bus stops.

14. School bus drivers do not have the authority to make changes in their assigned routes and bus stops. Stop change requests should be made at the student’s school office and forwarded to Transportation Services. Driver request for changes will be directed to the Routing Department only after approval by the Area Manager.

15. Hazardous Walking Conditions requests will be evaluated by Transportation Services and certified by the School Safety Advisory Committee. Requests that are denied may be appealed to the School Safety Advisory Committee.

16. Students attending a school -of-choice will be provided transportation, if eligible. By design, the bus stops for schools-of-choice are not placed at the same locations as stops for in-zone students but are placed to be central to all the students in an area. Students may also experience longer bus rides due to the greater distances involved and due to buses stopping at multiple schools.

17. Stops may be removed from bus runs if there are no students using the stop for a period of at least two weeks. Requests for re -instatement of stops must be made in writing as in 13b above.

18. These procedures will also apply to students who live in Seminole County and who attend charter schools that have contracted with Seminole County Public Schools for transportation.