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Transportation » Special Needs Busing

Special Needs Busing

Special Needs Busing
 
The mission of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District Transportation Department is to provide your student with a safe ride to and from school each day. To that end, we have prepared this guide to answer the most frequently asked questions, as well as provide you with additional information you may find helpful. Of course we are always happy to address individual questions and concerns as the need arises.
 
Questions regarding Special Education Transportation should be forwarded to: PYLUSD Transportation Department, 1301 E. Orangethorpe, Placentia, CA 92870 (714) 985-8483.
 
 
 
GENERAL INFORMATION
 
 
ILLNESS: Please do not send a mildly ill child to school, as he/she may be acutely ill a few minutes or hours later. In fairness to the child and other children, keep a sick child at home. If a child becomes ill at school, it is the responsibility of the parents to pick up the child at school.
 
 
MEDICATION: Transportation of any medication is the sole responsibility of the parent. It cannot be transported on the school bus.
 
 
PERSONAL ITEMS: Make sure all sweaters, coats, etc. are marked with the child’s name. Each item a child takes to school should also be clearly marked.
 
 
LOST & FOUND: Lost articles are returned to your student’s school.
 
 
WEATHER: During adverse weather conditions, expect traffic delays. On rainy, windy, cold days, please dress your child with appropriate outer wraps. Your child will need such clothing elsewhere throughout the day, such as on the playground and boarding and leaving the bus.
 
 
SEATBELTS: All students transported on school buses equipped with seatbelts are required to wear their seatbelt when riding a school bus. Seatbelts are not to be removed until the bus has stopped at the proper destination.
 
 
PICK UP: All children are to be at their designated pick up stop and ready to board the bus a few minutes before the scheduled pick up time. The bus will wait one (1) minute past the scheduled pick up time, then proceed on with its route.
 
 
ABSENCE-ILLNESS: Please call the Transportation office at (714) 985-8483.  Messages can be left outside of business hours (5:30 am - 4:15 pm) at this number.
 
 
EXTENDED ABSENCE/ILLNESS: If an absence is expected to be for three or more days, please call the Transportation office at (714) 985-8483.
 
 
ROUTE/TIMES: Your students pick up/drop off time may change several times in the course of a year due to the addition or deletion of other students on the same route. Your understanding is much appreciated.  In order to arrive at school on time each day, Department policy is that the bus will wait at the stop one minute after arrivall before departing from the stop.  The bus will not leave before the scheduled pick up time in the morning.
 
 
BUS STOP: For safety reasons no child will be permitted to leave a bus at a point other than the designated bus stop. Due to the large number of students transported, we are unable to change an address temporarily for parents who wish to take vacations or plan to be away for short periods of time during the school. A student will be picked up and dropped off at the same address every day; morning and afternoon address may be different, BUT ARE TO BE CONSISTENT EACH DAY.  Any requested change to the route can take up to 10 business days.
 
 
MOVING: All changes to the pick up or drop off address must be in writing and approved by both the Transportation and Special Ed Departments. Please allow 10 days to implement these changes.
 
 
BUS PASSES: For your student's safety we ask that each student have a Bus Pass with his/her name and school.
 
 
Permanent – Please fill out the enclosed application card and attach a recent 1X1 photo of your student that we will use in order to issue a permanent Bus Pass. The permanent Bus Pass will be returned via U.S. Mail or by their school bus driver.
 
Please attach the bus pass to your student’s backpack or other article that the student brings to school each day.
 
BUS SAFETY RULES
 
  • Students must remain seated at all times.
  • Every student must wear a seat belt. Do not remove your seat belt or another rider’s seat belt until the bus has come to a complete stop.
  • No loud conversations, profanity, singing or boisterous conduct.
  • No eating or gum chewing on the bus.
  • Keep all body parts inside the bus.
  • Be courteous and show respect for the driver and obey the driver’s instructions at all times.
  • Students will not be permitted to bring on the bus any glass bottles, balloons, insects, animals, knives, any pointed sharp article, or any other article, which may cause an injury to another child or to himself.
  • Children are required to ride their regular bus at all times except when proper written authorization is granted to change.
  • Children will be discharged ONLY at their normal stops unless prior written permission has been granted by PYLUSD.
California regulations state: “Pupils transported in a school bus shall be under the authority of, and be responsible directly to, the driver of the bus.”
 
Students unable or unwilling to comply with safe riding practices shall receive disciplinary action that may include the suspension of riding privileges up to 10 days per year.
 
LATE BUS: While our goal is to be on time, there are times when a variety of conditions may cause delays. If the morning bus is more than 10 minutes late in arriving, you may check the progress of the bus by calling the Transportation Department at (714) 985-8483.
 
 
PLEASE BE PROMPT WHEN MEETING THE BUS
 
 
RELEASE FORM: If the parents wish to authorize their child to be left alone or released to another person, a release form MUST be completed and left on file with the Transportation Department. A new release form is required each school year.
 
 
RETURN TRIP: For Students “who must be met”: The parent or a responsible person MUST be at the designated stop to receive the child when delivered in the PM.  Due to fluctuations in afternoon ridership, drop off times are not given.  Parents/responsible person are expected to be available to meet the bus anytime after dismissal each day. 
Parents must indicate in writing if some other person is to receive their child (completed release form). The person receiving the child must show photo identification upon request. In the event that there is no one at home to accept the child, an attempt will be made to locate the person listed on the child’s Release Form.  Courtesy calls in the afternoon will be made a limited number of times, after that, if a student is not met then they will be returned to school after waiting the one minute.  The child cannot be left at the school unless a teacher or principal is at the site. In the event this procedure is unsuccessful, the local law enforcement will be called and the child will be taken into protective custody.
 
If a student is designated a "Drop" without an adult present a signed Release Form must be in Transportations office prior to the student being allowed to be dropped without an adult.
 
 
WHEELCHAIRS: The maintenance of the wheelchair, seatbelt, battery and brakes are the sole responsibility of the parents. No wheelchair will be transported without these components in good working order.
 
 
DRIVER’S RESPONSIBILITIES
 
  • The driver is responsible for the safety of passengers and equipment.
  • The driver must be in good mental and physical condition, neat and clean in appearance.
  • The driver is required to maintain an accurate up to date route sheet at all times.
  • Each driver shall be responsible for the proper care and operation of his/her assigned bus.
  • Drivers are supplied with first aid kit and fire extinguisher, for which he/she is legally responsible.
  • While on duty, the driver must carry a School Bus Driver’s Special Certificate and any other certification required by law.
  • California law states: “Each school bus shall be inspected by driver daily, before use, to ascertain that it is in safe condition. . . and that all equipment is in good working order. No pupil shall be transported until defects discovered have been corrected. Each school bus shall be kept clean at all times and the interior must be thoroughly cleaned after each day’s use.”
  • The driver is responsible for loading and unloading students confined to a wheelchair.

 

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM DRIVERS
 
  • To maintain a good schedule by being on time. (conditions permitting)
  • Maximum safety, by practicing professional driving habits.
  • Courteous treatment of pupils and parents.
  • Cooperation with parents and pupils at all times.
 
DISCIPLINE: Title V, Section 14103 of “School Bus Driver’s and Carrier’s Handbook,” Chapter 5 states:
 
 
“Pupils transported in a school bus shall be under the authority of and responsible directly to the driver of the bus. Continued disorderly conduct or persistent refusal to submit to the authority of the driver shall be sufficient reason for a pupil to be denied transportation.”
 
Since the safety of all children transported on a school bus is of prime importance, each child must behave in a satisfactory manner in order for the driver to be alert to the many hazards of driving in heavy traffic. One moment of distraction could result in serious consequences; a child who behaves in an unsatisfactory manner may be subject to disciplinary action, which may include the denial of transportation.
 
 
No child shall be required to leave the bus before reaching his destination; however, unruly children may be returned to school where a parent will be notified to retrieve them.