Dear Parents and Students:
This pamphlet will acquaint you with many of the policies governing bus service at Newport-Mesa Unified School District. Please review the procedures and forward any concerns to the Transportation Department. We look forward to providing efficient, reliable service on the safest form of transportation available.
Pete Meslin
Director of Transportation
SCHOOL BUS SERVICE GUIDELINES
TRAVEL DISTANCE TO STOP: Elementary students, including kindergarteners, are expected to travel up to ¾ mile to the bus stop. For middle school students the maximum distance is 1.5 miles and high school students may have to travel up to 2 miles from their service address to the stop. The bus will stop only at designated bus stops or the closest safe point if bus stop is not accessible. The District does not provide transportation to daycare outside of district boundaries.
BUS PASSES: Bus passes are required for all students. Passes will be issued with the student’s name, school and assigned bus stops. Students through the 8th grade without a bus pass will be allowed to board the bus in the morning. School and transportation personnel will follow-up on why the student does not have a bus pass. Students without a bus pass after school should obtain a temporary pass from the office.
SPACE AVAILABLE SERVICE: A limited number of seats may be available for students that are not otherwise eligible for service. If the bus has capacity and is already in the area, parents may purchase a space available pass for service from a designated bus stop. Space available service will not begin until the 3rd week of October.
TRAVEL TIME: Travel time may change when modifications are made to a route. The district attempts to limit riding time to less than one hour when possible.
ILL STUDENTS: Students that are ill should not be sent to school. A parent or guardian is responsible for taking the student home if the student becomes ill at school.
MEETING YOUR STUDENT: All pre-school through third grade students must be met by a parent, or a designee, unless a waiver is signed and on file in the transportation office.
If no one is present at the drop off time to meet a “must be met” student, the driver will attempt to return to the stop after others have been dropped off. Note: For safety reasons, unmet students will be returned to their school or to the local Police Department.
DELAYED BUSES: There are extenuating circumstances that could cause a bus to be delayed. Students should wait at the stop until 15 minutes after the assigned time before contacting transportation.
SEATBELTS: Seatbelts should be used when present.
LOST ITEMS ON BUSES: Students may retrieve lost items from the bus on the next school day. Unclaimed items are turned over to the school.
CAMERAS: Video cameras may be used on school buses to monitor student behavior. Boarding a school bus is considered consent to be photographed. Video images will not be made public.
STUDENT CONDUCT: The following are procedures for safe transportation of students as established by the Education Code, the Vehicle Code, and the Administrative Codes of the state of California.
1. At least once at the beginning of each school year, each student shall receive appropriate instruction in safe riding practices and shall participate in emergency bus evacuation drills.
2. The bus driver is responsible for the safety of students. He/she must be obeyed at all times on or around the bus.
3. Students are expected to observe rules of good behavior. Excessive noise and disruptive behavior are not acceptable.
4. The bus driver may designate where students are to sit on the bus. Students are to remain seated.
5. Eating, drinking, chewing gum, littering or smoking are not permitted on the bus.
6. Bulky objects or objects that present a safety hazard to other riders may not be carried onto the bus. Live animals are not permitted on the bus, even in containers or cages. Service dogs are an exception.
7. In order to keep to a schedule, the bus driver will not wait for late-arriving students. Parents are asked to have students at the bus stop five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time.
8. Parents must submit a “Request for Alternate Delivery” form, if there is a temporary need for the student to be bused to another existing bus stop. With site approval, this form will serve as an emergency bus pass for the day. Other changes of service address will require up to 5 days to modify routes and notify all involved.
9. When it is necessary to cross a street after leaving the bus, the student must cross in front of the bus while the flashing red lights are in operation and under the direction of the bus driver.
Disciplinary Action: Newport-Mesa Unified School District subsidizes bus transportation for eligible students. It is a privilege available to students who conduct themselves in an acceptable manner while walking to or from the bus stop, waiting for, boarding, leaving, and riding on the bus.
Reminder: Denial of transportation privileges has no effect on the obligation of parents to ensure student attendance.
When unacceptable bus behavior is observed and reported, the transportation department will be in contact with school site administration. Parents and students will be counseled, as appropriate, by the principal or designee.
When serious violations occur, even on the first offense, the student may be suspended from ridership for the duration of the school year.
No refunds on bus passes will be issued for riding suspensions.
