Policy 360 - Transportation
Adopted on June 22, 2023
Effective July 1, 2023
It is the policy of the Board of Education to provide transportation for students as required by State law and West Virginia Board of Education policy.
School buses shall be purchased and maintained by the Board for the transportation of resident students between their home areas and the schools of the County to which they are assigned or, on a space-available basis, to their nonpublic schools. The Superintendent may substitute smaller buses for reasons of economy or efficiency of operation.
In the event students eligible for special education or Section 504 services require special transportation arrangements, the terms of such arrangements as contained in a student's IEP or Section 504 Plan shall prevail to the extent such transportation arrangements conflict with this policy.
Transportation of eligible vocational or special education children between their home areas and schools outside the County may be arranged through the use of Board-owned vehicles, through cooperation with other counties, through commercial carriers, and/or by other means in the most efficient and economical manner.
The Superintendent shall approve the bus routes annually. These routes, including bus stop locations, shall be developed pursuant to the guidelines given in West Virginia Board of Education Policy 4336. The Superintendent is authorized to make any necessary changes in an approved route and to develop administrative guidelines detailing the process by which bus routes shall be developed.
The Board authorizes the installation and use of video recording devices in the school buses to assist the drivers in providing for the safety and well-being of the students while on a bus and the Student Code of Conduct shall be applicable to all students while being transported by bus. In the event video recording devices have audio recording capabilities, the bus shall contain an appropriate posted notice of such capabilities.
The Board also authorizes the installation of a camera on any school bus for the purpose of enforcing the law forbidding the overtaking and passing a school bus that is stopped for the purpose of receiving and discharging students and for any other lawful purpose.
Students meeting the Federal definition of "homeless" will be transported from their temporary place of residence to their school of assignment, at the request of the parent, guardian or unaccompanied minor, to the same extent as all other students of the County and consistent with this policy. If the homeless child or youth continues his/her education in the school of origin but begins living in an area served by another county, the county of origin and the county in which the homeless child is living shall agree upon the method to apportion the responsibility and costs for providing the child with transportation to and from the school of origin. If the counties cannot agree upon a method, the responsibility and costs for transportation are to be shared equally. In no event will a homeless student be denied enrollment based on issues related to student transportation.
Bus Operator Certification
It is the policy of the Board that all bus operators hold proper certification under standards for school bus operators established within the State law and West Virginia Board of Education policy. It is also the purpose of this Board to protect its students from drivers whose certification is invalidated in the State of West Virginia.
A driver involved in a preventable school bus accident, or judged guilty of a minor traffic violation, shall be subject to disciplinary action. The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines to this effect.
Additionally, any school bus operator under contract with the Board who fails to comply with any of the aforementioned rules is guilty of breach of contract and the employee may be subject to discipline up to and including termination after notice and, if requested or required, hearing by the Board.
Transportation for Curricular/Co-Curricular and Extra-Curricular County-Sponsored Trips
All students are expected to ride the approved vehicle to and from each activity. A special request must be made to the staff member or sponsor by the parent, in writing or in person, to allow an exception.
Students not affiliated with the trip activity, non-County students, and/or children of preschool age shall not be permitted to ride on the trip vehicle without prior approval of the Principal.
A report on all curricular/co-curricular and extra-curricular trips provided shall be filed through the WVEIS at the end of each month.
The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines regarding the scheduling and operation of curricular/co-curricular and extracurricular school trips.
Nonroutine Use of School Buses
The Board shall permit school buses to be used for purposes other than regularly-scheduled routes to and from school in accordance with State law and policy, provided such trips do not interfere with routine school transportation services.
School buses leased to outside entities shall be pursuant to the guidelines of West Virginia Board of Education Policy 4336 and West Virginia Code 18-5-13 (g), and shall be at no cost to the Board. All costs and expenses incident in any way to school buses leased to outside entities, including compensation for bus operators, consideration for insurance coverage and the cost of service and repairs, shall be borne by the outside entity in accordance with administrative guidelines and as required by the terms of the lease agreements.
The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines which shall include the process for selection of bus operators for non-routine uses, fees in addition to the charges above, provision for insurance coverage, rules concerning student behavior, and the requirement that chaperones accompany each school bus trip involving school age passengers whose responsibility it will be to assist the staff member(s) in maintaining passenger control and in enforcing procedures for the safety of all passengers.
Transportation of Students by Private Vehicle
The Board authorizes the transportation of students of the County by private vehicle.
Any such transportation must be approved in advance and in writing by the appropriate personnel in accordance with administrative guidelines. Any student to be transported by private vehicle must first provide the Principal of his/her school written authorization from his/her parent or guardian.
An employee shall not be prohibited from using the employee's own vehicle to transport, without prior written permission, a student to his/her home or other location with the oral approval by the parent if that student is in need of and is without alternate adequate means of transportation due to an emergency.
No person shall be approved for the transportation of students in a private vehicle who is not an employee of this Board; an employee of a commercial transportation provider approved by the Board; an approved volunteer; and/or the parent of a student enrolled in this County; and the holder of a currently-valid license to operate a motor vehicle in the State of West Virginia.
Students may be transported to a school-sponsored activity in a vehicle that has a seating capacity of sixteen or more passengers which is not owned and operated by the Board but only if the owner proves to the Board that the vehicle and driver satisfy requirements established by the State Board.
No person shall be permitted to transport students who is not the holder of automobile liability and personal injury insurance in the amount required by County administrative guidelines. The Superintendent may withdraw the authorization of any private vehicle driver whose insurance in not adequate.
Additionally, every driver who transports a child under the age of eight years in a passenger automobile, van or pickup truck other than one operated for hire shall, while the motor vehicle is in motion and operated on a street or highway of this state, provide for the protection of the child by properly placing, maintaining and securing the child in a child passenger safety device system meeting applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards, provided, that if a child is under the age of eight years and is at least four (4) feet nine (9) inches tall, a safety belt shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of this policy.
Any private vehicle used for the transportation of students must be owned by the approved driver or the spouse of the approved driver and must conform to registration requirements of the State.
The responsibility of professional staff members for the discipline and control of students will extend to their transportation of students in a private vehicle. Drivers who are not professional staff members are requested to report student misconduct to the Principal.
Transportation by Limited Passenger Vehicles
The Board authorizes professional and service employees to transport students in Board-owned or -leased vehicles while transporting fewer than ten passengers including the driver. Such employees shall first undergo driver safety training provided by the Board. These vehicles may be used to transport students to and from extra- and co-curricular events but shall not be used to transport students between school and home.
Students who are transported by limited passenger vehicles are expected to conduct themselves in the same manner required of students transported by school bus and shall be subject to all applicable disciplinary rules.
The Superintendent shall include in the administrative guidelines regarding the scheduling and operation of curricular/co-curricular and extracurricular school trips guidelines providing for the use of private and limited passenger vehicles.
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