TRANSPORTATION POLICIES

General Conditions:

The primary purpose of the transportation system is to provide transportation for those eligible pupils from the vicinity of their homes to the school they attend. Use of transportation equipment for field trips, co-curricular activities and other authorized educational, cultural and recreational activities is permitted where it does not conflict with the primary purpose of transportation.

In organizing and operating the transportation system, all applicable statutes, rules and regulations of the State of Michigan, or its agencies, shall be strictly adhered to and all recommendations and suggestions shall be considered carefully.

In all cases, first consideration shall be to provide safe transportation to eligible pupils. Careful consideration shall also be given to efficiency and economy of operation.

School bus transportation shall be considered a privilege to be enjoyed by a student only as long as he/she accepts responsibility for his/her own conduct. The student is to carefully follow all rules and regulations and promptly respond to the directions and requests of the bus driver. Some school bus riders will find it necessary to walk some distance to the designated bus stop.

School transportation equipment shall be used only for the transportation of pupils to and from school, extra-curricular school activities, or for other purposes specifically authorized by the Board of Education.

Eligibility:

Elementary (K-5) students and Secondary (6-12) students living one and one- half (1.5) miles or more by the nearest traveled route from the school they attend are eligible for transportation to and from school. However, the Transportation Supervisor, with the approval of the Superintendent, may determine that transportation be extended to selected pupils within the above-stated distances of the schools they attend where safe walking conditions do not exist.

A pupil enrolled in a non-public school shall be eligible for transportation to the public school the pupil would otherwise attend, or to the closest non-public school located in the District that the pupil is eligible to attend.

Persons other than eligible students shall not be provided transportation and will be prohibited from riding buses on regularly scheduled routes. This includes pre-school-aged children not enrolled, school-aged children enrolled in other schools, special education students enrolled in other programs and adults. Exceptions to this rule will be made by the Transportation Supervisor and may be appealed to the Superintendent.