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Delays and Emergencies
The pick-up time in Focus says one time but the bus arrives at different times. Why?
- We are unable to estimate the exact time the bus will arrive at each bus stop; therefore, we ask that students are at the bus stop 10 minutes prior to the scheduled time. If an adjustment to the schedule needs to be made, the bus company will contact our office. We will contact the school and send a letter home with each student explaining the new pick-up/drop-off times and start date. The pick-up and drop-off times can vary depending on the passenger load, traffic conditions and weather.
My child missed the bus. Can I follow the bus in my car and allow my child to board the bus at another stop?
- For safety reasons, if your child misses the bus, do not attempt to chase, pass, or block the bus along its route. Any action taken to impede or delay the progress of a school bus is unlawful. If possible, take a different route to a stop ahead of the bus and let your child board there. When in your car, directly behind a school bus, it is very dangerous for a child to attempt to run from the car along the side of the bus to board. Nationwide, fatalities have occurred where students have fallen in front of the rear wheels of a departing bus after they jumped out of a parent’s car to run up and board the bus.
Will my child be counted tardy if the bus runs late in the morning?
- Schools are notified of delayed buses, so students should not be marked tardy; however, if your child is marked tardy, please contact your child’s school administration to resolve the discrepancy.
What happens if a school bus is involved in an accident?
- If your student’s bus is involved in an accident, the bus driver will immediately contact their dispatcher. The dispatcher will notify the appropriate emergency personnel to respond. The school the bus was servicing at the time of the accident will be notified and an appropriate school representative may be asked to go to the scene of the accident, depending on how serious the situation may be. If your child needs to be transported anywhere, for any reason, by emergency medical technicians at the scene, you will be notified. If your student is not injured, you will not be notified and your child will be transported to school or home, as appropriate, as soon as a release is given by local law enforcement. Your student will not be counted tardy or absent. Students are allowed to contact their parents/guardians via their cell phone in emergency situations. If they do not have a cell phone, dispatch will call for them.
Things are happening on the bus that the operator doesn’t do anything about. Why?
- The operator’s first and foremost responsibility is to drive the bus. Although the operator is required to maintain order and discipline and ensure that students observe all bus safety rules, they cannot see everything that is happening on the bus at all times. There is a referral process for drivers to report to the school students who are not observing safety rules. They can refer students if they observe an infraction or if it has been reported to them by another student(s). If something is happening on the bus that concerns you and your child, please contact the principal of your school or call our office so we can assist.
The bus delay website shows that the school bus contractor is working on coverage. What does that mean?
- The bus contractor does not currently have a driver for the route and dispatch is diligently working to identify a driver to cover the route.