NISD - Transportation: Bus Safety Rules

Bus Safety Rules

The Northside Independent School District, as permitted by the State Board of Education, provides transportation for the normal school day to eligible students. Students who ride buses to and from school will be expected to conduct themselves in a courteous manner. Any student who cannot abide by the Section C: Code of Student Conduct and the policies listed in Section D: Other District Policies and Procedures of the Student-Parent Handbook will be subject to disciplinary action that may result in loss of bus privileges.

The following rules are provided to ensure a safe trip for all riders on the bus:

Cooperate with the transportation staff at all times.
Be on time at the bus stop, since the bus cannot wait for those who are tardy. Students should be present at their stop at least five (5) minutes prior to the designated pick-up time.
Wait a sufficient distance from the pavement to allow the bus to pull off the road onto the shoulder. Never stand in the roadway while waiting for the bus.
Wait in orderly line before boarding the bus.
Board and leave the bus carefully and courteously with no shoving or pushing.
Cooperate if assigned a seat on the bus.
Remain seated in a safe manner at all times while the bus is in motion.
Keep arms, head, and/or other parts of the body out of the bus windows. Clothing or other articles should not be extended through the bus windows.
Get on and off the bus at the designated bus stop nearest your residence.
Bring a signed note from the parent/guardian for permission to get off the bus at a stop other than that previously designated as the regular stop. A school official must authorize this note with a signature, initial, etc. The note must be presented for authorization on the morning of the requested day to allow sufficient time for parent verification.
Ride the route to which assigned. In genuine hardship (emergency) situations, i.e., hospitalization of a single parent, the school administrator may approve a temporary assignment of an eligible student to a different route until the family can make other arrangements. Such assignments may not exceed five (5) school days.
Do not throw, pitch, or shoot articles within the bus, out of the bus windows, or at any other vehicle.
Do not carry harmful or dangerous articles. Explosives, fireworks, knives, weapons, mace, tear gas, etc., are prohibited.
Refrain from making excessive noise such as loud talking, screaming, whistling, etc.
Do not possess or consume intoxicating beverages, or illegal drugs aboard a bus. This includes , but is not limited to, marijuana and the hallucinatory drugs.
Do not use tobacco products on the bus.
Do not fight on the bus or at the bus stop.
Do not eat, drink, or chew gum on the bus.
Do not bring animals on the bus unless authorized by the transportation department.
Do not board or leave the bus through the emergency door unless there is an emergency as instructed by the driver or bus assistant..
Do not take or handle any emergency equipment inside the bus.
Do not write upon, disfigure or destroy any part of the inside or outside of the bus. (Students who damage school district property will be charged for such damage and disciplinary action(s) that may include loss of bus privileges).
Do not use unacceptable language, gestures, or actions.
Do not play radios, tape players, or other similar equipment on the bus.
Do not behave in any manner that may jeopardize the safe operation of the bus.
Band instruments should not be placed in the aisles, in front of the bus or blocking emergency exits. Due to limited space, instruments should be placed on the students’ laps, unless there is a vacant seat available.

Consequences For Violation Of
School Bus Rules And Regulations

First Offense: (Verbal Warning)
The bus driver/assistant will warn the student(s) verbally for the first incident of misconduct. (Exception: See Major Offense, below.)

Second Offense: (1st Written Offense)
The bus driver/assistant will submit a Bus Safety Report (written report) to the school principal or designee. The document signifies the second warning of misconduct. The administrator will take appropriate action, which may include removal of bus privileges. Copies of the Bus Safety Report will be sent to parents and the Transportation Department to provide information
for imposed corrective action.

Subsequent Offenses:
Subsequent Offenses may result in extended or permanent removal of transportation privileges.

Major Offense:
Regardless of sequence, any offense considered major will result in a written report (Bus Safety Report or an Incident Report Form) by the driver and/or immediate removal of bus privileges by the school administrator at his/her discretion as well as discipline sanctions. (See Student-Parent Handbook-Section C. Code of Student Conduct for further details.)

Removal Of Transportation Privileges:
Students removed from bus service for any offense shall not be allowed to ride another school bus for transportation to and from school during the removal period. The student may also be denied transportation on special trips during this time.

Video Cameras on Buses

Northside Independnet School District installs video cameras on buses to enhance student safety. The videos assist drivers, station managers, and school administrators in monitoring student bus activity. Student awareness of this program provides them with an incentive to exhibit positive behavior on the bus. This also results in a much safer bus environment.

May a school district show a parent video tape taken on a bus surveillance camera that involves the parent's child? Pursuant to Texas Education Code § 26.009(b), schools can videotape students without parent permission for purposes of maintaining order and discipline. However, under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), the parent may only view the video if that child is the only student in the video. If the video reveals other students then that video cannot be viewed by any parent. The Texas Attorney General has addressed this issue and determined that videotapes made on school buses, on which the driver addresses some students by name and which "show the faces, bodies, and behavior of students of the district" are education records under FERPA and are exempted from disclosure. Texas Attorney General OR 95-821 (1975).