7125

ROUTING STRATEGY

7125

The Board endorses the routing strategy which is prescribed in the statutes and charges the Superintendent to designate central transportation staff to implement this strategy in cooperation with the appropriate administrative authority at the local schools.

7125.1

The buses shall be routed to receive and discharge, at established stops, pupils living one and one-half miles from the school assigned. The principal and staff should not permit pupils living within the stated limits of the walk zones or school employees to ride a school bus unless factors are present which would endanger the safety of pupils walking to school.

7125.2

If roads and other conditions permit, the buses shall be so routed that a bus will pass within one (1) mile of the residence of each pupil.

7125.3

The principal of the school shall assign pupils to ride specific buses according to state guidelines and within load limits listed below. Band instruments, projects, and other objects cannot take up pupil seating space or block the aisle.

Table of Load Limits

                     Bus Size                                                                                  Middle & High
                      #Seats           Elementary           Middle              High                 (Combined)

                        8                      20                    20                    18                    18
                        10                    25                    25                    22                    22
                        12                    36                    36                    30                    30
                        16                    48                    48                    40                    40
                        18                    54                    54                    45                    45
                        20                    60                    60                    50                    50
                        22                    66                    66                    55                    55

7125.4

The Board endorses keeping student ride time to a minimum. Less than forty-five (45) minutes of one-way ride time should be required for most students. Maximum one-way ride times are adopted:

A.         Base Elementary Students - One hour and 15 minutes

B.         Base Secondary Students - One hour and 30 minutes

C.         Nonbase Students - Thirty (30) minutes in addition to the above limits

7125.5

The Board subscribes to state statutes and guidelines regarding the location of bus stops. As assigned by the superintendent, central transportation staff shall implement this strategy in cooperation with the appropriate administrative authority at the local schools. Where safety factors do not override, a minimum distance of 2/10 mile between stops is endorsed.

Legal Reference: G.S. 115C-246

Adopted: April 26, 1982

Revised: June 11, 1984

Revised: January 19, 1988

Revised: April 19, 1993