School Bus Transportation - General Policies

The Wake County Public School System provides bus transportation to students living more than one-and-a-half miles from school and also to students with special needs.

Bus transportation is not provided to pupils who live outside Wake County.
Students who are assigned outside their geographical area because of their request for a transfer (not magnet school) are not guaranteed transportation.
Regular students who are medically certified as temporarily incapacitated may be considered for special accommodation.
Students living within the stated limits of the walk zones (1.5 miles from the school) are not allowed to ride a school bus unless factors are present which would endanger the safety of students walking to school.
If roads and other conditions permit, the buses shall be so routed that a bus will pass within one mile of the residence of each student.
The principal of each school assigns students to ride specific buses according to state guidelines and within load limits listed below. Band instruments, projects, and other objects cannot take up student seating space or block the aisle.

Bus Load Limits
Bus Size # of seats	# students Elementary	# students Middle	# students High	# students Middle & High
12	36	30	24	24
16	48	40	32	32
18	54	45	36	36
20	60	50	40	40
22	66	55	44	44
24	72	60	48	48
26	78	65	52	52

Ride Times

The Board of Education endorses keeping student ride time to a minimum. Less than forty-five (45) minutes of one-way ride time should be the maximum 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.

Routes & Bus Stops

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.

Bus stops are placed no closer than two-tenths of a mile apart unless safety hazards exist.
Buses are routed on state-maintained roads only.
Buses are generally prohibited from traveling into cul-de-sacs.
Generally, bus stops are placed on corners.
Maximum walking distances for students:
Elementary student - three-tenths of a mile
Middle School student - five-tenths of a mile
High School student - five-tenths of a mile

Inclement Weather

Transportation teams evaluate road conditions beginning at 3:00 a.m. in all areas of the county. The superintendent makes the final decision. By 5:00 a.m., the local radio and television stations are informed of that decision. Announcements regarding early release due to weather conditions will be made as soon as decision is made. No announcement is made if schools will be operating on a regular schedule.

Daily Pre-Trip Bus Inspection

Wake County Public School bus drivers are required to perform a pre-trip inspection before conducting their bus route(s).

Student Conduct and Discipline

The principal shall make certain that all passengers assigned to a school bus for transportation are informed and cautioned, through class instruction, supervision, and otherwise, of the responsibility of the individual passenger for conduct and safety. The principal also shall inform parents of each bus passenger as to the responsibilities of bus passengers. Each bus passenger shall cooperate with the principal, teacher, bus driver, and bus safety assistant.

Students shall ride only their assigned bus and board and disembark at their assigned stops. Any changes in these assignments must be approved in writing by the school administrator and/or area operations manager who will inform the bus driver of change.
Students are required to follow the rules and regulations of riding a public school bus.
The driver of a school bus shall have complete authority over and responsibility for the operation of the bus and maintaining good conduct upon the bus.
The driver shall report to the school administrator any misconduct on the bus or any violation of the driver's instructions.
A principal may take action on any misconduct, which occurs on a school bus, the same as if the violation had occurred on school grounds.
Penalties for violation of specified board policy as stated in the Student Code of Conduct apply to conduct occurring on the school bus.
The designated copy of the Bus Discipline Form should be forwarded to the appropriate transportation operations manager.

Safety Program - Passenger Training

School bus safety is taught to kindergarten through second-grade students using "Buster the Talking Bus" and to third-grade through fifth-grade students by classroom instruction. All students are taught the fundamentals of school bus safety.

Student Expectations

1. Enter the bus in an orderly and quiet manner.
2. Sit in assigned seats without being reminded.
3. Remain seated and facing front at all times.
4. Keep hands, arms, heads or any other objects in the bus at all times.
5. Sit with feet on the floor and bookbag and hands in lap.
6. Abide by the request of the driver and follow all school and county rules and regulations.
7. Food and drink are not allowed on the bus at any time.
8. Be respectful to the driver and other students at all times.

Driver Expectations

1. Pick up students at the same time each morning.
2. Wait to be directed by school personnel before dismissing students from the bus.
3. Arrive at schools at the scheduled time each afternoon.
4. Wait for a signal from school personnel before leaving the campus.
5. Make sure students are seated facing forward and orderly before leaving campus.
6. Use WCPSS Bus Discipline Report to write up inappropriate student behavior.
7. Be professional in actions with students and school.

School Expectations

1. Load students in an orderly fashion - especially for late buses.
2. Support drivers by handling referrals in a timely manner.
3. Notify drivers and Transportation of discipline consequences.
4. Signal drivers to exit campus in a safe and orderly fashion.
5. Submit daily the bus log-in time sheet to operations manager.

First Aid Situations

Wake County bus drivers receive basic training in first aid and are required to carry a first aid kit on their buses while they are operating. In a first aid situation, drivers will phone any emergency personnel (if needed), the bus garage and their transportation operations manager.

Student Abandonment Policy

The Little Buses program was implemented whereby "little buses" are attached to the back emergency door window to assure that bus drivers walk their buses to prevent student riders from being left on buses. Wake County has adopted a strict no tolerance student abandonment policy to prevent students being left on school buses.

Accident Notification Letter

The school administrator will send an accident notification letter to parents of all students who rode a school bus involved in an accident. The letter will vary depending upon whether there were injuries involved.