Thank you to all of our bus drivers, Transportation Director and secretary, mechanic, and support staff for all that you do while transporting ~1,500 students to and from school each day. It is a very important job and has a significant impact on students each day as our drivers are often the first school employee they see and the last person before arriving back home. The warm welcome from a child’s bus driver can start the day off in a positive way!
School Bus Safety Week is a good time to review our bus expectations and rules for all students who ride on our school buses. A school bus is like a traveling “classroom” in that school expectations and rules for appropriate behaviors, language, and student actions are the same as they are in school. Students who violate school rules need to be reported to the bus driver immediately, who will then make a report to parents and school administrators.
Parents – we would appreciate your help in reviewing these expectations with your student(s).
1. Seat belts are required to be worn on buses equipped with belts.
a. Our drivers will remind students to wear their seat belts. However, once the bus is in motion, the driver will be unable to monitor seat belt usage. It is up to the students to follow this policy and remain belted. Student safety is our #1 priority on the bus, and if students are not following this policy, warnings and bus suspensions may occur.
2. Students must remain in their seats while on the bus. Students should not lean into the aisle or turn around in their seats. If the bus needs to come to an immediate stop, it is important to remain seated and facing forward. School bus seats are built differently than in the past, and the backs of each seat are designed to be higher to provide some protection if an immediate stop is necessary.
3. Students are not to bother others while riding on our buses. Please keep your hands to yourself and use appropriate words, language, and actions on the bus.
4. Students should regularly use their student ID card to scan-in and scan-out using our Bus Attendance System. Our Bus Attendance System is required and assists the school with attendance, shuttles, and activities.
School Board Policy 711.15 (below is a portion of policy 711.15)
It is the goal of the Benton Community School District Transportation Department to provide the safest student transportation possible. The District is purchasing school buses equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts each year as we transition our bus fleet. It will take several years before all of our 25+ buses are equipped with seatbelts. The District shall utilize 3-point lap-shoulder belts on district school buses as required by law for new bus purchases. Additionally, Benton Community requires that all students riding a school bus equipped with seat belts wear seat belts while the bus is in a non-stationary gear.
Students who may require assistance in using seat belts should ask the bus driver for help so that all students are safely belted in their seats prior to the bus being in motion. Drivers will announce prior to the bus leaving that each student needs to be in their seat with the seat belt fastened.