Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 38, September 20, 2024
10.1. The operator shall wear a seat belt as
designed anytime the vehicle is in motion.
10.2. Transportation employees are
professionals and should conduct themselves in a professional manner, per 126
CSR 162, Policy 5902, Employee Code of Conduct (Policy 5902), section 4.2.
Additionally, all operators and aides shall wear non-skid shoes. Heels of more
than two inches in height, sandals, clogs, flip flops, open-toed or open-heeled
shoes, and wooden-soled shoes shall not be permitted.
10.3. The operator shall not knowingly
operate an unsafe bus and shall perform all inspections and duties set forth in
section 24 of this policy and any additional inspections and duties required by
the county board.
10.4. The county
board shall provide each operator a revised copy of this policy and a tentative
bus schedule, by the first day of school.
10.5. The operator shall not permit any
unauthorized person to occupy the operator's seat or tamper with the bus at any
time.
10.6. The operator shall
observe all speed limits. Truck speed limits apply to buses. Adverse weather
conditions require reduced speeds.
10.7. Operators shall use proper signals as
required by law when operating a bus.
10.8. The operator shall not leave the bus
when it is running and has students on board unless the bus is equipped with a
lift and safety interlocks for FMVSS 403 and 404 lift equipment, and the
operator is assisting the loading or unloading of a student with the
lift.
10.9. When the operator
leaves the bus, due to an emergency, installation of tire chains, emergency
drills, etc., the emergency brake shall be engaged, and the keys shall be in
the possession of the operator with the exception referred to in section 10.8
of this policy.
10.10. The operator
shall not drive the bus in reverse while at the school or while loading or
unloading students except in an emergency. The operator shall use the
assistance of a school official or another adult when the situation requires
such a movement.
10.11. The
operator shall use the route as specified by the county director unless an
emergency authorized by the county board necessitates a change. The county
director shall conduct a "Potential Hazard Audit" annually prior to the first
day of school.
10.12. All bus
schedule changes made by the county director shall be communicated to the
parents and students as quickly as possible.
10.13. In case of an accident or a mechanical
failure while students are being transported, the operator shall provide for
the safety of the students and request assistance as soon as
possible.
10.14. The operator
should only disengage the clutch while making a complete stop or shifting
gears.
10.15. The operator shall
conduct and supervise emergency exit drills at least twice in a school year,
according to Federal Highway Safety Standard No. 17, Section E (1), and three
times annually for prek students.
10.15.a.
Drills are to be conducted on county/school property whenever possible. If
drills are conducted on non-school property, care shall be taken to provide for
the safety of students.
10.15.b.
School officials shall assist in the drills when conducted on school
property.
10.15.c. The drills shall
include students exiting through the front and rear door and instruction on the
proper use of exit windows, roof hatches, and other instruments used to assist
with emergencies.
10.15.d. Wheels
shall be chocked during the drill.
10.15.e. Upon completion, the date of the
drills shall be reported to the county director.
10.16. Signage, including but not limited to
advertisements, banners, photos, stickers, and posters, except those approved
by the WVDE, is not permitted to be displayed in or on buses.
10.17. Only certified service animals are
permitted on a bus.
10.18. Only
property of students, county board property, or school property may be
transported on a bus.
10.19.
Baggage and other items transported in the passenger compartment shall be
stored and secured so that the aisles are kept clear and the door(s) and
emergency exit(s) remain unobstructed at all times.
10.20. Fireworks, ammunition, explosives,
lighter fluid, aerosol cans, other highly flammable materials, and all other
deadly or dangerous weapons, are prohibited.
10.20.a. Aerosol cans such as windshield
deicer shall be stored in an outside storage box on the bus. Properly labeled
spray bottles may be stored inside the bus but must be stored out of sight in a
secure location.
10.21.
Medical support equipment and special adaptive/assistive equipment such as
oxygen bottles may be transported as follows:
10.21.a. oxygen bottles should be no larger
than 38 cubic feet of liquid oxygen and 22 cubic feet for compressed
gas.
10.21.b. tanks and valves
should be located and positioned to protect them from direct sunlight, bus
heater vents, or other heat sources. Stationary tanks shall be properly mounted
with OEM approved mounting devices.
10.21.c. oxygen bottles of a non-stationary
type, medically prescribed for a student by a physician, shall be in a padded
carrier designed for personal use and protection and shall be in the possession
of the passenger. Documentation of prescribed need should be on file.
10.21.d. operators and aides shall be trained
in the proper transportation of special adaptive/assistive equipment such as
oxygen bottles.
10.21.e. if
compressed gas is in use, a placard shall be installed and readily
visible.
10.22. Bus Safety
Equipment.
10.22.a. Approved bus directional
triangles shall be carried on each bus and used as a warning device during
emergencies.
10.22.b. Bus flashing
lights (four-way hazard lights) should be used only in emergencies and railroad
crossing procedures.
10.22.c.
Link-type bus tire chains shall be used when emergency weather conditions
dictate or when directed by the county director. Operators shall be trained in
the installation and use of chains. Automatic tire chains shall not take the
place of regular chains.
10.22.d.
Fire extinguishers shall be charged, available for use in all buses, and
inspected daily. Inspection tag shall be initialed monthly per National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) 10-2018.
10.22.e. First aid/body fluid cleanup kits
and belt cutters shall be readily available in the bus. Belt cutters shall be
securely mounted, within reach of the operator, and labeled if in a compartment
and not clearly visible.
10.22.f. A
strobe light shall be used in inclement weather only where visibility of the
bus is limited. Rain, snow, sleet, fog, etc. are all considered inclement
weather. Nighttime shall not be considered limited
visibility.
10.23.
General Reports.
10.23.a. At least annually,
operators shall be monitored and evaluated for performance by the county
director/supervisor. Evaluations should include verbal discussions with the
operator, ride with the operator, review of bus video, or any combination
thereof.
10.23.a.1. A bus video may be
reviewed at any time by the State Director, WVDE bus inspector, WVDE
investigator, WVDE and/or county attorney, county director, and the county
superintendent for reasons including but not limited to: safety violations or
misconduct, violation of policies and procedures, operator evaluation, periodic
review of student conduct, etc. Viewing of the bus video for student misconduct
shall meet the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (
20 U.S.C. §
1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) regulations. The bus
video may be viewed by the operator with permission or consent of the county
director or designee approved by the county superintendent.
10.23.a.2. County directors/supervisors who
perform evaluations shall be trained in proper evaluation
procedures.
10.23.b.
Operators are to compile monthly reports and submit them to the county director
no later than three working days following the last day of the school
month.
10.23.c. The county director
shall submit state reports through the West Virginia Education Information
System (WVEIS) no later than ten working days following the last day of the
school month.
10.23.d. The Bus
Fleet Report shall be submitted through WVEIS by June
30th of each year.
10.23.e. All students transported to and from
school shall have their transit times entered into WVEIS by the end of the
second month of school and updated as necessary.
10.23.f. Road hazards are to be reported
immediately to the county director.
10.24. Accident Reports.
10.24.a. A bus accident is to be reported to
the county director when the bus touches another vehicle, person, or object, or
leaves a mark and/or causes damage.
10.24.a.1. A verbal report is to be given by
the operator as soon as possible and a written report provided on the next
business day to the county director. Bodily injuries should be reported as per
county board procedure or policy.
10.24.b. All bus accidents involving bodily
injury, a fatality, extensive property damage, or structural damage to a bus
shall be reported immediately via phone by the county director to the State
Director. A written report is to follow to the State Director within one
week.
10.25. Cellular
Phones and Other Electronic Devices.
10.25.a.
The use of ear pieces, ear buds, headsets, cellular phones, or other portable
electronic devices, even those equipped with hands-free technology, is
prohibited for operators while operating the bus and by aides while students
are present.
10.25.a.1. Global Positioning
System (GPS) units used on curricular and extra-curricular trips are prohibited
unless audible only or managed by a county employee other than the
operator.
10.25.b. The
use of cellular phones while supervising the loading and unloading of students
is prohibited.
10.25.c. If
communication with the county board's transportation department is necessary,
the bus must be stopped in a location where the bus can safely remain
stationary.
10.26. County
Two-Way Radios.
10.26.a. County two-way
radios shall be used to conduct transportation business only. Any use that
could interfere with emergency communication shall be
prohibited.
10.27. Safe
Drivers' Programs.
10.27.a. The WVBE
encourages county boards to support operator safe drivers' programs such as
those listed in section 25.4.
