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Aliquippa School District

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Transportation

Aliquippa School District Transportation

 
Aliquippa School District has moved all busing to R. J. Rhodes Transit, Inc.
 
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY
School bus safety is a high priority in Pennsylvania. Students, parents, teachers, administrators, transportation personnel and the motoring public all play important roles in keeping our children safe while on or around the school bus. Just Drive PA has gathered information on how to be safe.

SCHOOL BUSES ARE THE SAFEST WAY TO GET TO SCHOOL
School buses are nearly 8 times safer than passenger vehicles. But children must take care when boarding or leaving the bus. While an average of 7 school-age passengers are killed in school bus crashes each year, 19 are killed getting on and off the bus.

School Delays and Cancellations

If there is a school delay or cancellation, it will be posted on the district website.
 
The School District will also communicate delays and cancellations through the Pittsburgh stations below.
Become a registered member of our site to sign-up for E-Alerts and receive notifications by text or email when school closings or delays are issued.

Transportation Policy

Bus Transportation:

  1. Bus and seat assignments will be given to each student Only one bus assignment will be given to each child.
  2. Please discuss with your child the importance of proper bus behavior, including getting to the bus stop on time and taking his/her assigned seat without delay. Drivers have a schedule to keep and cannot delay departures.
  3. Any children missing their buses to go home, should report to the office immediately to make alternative arrangements. Bus students will not be given permission to walk or bike home if they are assigned to a school bus.  

Transfer Policy:  (Taken in part from the Aliquippa School District Transportation Policy. A complete copy is available in the Elementary and Jr./Sr. High School Offices)

Exception will be made only in cases of extremely serious family situations. In these cases the decision of the building principal will be final. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding and thank you for your assistance. Please be informed that all pupils have been assigned a specific bus according to the location of their residence. The assigned bus is the vehicle they are to ride each day. Parents, who have a need for their children to go to the home of a grandparent or baby-sitter, must make such arrangements without involving a change in transportation assignment. Individual student transportation assignment will be strictly adhered to without exception.

In the event that a transfer should be granted, the following procedures must be adhered to:

  1. The parent/guardian must submit to the building principal/designee a request, in writing, specifying the reason for the request.
  2. The building principal/designee will determine whether the request meets the criteria of the policies extreme emergency contingency.
  3. The building principal/designee will grant the request providing that the extreme emergency is not compromised and sufficient space exists on the bus to accommodate the transfer.
  4. The granting of all transfer requests are subject to the discretion of the building principal/designee.
  5. Transfer requests that are approved shall be written on the proper form and given to the bus driver on the particular form. The driver will turn the form in at the end of the day to the Director of transportation. This form will be kept on file.

In the interest of safety, all students riding buses shall be seated at all times while the bus is in motion. All pupils must remain seated until the bus comes to a complete stop. Upon entering or leaving the bus, pupils should be in a single file.

The bus driver has a great responsibility and therefore is directly in charge of the students riding his/her bus. The safe operation of the bus depends on the orderly behavior of the students. A bus driver cannot be annoyed or distracted while driving the bus.

In order to establish some procedure the following must be noted. Upon violating good bus behavior, the following procedure will be followed:

  1. First Offense – verbal reprimand by the bus driver, record kept by the bus driver.
  2. Second Offense – bus driver sends a report to office, administrator holds conference with pupil, parents notified.
  3. Third Offense – verbal reprimand by bus driver, sends report to administrator, administrator notifies parents that further incidents will lead to relinquishing bus privileges for a limited period.
  4. Fourth Offense – removal of student from riding bus for a limited period. Parents will be notified and will be responsible for bringing child to school during time pupil is not permitted to ride the bus.

Any further offenses will mean a repetition of the steps mentioned in the fourth offense.
Depending on the degree of misbehavior, the severity of the discipline executed will be at the discretion of the bus supervisor in conjunction with the building administrator regarding implementation of the above offenses.

Bus Rules and Guidelines

Parents must be at the bus stop with kindergarten children or students who are disabled. Kindergarten students and disabled students not met by a parent or parent designee will not be dropped off at their stop. Any child in that situation will be returned to the building of origin (elementary school) Parents of disabled children are responsible to take them to the bus and receive them when they exit the bus.

Pupils should also be encouraged to review these rules of conduct and should be reminded that breaking one or more of these rules could result in suspension of bus privileges.

1. Waiting for bus

  1. Students must follow school rules while they wait for the bus.
  2. Students should wait for the bus at a safe place, well off the highway, on the side of the street on which they live. Cross the street to enter the bus, if necessary, only when the bus is stopped, the red flashing signals are on, and the driver signals it is safe to cross the road. DO NOT APPROACH THE BUS UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY STOPPED.
  3. Students must be at the bus stop five (5) minutes prior to the designated time and be ready to board with the least possible delay.
  4. Respect and property rights of people who reside at/or near the stop (no horseplay).
  5. Do not get into private vehicles with strangers.
  6. Students may board only assigned buses and may board only at the bus stop to which they are assigned.

2. While on the bus (THESE RULES ALSO APPLY TO FIELD TRIPS AND ATHLETIC TRIPS)

  1. Observe regular classroom conduct except for ordinary conversation and follow the bus drivers’ instructions. The bus driver has the same authority on the bus as a teacher has in the classroom.
  2. Loud talking, laughter, and other similar conduct diverts the driver’s attention and may result in a serious accident.
  3. Students may not block aisle or emergency door with musical instruments, lunch boxes, books, or other possessions.
  4. Students must remain seated while the bus is in motion or if the bus is delayed on the road.
  5. Students must not extend arms, head, or any other items out of the windows.
  6. Students must not damage or tamper with any parts of the bus or use the emergency door except in the case of emergency.
  7. Horseplay, fighting, vulgarity, profanity, throwing items in the bus or other conduct is not permitted.
  8. Students may not eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum while on the bus.
  9. The following items are not permitted in any school vehicle: live animals, weapons, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, flammable liquids, fireworks, smoke bombs, tape recorders, radios, balls, (except for team buses), water pistols, spray bottles, pea shooters, sling shots, glass containers, any objects considered harmful to others or any item too large for students to hold on their laps, including instruments.
  10. Any conduct that endangers the safety of the other students or driver will be considered severe and could result in immediate loss of bus riding privileges.

3. After leaving the bus:

  1. When necessary, cross the road at least ten (10) feet in front of the bus but only after looking to be sure that no traffic is approaching from either direction.
  2. Help look after the safety and comfort of small children.
  3. Be alert to the danger signal from the bus driver.
  4. Go directly to your school building in the morning and directly home in the afternoon.
Bus Schedule
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