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Maine RSU 21

Maine Regional School Unit 21

Arundel · Kennebunk · Kennebunkport

EEA-R - TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

  • Section E: Support Services

EEA - R - TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

  1. General.
    1. Transportation will provide school bus transportation between home and school in accordance with Title 20-A: EDUCATION, Part 3: ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, Chapter 215: TRANSPORTATION
       
  2. Definition of Terms:

A. Assigned Vehicles: The vehicle assigned to a geographic area for the transport of students to and from that area.

B. Bus Stop: The pickup and drop off location determined to be a safe, accessible, and central location for a student or group of students. A “Central” stop is the same as a group stop location.

C. Caregiver: A person who is legally responsible for the care and well being of a student(s).

D. Travel Distance: The distance determined to be safe and reasonable for a student to travel to school or to a central bus stop.

E. Enrollment residence: Address documented in student’s record for enrollment into school. This is the singular pick up / drop off location for students riding a school bus. 

  1. Travel Distances: 

It shall be the responsibility of the student’s caregiver to ensure the safety and proper behavior of students to, from, and at designated bus stops.

A. PreK-2: No more than .3 of a mile to school or the nearest central bus stop.

B. 3-5: No more than .6 of a mile to school or the nearest central bus stop.

C. 6-12: No more than 1 mile to school or the nearest central bus stop.

D. In some cases, a stop may need to be altered to facilitate efficiency and/or safety of Transportation Operations. In these cases, the Transportation Manager may assign a pick up location outside of the established travel distance. Caregivers are required to ensure the safety of students getting to these alternative stops. These alternative stop locations (central stops) will be used sparingly but as necessary to ensure a safe, timely, reliable and efficient transportation route. All stop locations will be evaluated not just for efficiency but also safety per the Safety Expectations detailed in Policy JCA, Section II. A. Prior to implementation, any of the alternative central stop locations must be endorsed by the Operations Director with final approval given by the Superintendent. 

No RSU 21 School Bus shall enter any private or public way that is determined to be unsafe for bus passage or does not provide adequate turnaround facilities.

No bus shall pick up or discharge students outside the RSU 21 School District during regular bus routes.

  1. Assignment of Buses and Requests to Ride Alternative Buses
  1. Bus Assignments: Students will be assigned to ride the bus in accordance with policy EEA. Students may not ride buses that may pass through but are not assigned to their geographic area.
  1. Transportation for students in Kindergarten through grade 5 attending the school of their choice, when that school is out of their regularly-assigned area, shall be the responsibility of the caregiver. 
     
  2. Right of Refusal: The Transportation Department reserves the right to refuse alternate bus transportation for students or groups if such transportation may infringe on the mission of the Transportation Department. Any student or groups’ alternate transportation needs are the sole responsibility of the student or groups’ Caregiver(s). 
  1. Group Trips (Sports Trips / Field Trips / Similar) Transportation
  1. Generally, all requests for group trip transportation must be submitted to the Transportation Department at least two weeks prior to the trip date. The Transportation Department reserves the right to limit and or refuse bus availability to meet the mission objectives of the Transportation Department. Notification of trip cancellation will be given at least 24 hours in advance, except in cases of emergency.
     
  2. Priority of Bus Service:
    1.  Regularly scheduled school bus routes between home and school. This includes Career and Technical Education transportation to and from a career and technical education center. 
    2. RSU 21 school-related field trips
    3. Academic Competition and Athletic Trips
    4. All other RSU 21 activities
    5. Non-RSU 21 activities will be evaluated by Transportation on a case by case basis.  Spectator buses for contests may be provided if the Principal approves the application. Cost of running spectator buses will be made up by fares collected from the riders. Spectator buses must be properly chaperoned by school personnel.
  1. Late /Activity Bus
  1. As practicable and within budgetary limitations, RSU 21 will operate a Late Bus to provide limited transportation for middle school and high school students who stay late for school-sponsored activities. The routes will not replicate normal runs but will provide service to central locations within each town served by RSU 21. The student will be the parents’ responsibility once the student leaves the late bus at the designated drop-off location. Families should be aware that traveling distances referenced above do not apply to the afternoon Late Bus stops. 
  1. Students Separated Caregivers (or similar situations multiple dwellings)
  1. Divorce or separation does not guarantee a student(s) a seat on more than one bus. If a caregiver requires a student to ride to/from more than one home, RSU 21 Transportation will generally work to accommodate two student stop locations.  Legal documentation should be noted in the district’s student information system for multiple drop-off locations.  
  1. A student’s primary school bus will be assigned based on policy and this procedure
  1. Caregivers must contact RSU 21 Transportation to request the student be added to more than one bus.
    1. This request will generally be granted if:
      1. Seating capacity is available on the bus requested
      2. The school bus’s route timing has capacity to absorb an added stop.
      3. Both stop locations are in the RSU 21 geographic boundaries
  1. Special Education Considerations
  1. Transportation will follow all approved Transportation Plans provided by Special Services
  1. This may include slight adjustments from aforementioned policy and procedure as it relates to walking distances, drop locations and other provisions needed to carry out accommodations made for these students. 
  1. Hardship Deviations:
  1. As defined in policy EEA, Transportation is generally limited to the route that provides transportation between a student’s enrollment residence and the assigned school. 
  1. Students and Caregivers who experience a significant hardship may apply, in writing, for a deviation from policy EEA or this procedure. Any application for a deviation should be sent directly to the RSU 21 Superintendent for consideration. 
  1. A family hardship refers to a situation where a family faces significant challenges or difficulties that impact their well-being, stability, or functioning. These hardships can be financial, emotional, physical, or social and often involve circumstances that are beyond the family’s control.
  1. Any approved deviation from policy or procedure will be for a defined amount of time or until the situation resolves. 
  1. Student Stop and Bulky Item Safety Guidelines
  1. Stops will be evaluated on a case by case basis and shall study the following factors: ability of the bus to control the stop using red/amber lights, ability for the bus to utilize the required crossing policy, student approach/departure route from the bus, street width, parking for parent vehicles, lighting, speed limit at stop location, average traffic conditions, visibly in/or near stops with turn and/or blind spot, and usual traffic volume. Additionally, the Transportation Manager may consider any other reasonable safety concerns not contained in the aforementioned list. 
  1. Though a student stop exists along a particular route, that stop may not be suited for use as a pickup and/or drop off location for all students. For example: A school bus stop, along a certain road in front of a house, may be suitable for a student to exit their house and directly board the bus.That same stop may not allow enough of a safety margin for a roadside car to bus transfer.  
  1. A driver may refuse to transport: large and/or bulky items, items that may block an exit, items that can not be properly secured and/or items that pose a safety hazard. For the purpose of transportation between home and school, use of under bus storage or accessing the rear exit to load these items on the side of the road is prohibited. Examples include, but are not limited to: skiing equipment, large instruments, multiple or bulky bags, school projects, items that could easily injure someone or similar items. In general, if the item can’t fit on the student's lap during the bus ride, the student should not transport it on the bus. The bus driver has the sole responsibility of determining whether an item is suitable for transportation or not. 

 

Date: 12/2/24
Updated: 6/5/25