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Maine RSU 21

Maine Regional School Unit 21

Arundel · Kennebunk · Kennebunkport

EEA - STUDENT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

  • Section E: Support Services

EEA - STUDENT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

  1. Mission of the Transportation Department
    The mission of the Transportation Department shall be safe, efficient and reliable school transportation for eligible RSU 21 students. School buses and vans shall be purchased, operated, and maintained through RSU 21 for that purpose. School transportation services are provided for the transportation of students to/from school and school related activities for RSU 21.
     
  2. Legal Compliance
    All Transportation Department vehicles shall be operated in compliance with Federal, State and local laws/ordinances. This includes guidelines promulgated by the State of Maine and/or other regulator/policy agencies of the State of Maine.
     
  3. Board Transportation Responsibilities and Exceptions
    The Board will provide transportation for all students living beyond a reasonable distance from their school or from a scheduled bus stop as the Board has determined. This “reasonable distance” is defined by the Superintendent or his/her designee as provided in procedure EEA - R.

    Transportation is generally limited to the route that provides transportation between a student’s enrollment residence and the assigned school.

Distance shall be measured by the shortest public road from the residence to the bus stop or school door. In cases questioned, distance will be measured and established by the Superintendent.

Exceptions to the above distance shall be made for the following reasons only:

1. Health
Exceptions to established walking distances may be made for students with disabilities as required by their IEP or Individual Health Plan (504 Plan).  Exceptions may also be made to accommodate a student’s need for transportation with written documentation from the student’s physician.

2. Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Students
Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten bus service will include pick-up and delivery to the home, provided a suitable bus turn is available.

3. Hazardous Walking Conditions
“Hazardous walking conditions” shall be defined as those which would place a child of a given age in a situation of greater than normal or average danger.  

4. Efficiency of Operations
Limited instances when a stop may need to be altered to facilitate efficiency and/or safety of transportation operations. 

Authorized bus stops will be located so as to load and unload students with the most safety allowed by road conditions. The distance between stops may vary according to safety factors. If possible, students will be loaded and unloaded so that it is not necessary for them to cross a main highway to reach their homes. Requests for bus stops, inconsistent with this policy, must be made in writing and submitted to the Superintendent or his/her designee.

The Operation Department will develop and maintain a transportation procedure to execute policy EEA. This will include a provision for late bus service and a prioritized list of bus route services that could interfere with roundtrip school to home transportation.

Legal Reference:

20-A MRSA § 5401

Cross Reference:

Procedure EEA-R

JICC - Student Conduct on Buses 

EDC - Authorized Use of RSU 21 Owned Property 

Adopted:   01/12/98

Amended: 07/16/01

Amended: 09/27/04

Amended: 08/17/09

Amended: 10/17/11

Amended: 03/21/16

Amended: 03/04/19

Revised: 10/17/22

Revised: 12/2/24

 

  • Section E