Transportation

All students who ride Springboro Schools buses are expected to follow Transportation Department rules and expectations:

• In accordance with Ohio Administrative Code 3301-83-08(C)(1) and Springboro Schools Board of Education guidance, all students are required to be at district bus stops five minutes prior to the bus’s scheduled stop. This is to ensure each child is at their spot of safety prior to the bus’s arrival. This policy is not negotiable with weather conditions. Parents/guardians of kindergarten students must be at the bus stop to receive their student. If a parent/guardian is not visible, staff will do their best to make contact with a parent/guardian prior to releasing the student.
  
  
• Most of Springboro’s school buses seat 65 or 72 passengers. This is based on three students per seat. This is not always reasonable for high school students, and the Transportation Department will try to accommodate those situations as they arise.
  
  
• Students may only bring items onto the bus that they can carry in their laps. This includes backpacks, band instruments, and/or school projects. If the item will not fit in their lap, it is not permitted on the school bus.
  
  
• Students are required to follow the same rules on the school bus as they do in any classroom. Each student is required to sit facing forward with their legs/feet to the front of their seat. Each student is to keep talking to a minimum; no screaming or yelling. Each student is required to stay in their seat at all times; climbing on seats and/or changing seats without the driver’s approval is not permitted. Each student is required to keep their hands to themselves.
  
  
• Discipline on a school bus is ultimately handled by the school principals. A school bus driver’s main concern is to operate the bus in a safe manner. If students are unable to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner, the bus driver will fill out a bus conduct report for each student(s) involved and report the incident(s) to the respective principal.
  
  
• Students are not permitted to eat or drink while on the bus (this includes snacks).
  
  
• Each student will be assigned a designated safety spot on their residence side of the bus stop location. Each bus driver must account for each student at their designated safety spot upon arrival of the bus during pick-up and also prior to the bus's departure from the stop at drop-off. Students are not permitted to depart their safety spots until the back bumper of the school bus has passed their safety spot.
  
  
• Parents are not permitted to ride the school bus. The Transportation Department also recommends that parents/guardians do not follow the school bus or meet the school bus at the school. As with any new event in a child’s life, riding alone for the first time can be stressful for both parent/guardian and student. Allowing a child to ride the school bus from the beginning of the school year will be an easier transition if the parent/guardian reassures the child of their new routine. Following the school bus and/or meeting the school bus at school sends a message to the child that the parent/guardian is not confident with the school bus ride. Within a few days, most students are set in their new routine and have no problems leaving parents/guardians at their respective bus stops. Please allow students to make this transition early. Statistics show that children are much safer in a school bus than in a car. Students riding a school bus also cut down on traffic going into and out of school areas.

When will my student be picked up or dropped off? 

Each designated stop will have an assigned time for pick up or delivery. Because of traffic or other unavoidable conditions, the bus may not arrive exactly at the assigned time. Normally, the bus is considered to be on time as long as it arrives no more than five minutes before or five minutes after the assigned time. For this reason, it is important that your student be at the bus stop five minutes before the assigned time. Please have your student ready to be picked up by the designated time. Every time the bus is delayed, it adds time to the route. 

Where will my student be picked up or dropped off? 

Your student will normally be picked up at the designated stop. Students are only discharged from the bus at the designated stop. Exceptions to the designated stop policy (where arrangements are made to go to a different place after school) may be made on a case-by-case basis with prior approval. Approval is obtained by providing appropriate written notification (change in transportation form or a bus pass) that is signed by a guardian and a school authority. The driver will only stop at a designated bus stop. 

Do I have to be with my student at the pickup point? 

Parents/guardians are encouraged to walk to and from the bus stop with your student, especially younger ones, and use this opportunity to teach safe walking practices, traffic awareness, and to model wellness by walking for exercise. However, if your student is at the stop unattended, we will pick him/her up in the morning, and drop them off in the afternoon. Children should be prepared for those occasions when parents may be unable to meet the bus or are late. Parents/guardians are encouraged to instruct their children what they are to do in their absence, as bus drivers are not able to ensure that each student is met by a parent/guardian. 

Do I need to meet my student at the bus stop? 

Parents are not required to be at the designated stop, but it is highly encouraged, especially for younger students. If your student is in preschool or kindergarten, drivers must see a parent or guardian in order to release them from the bus. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian for the supervision of their child once they are dropped off at the designated stop. 

What happens when I need to change plans for my student riding after school? 

We run in to this quite often. Please remember that school offices are busy places, so you need to notify the school office as early as possible, and more than an hour before the end of the day. We cannot guarantee that changes will be made after that time. In addition, once your student is on the bus, they will remain on the bus until they reach the designated bus stop. 

How can I request that an existing stop be changed, or a new stop be added? 

If you have individual questions regarding a particular bus stop, you can contact the Transportation office and we can look at your circumstance. Routes have been established based on ridership, neighborhoods, and many other factors.  Please do not ask drivers to make ‘special’ stops for your student as this practice is prohibited by the Ohio Department of Education. 

• CDL resource books are available at the BMV or access the CDL Handbook online.

• 1707 S. Main Street, Springboro, OH, 45066