Student Transportation Services
NEPN/NSBA Code: EEA

The School Committee will provide transportation for those children who live beyond the following limits:

Grades 1-4 one-half mile
Grades 5-12 one mile

A. Routes

1.     All kindergarten students are eligible to ride to and from school on the school bus. Any parent who prefers that his/her child walk to school must accept the responsibility for the safety of the child. Distances are measured from the nearest entrance along a reasonable route to home. Students may be required to walk a reasonable distance to a scheduled bus stop.

2.     Bus stops will be chosen with concern for numbers and safety of the children involved.

3.     Bus drivers shall pick up only at scheduled stops. Drivers are required not to exceed the legal speed limit.

B. Discharge

Students who are to be discharged at locations other than their normal location must present a note from the parent to the school office requesting the same.

C. Students Delivered to the School

Students who have been picked up for delivery to the school shall be delivered to that place and no other, unless the parent writes a note to the driver requesting the student be allowed to get off at another stop enroute to school.

D. Smoking

There is to be no smoking on a school bus. The privilege of riding on the bus may be denied the student under the same regulation covering smoking on the school grounds or in a school building.

E. Speed

In accordance with the statutes, no school bus is to be operated in excess of 45 miles per when transporting students to and from school within the town of Yarmouth.  At all other times, a school bus may not exceed 55 miles per hour, except that on an interstate highway and on the turnpike, a school bus may not exceed the posted speed limit.

F. Preschoolers

School bus drivers are prohibited from transporting passengers who are not being picked up or dropped off as a part of a regular school-sponsored activity. Drivers will not transport their own preschool children on the school bus trips.

G. Students Injured While Boarding or Departing from a School Bus

The school bus operator should carefully observe students getting on or off the school bus.  The driver is responsible for ensuring that the student receives proper care and for reporting any injuries to the Supervisor of Transportation who should report the same to the Superintendent.

H. Policy Pertaining to the Use of School Buses on Field Trips

On an athletic or band field trip, the teacher, supervisor and/or coach is the person responsible for the good behavior of students on the bus. If, in the opinion of the teacher, supervisor and/or coach, the students’ behavior is unacceptable, said party shall have the authority to instruct the driver to return to the point of departure.

I. Out-of-Town Trips

Prior to leaving the town garage, each driver will be responsible for determining whether or not the bus has sufficient fuel to reach his/her destination and return. On extra long trips, arrangements are to be made for refueling with the transportation supervisor.

In the event that the bus should become disabled on a trip, the driver will use his/her own judgment whether or not to make use of available nearby facilities or to contact the transportation supervisor.

The driver will be responsible for the cleaning of the interior of the bus upon his/her return to the town garage.

J. Conveyance of Resident Private School Students

It is the policy of the Yarmouth Public Schools not to transport students to private schools.

 

Legal Reference:
20-A MRSA§5401 and 29-A MRSA§2074.1.E

Adopted: Prior to 1982
Revised: June 8, 1992; December 11, 2014