TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PICKENS COUNTY

The Driving Force To A Good Education

CLW

State buses are driven approximately 6,165 miles daily amounting to 1,109,700 miles yearly in Pickens County

123 daily AM routes including; regular, special needs, vocational, and alternative school with an average of 4763 student riders

42 daily midday routes including; kindergarten, vocational, and special needs with an average of 722 student riders

166 daily PM routes including; PM elementary and MS/HS combination trips with an average of 6466 student riders

8 afterschool routes at Liberty Elementary, Pickens Middle School, AR Lewis Elementary, and Central Elementary

SCHOOL BUS ROUTING 2011-2012

HAZARDOUS TRANSPORTATION REPORT

Hazardous student stop enrollment total: 672

Hazardous mileage cost : $12,362.76

Hazardous salary cost: $5,672.52

SCHOOL BUS CAMERAS

Of the 117 buses available for drivers there are 61 equipped with cameras

Four buses are equipped with outside cameras to help monitor and deter STOP arm violations in dangerous traffic areas of the county

Written by•FILED UNDER•News•School Watch

                                                                                                    

WLTX Columbia, SC

GPS SYSTEMS COMING TO A SCHOOL BUS NEAR YOU Written by Ashleigh Messervy

Columbia, SC (WLTX)- The South Carolina Department of Education is installing GPS devices on school buses across the state in hopes of learning more cost effective ways to operate the current system. "The installation of the system and the monitoring of the efficiency should pay for itself in less than 18 months," said Doug Hamrick, Assistant Director of District Services. Hamrick said there are roughly 315 buses equipped with the technology. Since implementing the program last year, education officials have already learned ways to streamline bus routes and reduce idle time. "[The GPS shows]Where vehicles are and if they're where they should be or not" said Fred Henley. "[It's] also making sure that we protect the actual bus," said the Richland County School Bus Supervisor. The data is collected every time the bus gets filled up with gas. "If we have to go to each bus each day, we may as well collect information in a timely manner," said Henley. Henley and Hamrick agreed that the close to $3 million price tag of installing the systems is worth the information collected. The Education Department said Monday that a federal grant of more than $80,000 is being used to offset the cost. Officials said all 5,700 buses should be equipped with a GPS by the start of the upcoming school year.

SCHOOL BUS DRIVER INFORMATION

242 - Total Number of SDE “certified” bus drivers210 - ”A” certificate, SDE certified to drive any type bus21 - ”B” certificate, SDE certified to drive activity bus only7 - ”Non CDL B” certificate, SDE certified to drive mini-bus only

(buses with seating for 15 or fewer passengers)

State Department of Education (SDE) “B” certificate and “non-CDL B” certificate are allowed only for teachers, coaches, activity bus drivers, and parent volunteer drivers if requested. These type buses are not equipped with an eight-light warning system required on “yellow” school buses for student load/unload procedures.

115 - Current number of full-time school bus driver positions in Pickens School District

Written by•FILED UNDER•News•School Watch

                                                                                                    

AGING OF OUR STATE OWNED AND ACTIVITY BUS FLEET

Of the 115 state buses assigned to Pickens County:75 buses are 15 years old or older33 buses are 20 years old or older

Of the 30 activity buses that belong to School District of Pickens County19 – on site activity buses 1 – parenting bus4 – career center assigned 1 – Liberty High School special needs1 – Daniel High School athletic 1 – Daniel High School academic1 – Easley High School athletic 1 – Easley High School ROTC1 – Pickens High School athletic

Of our 30 white activity buses:15 – are 15-19 years old3 - are 20 year old or older

We currently have 4 buses that are 14 years old with close to or over 200,000 miles

BECOMING A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER

Fill out and return to Transportation Services three required application forms(applications are available at Transportation Office or online at school

website: www.pickens.k12.sc.us ) a. 1 page application to Pickens School Districtb. 2 page application to SC SDE required 20 hours new bus driver

class

Attend 20 hours of bus driver class and pass SC SDE required 25 question test

Obtain DOT required physical

Obtain required bus driver minimum class B Commercial Drivers License (CDL) permit with P & S endorsements (Passenger & School Bus)

Obtain required TB test

Submit all required information to Transportation Services Office

Continued next page…

BECOMING A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER cont.

A SC State Certified Bus Driver Trainer is assigned for required minimum 10 hours of behind-the-wheel training

An initial school bus on the road driving test will be administered including student load/unload procedures

A class B CDL driving test will be done by either our DMV/CDL Compliance school district third-party-testers, Cindy Weir or Rhonda Durham, or at the local DMV

After all road testing is completed and required forms submitted, trainee is sent for a pre-employment drug screen and a SLED background check is requested through HR

When results of drug screen and SLED background checks are received applicant will be scheduled for orientation at HR

After orientation applicant is sent to meet and discuss job requirements with area bus supervisors.

SC CODE OF LAWS GOVERNING PUBLIC SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION

SECTION 59-67-240. OTHER DUTIES AND DISCIPLINARY POWERS OF A DRIVER

The driver of each school bus shall cooperate with the teachers in their work in the school to which he is transporting pupils by being on time in the mornings and waiting in the afternoons until all his pupils are dismissed by the school faculty and safety aboard his bus. He also shall take particular notice along his route in the morning and give pupils within sight a reasonable time in which to board his bus. The driver shall be responsible for maintaining good conduct upon his bus and shall report promptly to the governing head of the school to or from which the pupils are transported any misconduct or and violation of the driver’s instructions by any person riding in his bus.

District boards of school trustees in this State may authorize school administrators to suspend or expel pupils from riding a school bus for misconduct on the bus or for violating instructions of the driver.

SC CODE OF LAWS GOVERNING PUBLIC SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION

SECTION 59-67-245. INTERFERENCE WITH THE OPERATION OF SCHOOL BUS; PENALTIES.

No person shall willfully and wrongfully interfere with the operation of a school bus, either public or private, by boarding restricting movement or using threats, either physical or verbal , to the driver or any passenger while the bus is engaged in the transportation of pupils to and from school or any lawful school activity or while passengers are entering or leaving the bus nor shall any person willfully fail to refuse to obey a lawful order of a school bus driver relating to the occupancy of a school bus. The use of threatening, obscene or profane language addressed to the driver or any passenger entering, leaving or waiting for a school bus is disorderly conduct and any person convicted for the use of such language shall be punished as provided in Section 16-17-530. Nothing contained herein shall be interpreted to infringe upon the power and duties of duly constituted authorities.

NOTE*** Student discipline referrals are now sent by email from bus office to schools. School administration determines appropriate discipline.

In addition to pre-employment training bus drivers are required to have a minimum of 10 hours of in-service annually.

This consists of:4 hours State Department of Education required module2 hours universal precautions1 hour of bus evacuation instruction3 hours of “District Choice” instruction (student discipline and

“write-ups”, driver requirements, possible terrorism, etc.)

Special needs bus drivers are required to have an additional 4 hours of training every two years.

Drivers are subject to additional training as needed throughout the school year.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Q & A For Parents from SC Dept. Education Website

Q.Why can’t the school bus come closer to my house, and why don’t some students receive school bus transportation services?

R.School buses cannot stop in front of every eligible student’s home. State law requires that the school bus cannot stop more frequently than every two-tenths of a mile (about 350 yards). During periods of inclement weather, buses may be allowed to stop on the regular route at safe points nearest the house of each child. But buses are not permitted to leave regular routes.

Exceptions: Students with disabilities may qualify for special transportation services and may be eligible to receive transportation in front of their residence or from within 1 ½ miles zone of a school. Also, students who live in a qualified “hazard” zone (traffic hazard, blind curve, crest of a hill, etc.) may qualify for transportation and a “School bus stop ahead” sign is placed 600 ft before and after the stop.

Q & A For Parents from SC Dept. Education Website

Q.Are young students also required to walk?

A.State law does not consider the age of a student as a factor, so five-year-old girl receives the same level of service as a 19-year-old boy. Both students may have to walk up to 1 ½ miles to school or up to 1/3 mile to a bus route.

Exceptions: Students attending half-day pre-school preschool programs may receive a higher level of service. The trip for these students that does not include older students(kindergarten, first grade, etc.) will load or unload students as close as possible to their designated origins or destinations, respectively.

Q & A For Parents from SC Dept. Education Website

Q.How many is too many students on a school bus?

A.Bus manufacturers determine the seating capacity of each bus, and this rating is usually shown on the manufacturers vehicle identification plate. Most South Carolina school buses have a rated seating capacity of 60 to 78 students. Buses are designed to transport students with disabilities transport fewer because these buses must make room for wheelchair lift systems.

There are exceptions to this, however. State law permits school districts to transport students in standing room during the first 20 days of school bus route. The SDE reluctantly agrees with this law because school districts have no way to know how many students will be waiting at the bus stop for a ride the first few days of a route until the bus actually runs the route. If “standing students” were never allowed, a school bus driver would be required to leave students standing on the side of the road once the bus reached capacity.

Q & A For Parents from SC Dept. Education Website

Q.What is the maximum ride time for my child?

A.A student may not ride continuously on a state-owned school bus for more than ninety minutes. The ninety minute maximum ride time may be exceeded when attendance zones are multidistrict or countrywide.

Q.Why can’t I get on the bus to talk to the bus driver?

A. State law does not allow parents or other adults to board a school bus or impede its progress in any way. This law protects the safety of students and helps assure that routes run on time. If a parent needs to speak with a bus driver, the parent should communicate with the district’s transportation supervisor.

Q & A For Parents from SC Dept. Education Website

Q.What can I do to make my child’s trip to school and home safe?

A.Accompany or arrange for an adult to accompany your child to and from the bus stop. Be at the bus stop five minutes before the bus arrival time morning and afternoon.

Q.Can my child be required to sit in a designated school bus seat?

R.Yes, students can be assigned to a seat. This helps to control student behavior and possible vandalism on the bus.

Q.Why is my child’s bus late?

A. With an aging bus fleet the buses do break down more often. There also may be times when a bus route needs to be doubled due to bus mechanical problems or lack of a driver. If your bus is more than 15 minutes late call your local bus office for information.

CLW

Q & A For Parents from SC Dept. Education Website

Q.What phone numbers should I call?

R.Contact phone numbers are as follows:

Daniel High School bus area: Tracy Painter, Supervisor, (864) 639-5143

Easley High School bus area: Frances Meinders, Supervisor, (864) 855-1088

Liberty High School bus area: Tracy Painter, Supervisor, (864) 639-5142

Pickens High School bus area: Lura Kelley, Supervisor, (864) 878-8705

Transportation Services: Aaron Boyles, Transportation Coordinator,(864) 397-1160 or (864) 397-1161