General Safety Rules

1. Obey the instructions of the bus driver. At no time should a student be disrespectful or refuse to cooperate with the driver.
2. Board and leave the bus at designated stops only.
3. All students must ride their assigned bus.
4. Do not ask to ride home on another bus with a friend.
5. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to provide transportation to school if a child misses the bus.
6. The driver has the authority to confiscate any prohibited items, or any other items deemed distracting or dangerous.
7. The driver will not allow any unauthorized person to board the bus.

Procedures for Waiting for the Bus

1. Be at your bus stop five minutes early and visible before scheduled pickup time.
2. The driver will not wait or honk, nor will he/she stop for late students or students running for the bus.
3. Students should be no closer than 10 feet from the bus, which is called the "Danger Zone." Be in plain sight of the approaching bus driver and other traffic. Be watchful and don't play around.
4. Before the bus approaches, form a line and be prepared to load immediately.
5. Stand still and clear of the bus. Move toward the bus ONLY after the door opens and/or the driver signals you to load.
6. Parents/guardians should instruct their children on what to do if they miss the bus.

Getting on the Bus

1. Do not push or shove; always use the handrail.
2. Stay out of the bus "Danger Zone." Wait until the door opens or the driver gives a signal before approaching the bus.
3. Go directly to your assigned seat. The bus will not move until all students are seated. Students must always remain seated. Delays affect traffic and schedules.
4. Seating arrangements will be assigned. The bus driver may change seating arrangements anytime he/she deems necessary.
5. Stay clear of the bus when the engine is started. Do not chase or hang onto the bus at any time. Stay out of the bus "Danger Zone”. At the Campus while loading in the afternoon, students will not be allowed to board the bus after the doors are closed without administrative approval.

Conduct on the Bus

1. Classroom dress code and conduct rules shall be followed. Shoes must always be worn.
2. Normal conversation is permitted; avoid loud noises that may distract the driver and create an unsafe condition. Do not talk to the driver while the bus is in motion.
3. Keep all body parts inside the bus.
4. Scuffling, fighting, and the use of obscene, vulgar, or profane language and gestures are forbidden.
5. Do not spit or throw objects inside or out of the bus.
6. Do not litter, mark, cut or scratch any part of the bus. Students are responsible for damage.
7. Do not tamper with bus equipment.
8. The emergency door and exit controls should be used by pupils only during supervised drills or an actual emergency.
9. Students shall always remain seated and face forward for the duration of the trip and shall keep their feet in front of them and out of the bus aisle.
10. Do not spray any substance while on the bus.

Getting Off the Bus

1. Stay seated until the bus has come to a complete stop and the door has been opened.
2. Use the handrail and take one step at a time when leaving the bus.
3. Wait for your turn to leave the bus. Pushing and crowding will only slow exiting and may cause an accident.
4. Students must move away from the bus as soon as they disembark. Do not chase or hang onto the bus at any time. Stay out of the bus “Danger Zone.”
5. If crossing the street, cross in front of the bus and wait for the driver to signal.
6. If an article drops or rolls near or under the bus, get the attention of the driver immediately and have the driver assist you to retrieve the article. Do not attempt to retrieve the item without the assistance of the driver.

Dropping Off Kindergarten-2nd Grade Students

Parents or a documented designee must be at the bus stop to receive students ranging from Pre-Kindergarten to 2nd grade. If no one is there to receive the student, the student will be returned to the campus. It is the responsibility of the parent to see that students who are returned to school are picked up. Any student returned three times will have his or her riding privileges suspended for the remainder of the school year.

Designated Stop/Changes

Prohibited Items on the Bus

1. Tobacco.
2. Live animals or insects.
3. Glass containers.
4. Alcoholic beverages, drugs, or chemicals.
5. Weapons, explosive devices, stun guns, pepper spray, sharp objects, or firecrackers.
6. Objects such as (large musical instrument, shop project, or tri-fold).
7. All items must be kept on the student’s lap or within the seating compartment and may not deny another student a seat.
8. Balls, balloons, and skateboards.
9. Food or drinks (no eating or drinking on the bus).
10. Matches or lighters.
11. Sound producing electronic devices or headphones.
12. Any other item prohibited by the CHISD Student Code of Conduct.

Accidents or Emergencies

1. Follow the driver’s instructions.
2. If you must leave the bus, stay in a group, and move to a safe location as directed.
3. The following procedures will be used for evacuation in an emergency:
4. Students nearest the door will open the door and hold it open.
5. Leave the bus in a single file line as quickly and quietly as possible.
6. Evacuation will start with the seat nearest the front door unless otherwise instructed.
7. Follow the driver’s instructions completely.

Consequences for Violation of Conduct

1. The driver may pull the bus over and stop to safely manage student behavior.
2. If the student refuses to comply with a reasonable request, the driver will report the incident to the Assistant Director or Director upon returning to the Transportation Department.
3. The Operations Supervisor shall investigate the incident and notify the driver of the action taken.

Note: In the case of serious misconduct that endangers the safety of other students or the driver, the student(s) may be removed from the bus by any school official or law enforcement official.

Immediate appropriate legal/disciplinary action may be taken against any student(s) engaging in any of the following misconducts:

1. Possession of firearms, a knife, or other dangerous devices will not be permitted and will result in the immediate loss of bus privileges for the remainder of the school year.
2. Use of abusive, profane language or indecent gestures on or near a bus in which students are being transported or directing such language towards the students or the driver.
3. Hindering in any manner the operation of a school bus or obstructing, unnecessarily, any roadway on which a school bus travels.
4. Making threats against or engaging in physical contact with a school bus driver.

Serious Violations

Detection

Individual school buses are equipped with video cameras that may record the conduct of students and verbal communication between students and the driver. This recording may be used for disciplinary purposes.

The above rules of conduct, as well as the Student Code of Conduct, apply to Cedar Hill ISD students who are being transported by buses or other vehicles owned, operated, and controlled by the school district. A student who damages or defaces a Cedar Hill ISD vehicle may be subject to disciplinary and/or legal action and may be required to make restitution. Any violation of these rules will be reported by the bus driver to the Campus Administrator and Transportation Assistant Director for corrective action. These safety rules will be enforced by appropriate action that may include the temporary or permanent withdrawal of riding privileges and/or consequences specified in the Student Code of Conduct. The consequences for any given action will depend upon the seriousness of the violation and all other circumstances.

Pursuant to Texas Education Code §26.009(b) and consistent with CHISD Board Policy CAN (Legal), the district may, without consent of a child’s parent/guardian, make a videotape or recording of the child “for the purposes of safety, including the maintenance of order and discipline in common areas of the school or on school buses.” However, under the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), videotapes revealing images of students and other “personally identifiable information” is protected from disclosure absent parent/guardian consent. Therefore, if a parent/guardian wishes to view a bus video recording in response to a disciplinary action, the parent may do so only if the video does not contain images or information related to other students. See CNA (Legal), CNA (Local).

Parent(s) or Guardian(s) Responsibilities

1. Read and discuss with students the responsibilities, rules and violation consequences covered above.
2. Inform students of the location of the bus stop, time and to wait in a single-file line.
3. Require students to arrive five minutes prior to scheduled time and to conduct themselves appropriately on school buses.
4. Support school officials in their efforts to operate a safe and efficient transportation system.

IMPORTANT: Families are responsible for providing transportation for students to attend school during suspension from the bus. This is not a suspension from class, rather it is a suspension from the bus.  If a student does not attend school after suspension from the bus, the absence is unexcused.