Transportation Procedure Handbook

To protect the safety of your child and maintain effective communication, you must complete an Emergency Information form yearly and return it to the Randolph School District transportation office. This form must be updated on a yearly basis so if you have already completed and returned the form for summer school transportation you do not need to complete it again.
PLEASE NOTE: Randolph School District cannot transport your child unless an annually updated form is on file.

Please notify Randolph School District transportation in writing if your child is diagnosed with a new medical condition that will impact their safe transportation or if there are changes to emergency contact numbers.

At least the day before your child is scheduled to begin using Randolph School District transportation services for the first time, you will receive a call from Randolph School District transportation with the designated pick up time. If you do not receive a call, please contact Randolph School District transportation office at 781-961-6267.

For prompt pick-ups, students should be ready for pick up at least ten (10) minutes before the vehicle is due to arrive. For unanticipated situations, the driver will wait up to three (3) minutes past the designated pick up time before continuing with their route.

• Drivers are not allowed to leave vehicles
  • If your child is less than 12 years old, he or she must have parental supervision to transition on the van in the morning and off the van in the afternoon.
  • If your child is 12 or older, you may be asked to provide parental supervision to transition on the van in the morning and off the van in the afternoon if deemed necessary by the transportation coordinator.
• Students shall never approach the vehicle until it comes to a complete stop.
• If an object has fallen near the vehicle, please notify the driver before picking up the item.
• Seat belts must be worn at all times. Parents must buckle their child into the safety restraint system. It is imperative that you work with us in explaining to your child that the safety restraint system must be worn at all times.
• Students under the age of eight (8) shall be fastened and secured by a child passenger restraint, such as a car or booster seat, unless the student is taller than 57 inches in height according to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 90, sect. 7AA. The child passenger restraint must meet the manufacturer’s instructions and be approved by Federal regulations 49 CFR 571.213.
• Wheelchair van drivers and/or monitors will operate the lift gate for students in wheelchairs to ensure that the wheelchairs are secured and all seat belts fastened.
• Please label all personal items sent to school.
• All book bags, lunch boxes and any other items must be placed in the front seat of the vehicle near the driver.
• We are not allowed to transport animals or any large objects due to safety concerns.
• Randolph School District assumes no responsibility for lost articles.

Massachusetts State Regulation 105 CMR 210.008A requires “a parent, guardian or designated responsible adult shall deliver all prescription medications to be administered by school personnel or to be taken by self-medicating students, if required by the self-administration agreement to the school nurse or other responsible person designated by the school nurse.” Therefore, should your child require medication during the school day it is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to deliver it directly to the school nurse. If your child is in a residential program please make the necessary arrangements to have adequate prescription medication at home as Randolph School District transportation will not transport medication. Neither the Randolph School District driver nor the student will carry any medication to be administered by school personnel on the van for transport to school. Randolph School District drivers have been instructed to refuse any requests from a parent to transport medication to and from school.

If your child will not be attending school due to illness, vacations or appointments, please call the Randolph School District transportation office 781-961-6267 as soon as possible prior to the pickup time.

Please speak loudly and clearly when leaving your message. Your message should include:

• Date of Absence/Change
• Student’s Name
• School Name, Town

If you drive your child to school, and you would like Randolph School District to transport him/her back home, please notify the transportation office so we can be sure to include your child on the route home.

If the student is dismissed for disciplinary reasons or sickness, it is the parent’s responsibility to pick up the student at school. Also please contact Randolph School District transportation office if you are picking up your child at school for any reason including illness.

To ensure accuracy in routing all communication must be reported directly to the Randolph School District transportation office at 781-961-6267. Please do not leave messages with the driver, they have been instructed not to deliver messages to prevent any confusion.

Student drop off will be made at the child’s residence.

Randolph Public Schools requires a parent to be present when students are dropped off.

If the parent is not able to be at home at the drop off time, please, contact the transportation office, to give the name of person that will be taking your child off the vehicle.

In the event that a responsible adult is unavailable to meet the student at the designated drop off point and there is no authorization on file to drop the student off unattended, the following procedure will be observed:

The driver will notify the dispatcher by radio immediately and, if other students are on board, continue the route. At the completion of the route if there is still no responsible adult present at the designated drop off location, the transportation office will notify the school district and follow their instructions. Consistent failure to meet the bus may result in a referral to the Department of Children and Family Services

Only requests for permanent changes (e.g. an after school program, relatives home in the same town, moving to a new address, etc.) will be considered. Requests for changes should be made in writing to your child’s special education office for authorization at least seven days prior to the need. If approved, the school district office will notify Randolph School District of the change either by email or fax.

Day-to-day changes will not be considered. Drivers cannot accept notes from parents; they are not responsible for any requests or changes from parents.

Bad weather creates hazardous driving conditions, which means the vehicles will be traveling at a slower speed than normal. We encourage parents to use discretion if concerned about sending children to school on snowy or icy days.

It is the parent's responsibility to ensure that the area where the child is picked up/dropped off is reasonably clear of all snow and ice. Transportation may be cancelled if the driver cannot safely maneuver the vehicle.

1. If your child’s school is in session, but the public school in that town is closed, Randolph School District will not transport into or out of that town
2. If your child’s school is in session, but the town you reside in has cancelled school, Randolph School District will not transport into or out of that town.

Randolph School District also reserves the right to cancel transportation if vans have to travel through a town that has cancelled or called for a delayed opening or early dismissal school due hazardous road conditions.

Parents should watch/listen to the following TV and radio stations or check online for NO SCHOOL announcements: Local TV and Radio Stations will relay any cancellations regarding weather.

Please arrange to be home or have another person at home to receive your child in case of early dismissal in bad weather. This is one of the most difficult situations to manage from a parent and transportation point of view and requires us working together to ensure the safety of your child.

Parents should watch/listen to appropriate TV and radio stations to determine if the school your child is attending intends to close its school(s) early. It is the responsibility of your child’s school to contact you about an early release.

In some situations, when your child’s school has not called for an early dismissal, Randolph School District transportation may exercise the right to call for an early dismissal; you will be notified by telephone. The Randolph School District transportation office must have telephone numbers (home and/or work) in order to be able to reach parent/sitter for unplanned Early Release Days. If you have not given this information to the Randolph School District transportation office, please do so immediately.

Any delayed openings in surrounding school districts and/or your child’s school placement will result in a transportation delay. Randolph School District will make every effort to bring your child to school in a timely manner. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee a pick up time or an arrival time at school when there is a delayed opening. Usually in these instances, time of dismissal will remain the same and your child should arrive on or about the usual time, precluding road conditions beyond our control.

When a delayed school opening occurs, please notify the Randolph School District transportation office if you intend to transport your child to school or keep your child home. If you transport your child to school but wish for Randolph School District to provide transportation home you must also notify the Randolph School District transportation using the same procedure outlined on page 2 of this handbook. The Randolph School District also reserves the right to call for a delayed opening if vans have to travel through a town that has cancelled due to hazardous road conditions.

Your patience and anticipated cooperation is greatly appreciated as we strive to continue to provide safe transportation during inclement weather.

Wheelchairs shall be equipped with brakes and seat belt properly maintained by the owner of the chair. (Velcro fasteners do not meet minimum state requirements and shall not be the sole source of seat
restraint.) All wheel chair brakes must be maintained so as to prevent the wheels from moving when the brakes are applied.

Electric wheelchairs transported on school buses shall be capable of being locked in gear when placed in a school bus or shall have an independent braking system capable of holding the wheelchair in place. Wheelchair power shall be turned off prior to being transported in a school bus. Batteries used to propel electric wheelchairs shall be both leak-resistant and spill-resistant or shall be placed in a leak-resistant container. Batteries shall be secured to the wheelchair in such a manner as to prevent separation in the event of an accident.

It is the parent's responsibility to ensure that their child’s wheelchair meets the minimum state safety requirements. Any wheelchair which does not meet safety requirements shall not be transported.

Randolph School District will work with your Special Education Office concerning Friday afternoon pick up times from the school and the Sunday or Monday return times of residential students. Any changes to the established time will have to be requested in advance and approved through your Special Education Office. The times will be based on factors such as but not limited to traffic concerns, cost factors, disruption of other student’s pick-up times, or availability of vehicles/drivers.

If the forecast calls for inclement weather Randolph School District reserves the right to transport home a day early. When the Randolph School District transportation office informs you of the decision to transport early and if you decline you will be responsible to transport your child home.

Appropriate behavior is expected at all times to ensure the safety of students. The following rules along with your child’s school code of conduct must be adhered to:

1. Students must wear a correctly fastened seat belt and shall not attempt to enter or disembark until the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
2. Students are required to be courteous and respectful at all times, e.g. profane and abusive language is not allowed.
3. Students must not distract the driver so as to not endanger the safety of others.
4. Students will cooperate with the driver regarding noise level and behavior in the vehicle, for example, students are expected to keep their hands to themselves, use indoor voices and appropriate language.
5. Students must remain in their assigned seats at all times when the bus is in motion.
6. No eating, drinking or smoking is permitted on any Randolph School District vehicle.
7. Cell phones, “Blue Tooth”, camera phones or text messaging use is not permitted in the van. All devices should be turned off and stored in a bag.
8. The decision to use the van AM/FM radio is the driver’s. We encourage students to use their own personal CD players with headphones, if appropriate. At the drivers discretion.
9. Students shall not open the windows without permission. Students shall not throw anything out of the window.
10. Sharp objects, weapons, loose toys or other large items are not allowed on the van.
11. Any exceptions to the above rules due to the student’s disability may be made in consultation with school district personnel.

Serious or recurring incidents will be reported to parents/guardians, placement programs, Special Education Administrators, and the Executive Director of Randolph School District. If discipline issues arise on the vehicle, the following procedures will be followed:

1. The driver will contact the Randolph School District Transportation Coordinator immediately. If the incident requires a police or fire response, 911 will be called.
2. The driver or monitor in collaboration with the Transportation Coordinator will write up the problem on an Incident Report Form. The student’s parent and special education liaison will be notified of the incident by the Transportation Coordinator (not the driver). A copy of the incident report will be faxed to the district’s Special Education Office and mailed to the parent.
3. If the incident on the bus presented a danger to the student or others on the van, the student may be suspended from the van for at least one day. If additional action is warranted, all decisions will be made in collaboration with the school district liaison, the director of child’s school program, the student and/or the parent/guardian. This could result in additional days of suspension, and a meeting with the student, parent or guardian, appropriate school staff and a representative from Randolph Pulic Schools. The parent/guardians become responsible for transporting the student to and from school on the day(s) of the bus suspension until a final determination are made.
4. In the event of intentional damage caused to seats or other parts of the vehicle by a student, the cost of repair must be reimbursed to Randolph School District, by the student and/or parent/guardians.
5. We encourage parents to notify Randolph School District transportation if your child reports an incident on the bus.
6. If appropriate, the incident will be reported to the Department of Children and Family Services.

If an accident occurs, the driver will immediately contact the Randolph School District transportation office. The police may also be immediately notified. The driver will not leave the students unattended in the vehicle until the proper authorities have arrived. The driver will complete an accident form as required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. The parents and school district will be notified of the incident on the day of the accident.

1. School staff/personnel will be present when the students are dropped off and picked up.
2. School staff/personnel should contact Randolph School District transportation at 781-961-6267 if problems occur with inconsistent arrival and/or departure times.
3. School staff/personnel will make sure that car or booster seats are installed properly and seat belts are securely fastened.
4. School staff/personnel will be expected to periodically review rules and regulations of passenger safety with the students throughout the year.
5. School staff/personnel are responsible for de-escalating behaviors and ensuring that students entering the van exhibit safe behaviors.
6. School staff/personnel should work with drivers on possible solutions should behavioral problems occur on the vehicles.

Q: My child has a long ride in the morning. Can my child have breakfast in the vehicle?
A: No students, drivers and monitors may not eat or drink while in vehicle at any time.

Food is a potential choking hazard and allergies to food may cause a life-threatening reaction to your child or others riding in the vehicle.
Q: Can I give the driver some money to stop for snacks at a drive-thru?
A: No unscheduled stops are allowed when students are being transported in your vehicle.

Q: Can my child play use video games or a personal music device in the van?
A: If the device is used appropriately; if it becomes a distraction to the driver or causes a problem with other students the privilege will be revoked. Randolph School District is not responsible for these or other personal items left in the vehicles. Students must carry their belongings in a bag.

Q: Can I call the driver in the vehicle to speak with him/her directly?
A: No, if communication is necessary, please call the transportation office at 781-961-6267.