Introduction
School bus transportation services are a privilege. Texas school districts are not required to provide bus services and GCISD is pleased to be able to offer this important service for many of our students and their families.

Currently, GCISD provides bus service for students residing two (2) or more miles from the school located in their attendance area. Attendance areas are established by the Board of Trustees. The address of your residence determines eligibility for bus service. Designated bus stops for primary age students are generally within 3/10ths of a mile of the residence and within 5/10ths of a mile for secondary age students. Many factors are taken into consideration when establishing bus stops. Finding the best and safest bus stop location for all students in an area is challenging and parents should be aware that multiple stops in an area prevent the driver from keeping within the bus schedules we operate. GCISD school start and release times allow a narrow amount of time between routes. Bus stop locations may be changed during the year with notice and from year-to-year.

We ask for your cooperation with drivers and other school personnel to develop and maintain proper behavior for student who ride the bus. To provide safe and timely services, GCISD has adopted standard regulations, guidelines and procedures. Consequences will apply for violations of the school bus safety rules. These are outlined below. Please review and discuss these with your student.

If you have concerns about student behavior on the bus or about the driver, please contact the Transportation Department by calling 817-251-5592.

Thank you,
GCISD Transportation Services

GENERAL TRANSPORTATION GUIDELINES
The school bus is considered an extension of the classroom; therefore, the bus driver has the same authority as a teacher. All rules and regulations of the school district shall apply. Additionally, students will need to abide by the following regulations and guidelines.

1. Students will board and leave the bus at their designated stops ONLY and must ride their assigned bus based on legal address.

2. Permission will not be granted to ride the bus to jobs, clubs, birthday parties, babysitters, or friends' homes.

3. If a student misses the bus, it is the responsibility of the parent to provide transportation to or from school. We recommend the parent/guardian instruct the student on the procedure to follow if the bus is missed.

4. The bus driver's instructions and directions shall be obeyed at all times. A student will not be disrespectful or refuse to cooperate with the bus driver. The bus driver is authorized to assign seats.

5. For the safety of all the bus riders, the following items will not be permitted on the bus: weapons, drugs, tobacco products, food, drinks, live animals, glass containers and flammable materials.

6. These items take up available seating space and block the bus aisle impacting the safety of all the bus riders and therefore cannot be permitted on the bus: large musical instruments, car seats, skateboards, rollerblades and scooters. 

7. We encourage parents to remove all dangling items from clothing and backpacks to eliminate the danger of items getting caught on the bus door.

8. Parents may add authorized guardians to receive their children at the bus stop by registering with the parent portal and adding them to the Guardians section. Kindergarten students may only be released to a designated adult over the age of 18 and must present proper identification. Students may not be released to siblings who are under-age students. *Adults without the proper identification will result in students being transported back to their campus.

9. Permission to ride another bus or to use another bus stop on a ONE TIME EMERGENCY basis may be approved ONLY by the transportation department. Requests must be submitted 48 hours in advance. A bus driver cannot accept a note from a parent. 

10. Permission to ride more than one bus or use more than one bus stop must be made in writing to and approved by Transportation Services. 

SAFETY PROCEDURES FOR WAITING FOR THE BUS

1. Be at your bus stop five minutes before the scheduled time. The bus driver cannot wait or honk.

2. Stand at least 10 feet away from the roadway while waiting for the bus.

3. When the bus approaches, form a single line 10 feet clear of the bus.

4. After the bus has stopped and the air brake is set, be prepared to board.

BOARDING THE BUS SAFELY

1. Do not push or shove.

2. Use the handrail at all times.

3. Go to your seat immediately. The bus will not move until all the students are seated.

4. The bus driver will not stop the bus to load late students after the passenger door is closed and the bus is moving.

SAFE BUS BEHAVIOR 

1. Cooperate with the bus driver at all times.

2. Students must remain seated and face forward while the bus is moving. Do not change seats while the bus is in route.

3. A student shall not refuse to sit in an assigned seat or deny others a place to sit.

4. Conversations should be at a normal level with no shouting/yelling.

5. No scuffling, fighting, or physical/verbal harassment is permitted.

6. Keep your head and hands inside the bus and feet out of the aisle.

7. Do not throw objects inside or out of the bus.

8. Do not vandalize, mark, cut, or scratch any part of the bus.

9. The emergency door, emergency equipment and driver controls should only be used by students during supervised evacuation drills or in an actual emergency.

As an added safety precaution, it is recommended that students carry all belongings (books, papers, pencils) in a book bag or backpack when boarding the bus, riding or unloading the bus.

GETTING OFF THE BUS SAFELY

1. Stay seated until the bus has completely stopped and the air brake is set.

2. Wait for your turn to leave the bus; pushing and crowding will only slow down the exiting and may cause an accident.

3. Use the handrail.

4. After exiting, stay clear of the bus and do not touch or chase the bus at any time.

5. If any article drops or rolls near or under the bus do not go after it, tell the driver.

CROSSING THE STREET OR HIGHWAY SAFELY

1. All students crossing a roadway shall exit the bus and move to a point 10 feet in front of the bus and wait for the driver to signal a safe crossing.

2. Check in both directions. At the edge of the bus, stop and again check for traffic before proceeding across the road. Walk directly across the road.

   CAUTION: Be alert for vehicles that do not stop for the school bus.

3. On your way home, cross all streets at intersections and obey all traffic signs and signals.

Routes have been created to eliminate the student’s need to cross a four-lane roadway or divided highway. Violation of this policy is considered extremely dangerous.  

ACCIDENTS OR EMERGENCIES

In case an accident or emergency does occur, it is imperative that:

1. Students follow the driver’s instructions as to which door is to be used for evacuation.

2. The student nearest the door will open the door.

3. Students will leave the bus in a single file as quickly and quietly as possible, leaving all belongings on the bus.

4. During a back door evacuation drill each student will sit on the floor at the back door and drop to the ground feet first. Never jump from the floor of the bus to the ground.

5. After evacuating the bus, stay in a group a safe distance away from the bus (100 feet or more).

All students will participate in emergency evacuations drills.

EXTRA CURRICULAR TRIPS

1. Bus rider rules apply to all school-sponsored events.

2. Discipline will be the responsibility of the bus driver and the trip sponsor.

3. The trip sponsor will be responsible for ensuring the bus is returned clean.

VIDEO MONITORING SYSTEM

All buses in the school district are equipped with a video monitoring system for the purpose of monitoring and promoting safe student bus behavior.

The Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District has the exclusive rights to use the video or reproductions as deemed necessary by authorized school employee.

SAFE BUS BEHAVIOR

All school board policies that apply to student conduct and other student related activities, apply to the school bus. Students are expected to behave in a safe manner at the bus stop and while riding the bus. All students will be expected to treat each bus rider and their possessions with respect. Students are expected to follow the posted bus safety rules. Rules also apply to field trips and shuttles.

Cell phones need to be turned off and put away while student is on the bus. If a student needs to use his/her phone, he/she must first obtain permission from the bus driver.

Should a bus rider violate the BUS SAFETY RULES he will be given a BUS SAFETY REPORT. This report will be sent to the campus administrator. The campus administrator has the authority to apply and/or accelerate consequences.  

Parents and students must abide by the rules of suspension. Should parents or students ignore the dates of suspension in any way, transportation privileges will be suspended for the remainder of the school year.

BUS RULES

1. Follow the bus driver’s directions at all times.

2. Remain seated; keep all of your body in the bus.

3. Do not throw objects in or out of the bus.

4. Profanity or harassment will not be tolerated.

5. Do not eat or drink on the bus.

BUS SAFETY REPORT
Steps and consequences for unsafe conduct on the school bus are listed below. The Campus Administrator has the authority to accelerate consequences up to and including suspension from bus service.

Step 1 – Campus Administrator Conference/Parent Contact 

The campus administrator will enforce the bus safety rules. Transportation personnel or the Campus Administrator will notify the parent/guardian of the violation, answer questions and enlist assistance. (School detention or In School Suspension (ISS) can be applied at the discretion of the campus administrator.)

Step 2 – Five Day Bus Suspension

The campus administrator will notify the parent/guardian of the 5-day bus suspension. The Campus Administrator will immediately notify transportation by fax or e-mail the following information: the start and end date of suspension and the date student will return to riding the bus.

Step 3 – Ten Day Bus Suspension/Parent Conference 

The campus administrator will notify the parent/guardian and Transportation of the 10-day bus suspension. A parent conference is required to determine a behavior plan for the student to return to riding the bus. This conference usually takes place during the 10 day suspension, at the home campus and may include the parent/guardian, Campus Administrator, Transportation representative, driver and student.

Step 4 – Suspension for the Year 

The Campus Administrator will suspend and remove the student from the bus for the remainder of the school year.

SAFE BUS BEHAVIOR AND CONSEQUENCES 
The following actions are severe, and accelerated consequences are recommended:

• Weapons or drugs.

• Exiting the back emergency door unless directed by school personnel or in the event of an emergency.

• Physical or verbal harassment directed toward another student or the driver.

• Lighting matches, smoking, smoking paraphernalia, spraying of aerosol cans.

• Student insubordination that results in the disruption of bus service. This includes the removal of a student from the bus by campus or transportation personnel and the deliberate giving of false or fictitious information by a student. Notification is posted inside every bus.

• Fighting or physical contact appearing to be an act of fighting.

• The deliberate crossing of a four-lane roadway or divided highway. 

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY TIPS FOR PARENTS
Please talk with your children about these safety rules:

• Stay away from the Danger Zone around the bus.

• If you drop something near the bus, do not pick it up. The driver may not see you. Tell the driver and follow her instructions.

• Walk 10 giant steps in front of the bus, use caution and look both ways. Motorist do not always stop for a school bus. 

• Never walk behind the bus. 

• Drawstrings on jackets or sweatshirts, long scarves, or backpack straps can catch in school bus handrails or doors. Remove, shorten or replace drawstrings with other fasteners.

DANGER ZONE
Danger Zone (sides) = Danger Zone!

Remember; never walk close to the side of a school bus. Stay at least five (5) giant steps away from the side. You may be in the driver’s blind spot if you are where he/she can’t see you.

Danger Zone (behind bus) = Danger Zone!

Never walk behind a school bus. The driver may not be able to see you.