Office of Transportation

Bus Safety

The Board of Education considers school bus safety its main objective in the area of pupil transportation. Safety measures include:

• Equipping all buses with two-way radios, GPS tracking, seat belts, and "stop" arms.
• Ensuring all school buses undergo mandatory comprehensive safety inspections by the Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) every six months.
• Providing students with annual bus safety drills, including evacuation protocols.
• Complying with Article 19A of the Motor Vehicle Law, which sets standards for driver selection, periodic review, evaluation, and disqualification, and conducting stringent reviews and evaluations.
• Reporting an annual physical examination prior to the start of service for all drivers.
• Reviewing and approving a driving record abstract, obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles, for all drivers.
• Completion of a basic school bus driver course, approved by the State Education Department, for all drivers, followed by refresher instruction in school bus safety practices twice each school year.
• Transportation Office Team members periodically observe and evaluate drivers. An unsatisfactory rating in driving skills or failure to follow the safety precautions outlined in the district's specifications could result in the initiation of an action to dismiss a driver.
• Providing a program of random drug and alcohol testing of the drivers.