Transportation Procedures
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8606 - Use of Wireless Communication Devices by District School Bus Operators
A school bus driver shall not use a cellular phone while driving a school bus. This includes, but is not limited to, answering a call, making a call, reading a text, answering a text.
A school bus driver shall not use a wireless communication device to send or receive text-based communications while operating school bus.
A school bus driver should not use a cellular phone with a GPS function for driving directions or verbal instructions while operating the school bus.
A school bus driver should not use a headset or hands-free device while operating a school bus.
Approved 5/18/12
© Hillsborough 2012 -
8610 - Transportation Route Planning
Parents must ensure the safe travel of their students while they are traveling to and from the home and the assigned bus stop.
Establishment of Bus Routes for Regular Students
When establishing bus routes the following guidelines are evaluated:
A. Walk route to and from the bus stop. B. Age of students. C. Number of students at stops. D. School bell schedule. E. Distance between home and school. F. Secondary students will not walk more than one and one-half (1 1/2) miles to a bus stop. G. Elementary students will not walk more than one (1) mile to a bus stop. H. Capacity and size of buses. I. Distance between bus stops. J. Conditions of the roads.
Establishment of Bus Routes for Exceptional Education Students
A. Exceptional education students with special transportation needs may be transported when the need is documented in the student’s individualized education plan (IEP). B. ESE students must be served at the same residence of record in the morning and afternoon. C. Location of bus stops, under most conditions, specialized transportation provides curb-to-curb service for students with disabilities. This means that the buses will pick-up/drop-off at the curb in a safe location relative to the student’s residence of record or provided as appropriate. D. As a general practice, buses do not back-up. E. Due to road conditions (dead end roadways, cul-de-sacs, condominium/townhouse/apartment complexes, dirt or gravel roadways, or narrow roadways), it may be necessary to place the pick-up/drop-off site at a safe location away from the home or daycare. F. Every effort will be made to have the bus stop as close as possible to the home or daycare. G. The bus driver or attendant is not responsible for escorting the student to or from the home and/or the school. H. In rare instances, the pick-up/drop-off location may require the student to cross the roadway. If necessary, the bus attendant will escort the student across the roadway to and from the pick-up/drop-off location.
Loading/Unloading
A. No entrance and loading in private driveways, communities, and parking lots. B. Students currently receiving services at two (2) addresses will continue with this service until an address change occurs. Once an address change occurs, the student will then be required to use the same address, both morning and afternoon. C. Address changes are to be made through the school. D. A parent choosing to transport their child for either morning or afternoon is allowable. However, this procedure must be implemented Monday through Friday. E. Siblings of ESE students may ride the bus if there is space available. If space becomes unavailable, the family will be notified by telephone and the student must be removed within forty-eight (48) business hours. F. When applicable, an authorized adult is required to be at the bus stop, on time, when the child is picked up/dropped off. It is important that school and transportation staff be informed if an alternate adult is going to accompany the student. If no authorized adult is at the drop-off location: 1.> The bus driver will wait three (3) minutes and continue on the bus route. 2. Attempts to deliver the student at the end of the bus route will be made. 3. If there is no authorized person to receive the student after the second attempt, the driver will return to the campus of enrollment and contact the Hillsborough County Department of Security. 4. Transportation services may be suspended if this is a continual concern.
Approved 5/18/12
© Hillsborough 2012 -
8640 - Transportation for Field and Other District-Sponsored Trips
Procedures for Requesting a Bus (Internally)
A. District field trip buses are requested by completing an on-line field trip request. To request through the District internal field trip request system: 1. To access the system, you will need a user ID and Password. 2. You received access to training by emailing bookkeeper.support for access to online training program. 3. Requests for field trips require three (3) on-line approvals in the order listed below: a. School Secretary/Bookkeeper; b. Principal/Assistant Principal; c. Transportation.
4. Requests for school buses submitted for field trip assignment until all three approvals occur. B. Specify the trip origin and destination. Receive appropriate District level approval for out-of-county trips. C. Submit field trip requests at least fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the trip departure date. D. Submit field trips request for departure on school days with a driver arrival time of not earlier than 9:30am. Return time to school on Monday early release is 12:30. Return time to school on Tuesday - Friday is 1:30pm. E. Submit field trip requests for departure on school evening with a driver arrival time on Monday, early release, 4:15pm and Tuesday through Friday 5:15pm. F. Transportation shall accommodate all schedules on weekends and non-school days, if at all possible. G. Specify the number of buses needed considering the below: 1. For regular education and ESE students – one (1) bus per sixty-five (65) passengers. 2. For wheelchair students - one bus per 32 passengers.H. Provide at least one (1) chaperone for each bus requested. I. Provide comments, special instructions or requests to drivers, if necessary. J. Once your request has been approved by transportation personnel, an email notification will be sent each time an update or status has changed. E-mail "Transportation Fieldtrips" with changes, cancellations, etc., to field trip requests in ample time to notify the driver of the modification. Notify transportation via email of modification within 24 business hours of the trip. Notifications received less than 24 business hours of the trip may not be process as requested. E-mail "Transportation Fieldtrips" with changes, cancelations, etc., to field trip requests in amble time to notify the driver of the modification. Notify transportation via email of modifications within twenty-four (24) business hours of the trip. Notifications received less than twenty-four (24) business hours of the trip may not be processed as requested. K. At the end of the trip, a school designee shall verify information listed on the driver’s trip ticket and sign the form. Charges for Buses
Charges for buses are as follows:
A. $30.00 per hour for driver’s salaries. A three (3) hour minimum charge will be assessed for each bus. B. Wheelchair-equipped buses are also available for field trips, with an additional $11.00 per hour charge for a bus rider. C. $1.75 per mile. D. A five percent (5%) late fee will be assessed for trip requests submitted less than fourteen (14) calendar days prior to trip date. Transportation Responsibility – Approval
Approve field trip requests submitted by schools and other District locations:
A. 1. Change to Verify trip requests times are policy times (9:30-12:30 Monday, early release and 9:30-1:30pm Tuesday through Friday. Weekend times have no specified times) 2. Verify that the number of buses will accommodate the number of students. At least one (1) adult per bus must appear in the passenger section for adults. 3. Review destination for appropriateness and ability to reach destination in the allotted time. 4. Review the comment section to ensure proper compliance with school’s needs. C. Individually approve or deny each field trip request. If you deny a request, you must specify why the request is being denied. Transportation Responsibility – Driver Assignment
Each week, each Area Office holds an OTO meeting for drivers to select trips from schools in their assigned area. This information is then given to Field Trip Office to assign the driver in the Field Trip program.
Transportation Responsibility - Billing
The actual driver trip time and mileage will be entered into software for creation of invoices. Invoices will be sent upon request via email to Transportation Fieldtrips.
Updated 8/15/2021
