Transportation

At the bus stop, students will:

• Arrive at the bus stop 5-10 minutes prior to scheduled pick-up time.
• Stay off roadway while waiting for the bus.
• Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before getting on or off the bus.
• When crossing is necessary and permitted, a student will always cross 10 feet in front of the bus after waiting for the driver’s hand signal.
• NEVER get mail or go to the mailbox while school bus is at the bus stop.
• No student is allowed to cross over a road to get on or off a bus at a different assigned time or stop.

While on the bus, students will:

• Occupy their seats and to refrain at all times from moving around in the bus.
• All belongings, including band instruments, are to be held on the student’s lap during transportation.
• Behave in a manner which allows the driver to safely operate the vehicle.
• Obey the bus driver at all times.
• Keep entire body inside the bus at all times.
• No talking is permitted at railroad tracks.
• Live pets or insects cannot be transported on a school bus.
• No glass containers or bottles are allowed on buses.

Appropriate bus behavior:

• Avoid loud, inappropriate and/or profane language.  (Use "inside voices" to prevent driver distraction)
• Eating or drinking on the bus is not allowed.  (Exception: Medical Reasons)
• Damages to any bus should be reported to the driver. Students will pay for any damages they cause on any bus.
• Students will never throw anything inside the bus or out the window of a bus.
• Pupils may not possess or consume alcoholic beverages.  Pupils shall not possess, smoke, or chew tobacco or possess or use any other drugs on buses.
• Pupils shall not possess or use cigarette lighters, matches, or other flammable items on buses.
• Weapons of any kind are not permitted on a school bus.
• Public displays of affection are not acceptable behavior and will not be tolerated.
• Never tamper with bus equipment.

• Parents/guardians are responsible to make sure their children get to and from the designated stop safely.
• Parents/guardians are responsible for selecting their children’s walking routes to and from bus stops, schools and home.
• Parents/guardians are responsible for providing supervision that is appropriate to the student’s age, maturity, and conditions that exist on the walk route.
• Parents/guardians must know their children’s bus number and stop location.
• Parents/guardians must know the bus rules and review them with their children.
• Parents/guardians should direct walk route safety concerns to the association or law enforcement agency responsible for the specific location/area.

District Responsibilities:

• Provide transportation service to students who live outside the triangle formed by Dexter-Ann Arbor Road/Dan Hoey/Baker Road(exceptions for High School/Creekside/Special Needs students). The Superintendent and/or Board of Education can make exceptions to this rule.
• Establish bus stops that meet the provisions of the Department of Education and the Michigan State Police.
• The School District may pick up students on private roads, drives or streets.  Locations to be determined by the Transportation Director. Families may be asked to take students to a county-maintained road in order to be provided transportation service.
• In certain high-traffic locations, bus stops will be located on the right side only.  Locations to be determined by the Transportation Director.
• Bus service is not rendered to non-school sponsored activities.

In the event weather conditions cause school to be cancelled, the following will be contacted so parents can be notified of the cancellation of school:

Television:  Channel 2-Detroit, Channel 4-Detroit, Channel 7-Detroit
Radio:  760 am, 102.9 fm
Web:  https://dexterschools.org
Blackboard Connect:  phone contact

Drivers will:

• Be fully trained about safety procedures and regulations concerning school bus transportation.
• Make sure that all pupils on the bus receive a copy of the rules for the bus.
• Drivers are in charge of all passengers and will maintain order on the bus at all times.
• Enforce Department policy for student crossing procedure, which includes proper use of hand signal.
• Drop off students at parent-designated location or at school unless the health and/or safety of the students on the bus are in jeopardy.  (Students can be taken to the bus garage only if the immediate health or safety of the student is in question.)
• Inform parents in writing and/or by telephone as soon as possible when a student is having a problem.
• Work with the Transportation Supervisor and Building Principal to assure that students are disciplined appropriately when they violate bus rules.
• Drivers will not transport students in any vehicle other than a Dexter Community School Bus.

All lost and found items generally remain on buses for up to 1 (one) week. Drivers then turn all found/unclaimed items into Transportation Office.  It is helpful to place names on all articles sent to school with your child(ren). 

All articles of clothing not claimed after one month will be donated to a local charity.

Bus transportation is primarily designed for the transport of students from home to school and school to home. Stops must be the same location every morning and the same location every afternoon. If permanent changes are needed (a different day care for example) parents must submit a request to the Transportation Department. The request will be reviewed and notification will be made if a change can be accommodated. This process can take up to two weeks to complete. There must be a compelling reason for any change.

Students are not allowed to ride a bus other than their assigned bus. Assigned students have priority for transportation. If a child needs to go to a friend’s house, parents must make alternate transportation arrangements.

• Should a student violate a bus rule, the driver will issue a Misconduct Report.
• To maintain consistency in administering discipline, violations of bus rules are grouped into two (2) categories. Complete list of Group 1 (one) and Group 2 (two)
• Violations and steps the violation procedure follows are dependent upon the severity of the violation. Building Principals assign consequences for student bus rule violations. 
• All school building rules apply to students using school transportation. Students may receive consequences for inappropriate behavior beyond transportation consequences determined by Building Principal. This system will keep parents informed if their child (ren) does not conduct themselves properly, thus allowing the parents to take corrective action before more serious problems are encountered. 
• Any violation of these rules by students during the last 2 (two) weeks of school may be carried over and charged to students the next school year.

Any time a student feels he/she has been wrongly issued a Misconduct Report, the report may be appealed in the following order:

• Transportation Supervisor (for one day suspension issued by bus driver)
• Building Principal
• Superintendent of Schools
• Board of Education

Safety 

• Students are not scheduled to cross main roads to reach their bus stop.
• Consistent pick-up and drop-off locations are required. There may be a different pick-up location than drop-off, but each must be the same every day.
• Bus stops will be permanent whenever practical, allowing the public to become familiar with stop locations.
• A designated person must meet Y5/K-2 students at their stop. A group bus stop serves more than one family. There must be at least one designated person present or visible at the stop.

Efficiency

• Roads must be at least 22 feet wide.
• Roads must provide a location for change of bus direction with no backing.
• Roads must have adequate shoulders to allow the bus to pull off the roadway.
• Roads must be kept clear of snow, sleet, ice, vehicles and other obstructions that would prevent safe travel of school buses.

ROUTing

• Our objective is to arrange for buses to arrive at school no later than seven to ten minutes before the scheduled beginning of classes. Departure from the Bus Loop may be as much as 25 minutes later than the scheduled dismissal time of the campus schools.
• Bus routes are planned with a maximum of four (4) stops per mile on major roadways. This provision will only be altered in extreme safety situations. Routes are planned to keep individual riding distance and time to a practical minimum. One hour and 15 minutes should be considered as the maximum riding time for a pupil going to or from school. (The above time limitations are goals and will be implemented to the extent possible.)
• Bus routes will not be extended nor stops scheduled unless an eligible pupil (grades K-12) would otherwise be required to walk in excess of ½ mile. Exceptions to this guideline are cul-de-sacs, non-through streets, subdivisions and private property. (This provision shall be used to reduce excessive time and miles traveled whenever possible and practical.)
• Dexter Community School buses will not go into all subdivisions for student loading and unloading. If all requests for additional bus stops in subdivisions were granted, it would have an enormous impact on the bus schedule and a child’s time on the bus. Therefore, additional stops are normally not provided even though the bus drives past your home.
• Generally buses will not enter cul-de-sacs, non-through streets and private property. Exceptions may be made if the bus needs to change direction and the street offers a safer means to turn around. Private roadways must be maintained year round and be of adequate width and construction.

Dexter Community Schools codes of conduct and all school rules apply to all students using DCS transportation. You can review these in the Parent-Student Handbook. In addition, the following rules apply to students who are being bused, waiting for a bus, or being dropped off at a bus stop. [Click here for a printable copy of these rules.]

1. Each student shall ride designated buses ONLY. We cannot accommodate changes for playdates, babysitting, etc. 
2. Each student shall be at the designated bus stop 5 minutes before the scheduled time and ready to board the bus. At drop off time a responsible person must be there to receive students in grades Y5 – K-2. The driver is responsible for the maintenance of this schedule and cannot wait for tardy pupils.
3. Students shall remain at least 10-20 feet well back from the roadway while waiting for the bus.
4. Students who must cross the street at a bus stop shall not do so until they receive a signal from the bus driver. When crossing a street is necessary, it shall always be done at least 10 feet in front of the bus so that the driver may adequately observe them. This means that the student/parent should be able to see the face of the bus driver. The driver shall hold the bus with warning lights flashing (red lights) and stop sign out until the crossing has been completed.
5. Students shall enter the bus in an orderly fashion, go directly to their seats and remain seated until the destination is reached (bottoms on seats, feet in front of you on the floor, not in the aisle).
6. All students will have assigned seats. The bus driver may move students as needed.
7. Students shall keep their hands, arms, and heads inside the bus in their own personal space.
8. All articles such as athletic equipment, books, laptops, musical instruments, etc., must be kept out of aisles.
9. Students shall observe all behavior rules related to safety and the well-being/respect of others.
10. Students are not to touch other student's belongings or other student's body parts in any way.
11. There shall be NO eating on the school bus. Students may drink water.
12. There shall be NO shouting, roughhousing or throwing things on the bus or at the bus stop.
13. Personal audio devices including cell phones must have headphones to listen to music/videos.
14. There shall be NO taking of pictures or video by students on the school bus at any time.
15. Students must identify themselves to the bus driver when requested.
16. Students shall remain seated until the bus has come to a complete stop before attempting to get off the bus.
17. Students may leave the bus only at the consent of the driver.
18. The emergency exits must be used for emergencies only. Students are not to touch safety equipment on the bus unless directed by the driver to do so.
19. Students must comply with driver and monitor directions at all times. If a parent/ student has a concern about transportation policies, it should be addressed with the Transportation Department.

Safety is our number one priority. Disruptive or otherwise inappropriate behavior during busing may lead to discipline such as verbal and/or written correction up to and including suspension for up to ten days or revocation of bus privileges for the remainder of the school year.