Transportation Guidelines

The East Windsor Regional School District shall provide transportation for all children residing in the district according to the procedures of the School District and the rules and regulations set forth by the New Jersey Department of Pupil Transportation.

Prior to the opening of school in September, all eligible students shall receive a bus pass and bus stop assignment. Students are to board and disembark the bus only at their assigned stops.

There will be no provisions for stops at a child care provider unless the stop is in the same attendance area as the student and the student utilizes such stop 5 days a week. All requests for bus stop location changes must be made through the Transportation Department.

Bus routes are designed to accommodate the largest number of students while providing safe transportation in a reasonable length of time. Bus routes and stops may be changed at any time as deemed necessary by the Transportation Department. Parents and students will be notified of any change. Bus drivers cannot make bus stop or route changes.

Each student waiting at a bus stop is expected to adhere to all district policies just as in the school buildings. Students are expected to be at their bus stop 10 minutes prior to the scheduled pick up time. Buses shall adhere as closely as possible to the time schedule established for said route and are not to run more than 10 minutes ahead of schedule. No kindergarten student will be dropped off without a parent/guardian or adult designee present unless we have a signed note from the parent/guardian giving us permission to do so.

N.J. Statute 18A:25-2 states that the “driver shall be in charge of the school bus at all times and shall be responsible for order. The driver shall never exclude a student from the bus, but if unable to manage any student shall report the matter to the Principal of the school the student attends.

A student may be excluded from the bus for disciplinary reasons by the Principal, and the student’s parents shall provide transportation to and from school during the period of such exclusion.”

The bus driver will forward all written referrals to the building Principal after review by the Transportation Department.

First Offense (Warning): Discussion with the Principal or Assistant Principal with notification sent to parents.
Second Offense: Exclusion from the bus for one day.
Third Offense: Exclusion from the bus for five days.
Subsequent Offense: Exclusion from the bus will be determined by the Administration on an individual basis.

Serious violations may require skipping steps and imposing immediate extended exclusion from the bus and for school. This is an addition to the school disciplinary policy.

Examples of serious violations:

• Fighting, threatening or aggressive conduct
• Possession of drugs, alcohol, or weapons
• Lighting a lighter or match
• Throwing objects in, out of, or at a bus
• Protruding body parts out of the bus
• Damaging the school bus
• Other behavior relating to safety and well being of others

Parents will be responsible for reviewing these guidelines with their children emphasizing the importance of proper conduct while waiting for and riding the school bus. Parents will be held liable for any willful and/or malicious damage to bus stops and school buses. Parents will also be responsible for the conduct of their children at the bus stops and on the school buses.

Misbehavior observed at a bus stop before or after the bus arrives should be reported to the school office.