CAVERNA INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

PUPIL TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT

ADMININISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Committed to the safety of our children

Final- April 15, 2015

MISSION STATEMENT______

It is the mission of the Caverna Transportation Department to provide sound transportation practices in order to maximize all available resources and to effectively utilize these resources in a collaborative, learner-centered, performance-based and data-driven manner so that the district can provide an environment that is safe and conducive to teaching and learning.

______CONTENTS______

Mission Statement...... 2

Contents………………………………………………………………………………………….3

Directory...... 4

Definitions...... 5-7

Employee Seniority...... 8

Department Staffing...... 8

Driver Assignments...... 9

Route/Job Vacancies...... 10-11

Bus Assignments and Parking...... 11

Bus Monitors...... 11

Special Education Transportation...... 11

Employee Pay...... 12-13

Holidays/Vacations/Leaves...... 13

Grievances...... 14-15

Other or Outside Employment...... 16

Driver Responsibilities...... 16-25

District Responsibilities...... 25-26

Anti-Idling Policy...... 27

Use of Personal Communication Devices ...... 28

DIRECTORY

Mr. Eddie Wilson, Director of Transportation Cell 270-473-1260, Radio “C1”

Central Office 270-773-2530, Radio “Base”

Mr. David Forbes, Bus Maintenance Work:270-786-1714, Radio “Shop”

Transportation Department 270-773-2530extension 1013

Caverna Independent Schools

School Principal School Phone

Caverna ElementaryNathan Wyatt 270-773-3671

Caverna MiddleBarry Nesbitt 270-773-4665

Caverna HighBrad Phipps 270-773-2828

PUPIL TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT

The safe transportation of students and personnel within the CavernaIndependentSchool District is the Pupil Transportation Department's primary objective and challenge.

It is the intent of the Caverna Board of Education to provide drivers with the same income and responsibilities as the previous year. However, changes in the department's organizational structure, route demands, and student population may dictate corresponding changes in personnel and other departmental resources.

DEFINITIONS:

Bidding / The process by which an employee declares, in writing, his/her desire to assume the responsibilities of an available route/job vacancy.
Break in Service / An interruption in an employee's employment status with the school district.
Bus Monitor / A bus assistant who accompanies the bus driver on selected routes that transport select Special Education and/or Preschool students.
Displaced or reassigned drivers / A driver who has lost his/her assigned route(s) due to the process of route elimination, reduction in force or disciplinary reasons.
Driver / An employee within the Pupil Transportation Department who has:
  • Completed the requisite training (initial and/or annual update),
  • Attained the mandated Commercial Drivers License (CDL),
  • Received a certificate of acceptance from a Board approved physician who certifies the employee as being physically and emotionally qualified to drive a school bus, and
  • Signed the official School Bus Driver contract of employment as offered by the Board of Education

Extra-curricular trips (field trips) / School-related activities that require students to be transported away from the school site for the purpose of participation in educational or cultural experiences, or to various approved competitions or events.
Full-time driver / Drivers who are guaranteed at least 20 hours of work per week, who are eligible for full employee benefits, and who are assigned regular routes.
Hire-in date / In relation to the establishment of seniority within the Pupil Transportation department, the hire-in date is to be the date on which the employee officially becomes a full-time employee as a transportation worker or bus driver. Substitute bus drivers are not considered full-time employees.
Medically fragile students / Those students whose medical condition requires special accommodations and special training while being transported. Examples include students with:
  • Feeding tube
  • Tracheotomy
  • Brittle bones
  • Catheterization
  • Grand mal seizure activity

Non-Traditional Routes / A non-traditional route is one that is developed and bid as a separate route from a driver contracted route.
Overtime / Overtime is considered as time worked beyond an accumulated 40 hours per week. Overtime will be paid at a rate of 1.5 times the driver's regular rate of pay for each hour worked. Prior approval must be received.
Posting / The process of notifying potentially interested drivers of all primary and secondary route vacancies that may develop.
Pre-School / A program that involves KERA Pre-School that includes "at-risk" four year old students, and three and four year old students with disabilities.
Problem-solving / When a problem arises and is presented to supervision (Transportation Director, or Superintendent) an answer will be given within 24 hours. If a decision cannot be made during that time the supervisor shall contact the said person with theproblem and advise them that additional time to reach a decision is needed, in which event he/she shall give them such decision within one week.
Routes / There are basically two categories of bus routes:
Primary Routes:
  • Regular AM/PM and Special Education AM/PM routes. These routes are similar in design and duration from year to year (i.e., geography, and school(s) served, constant times of the day).
  • The number and identities of the student riders and the assigned bus may fluctuate yearly.
  • Alternative Schools Routes
Secondary Routes:
All extra assignment routes including:
  • Vocational
  • Extended School (ESS)
  • School for blind and deaf

Seniority / Seniority is an employee's length of service, based on the employee's hire-in-date within the Pupil Transportation Department, and is used as the determining factor in considering vacant route opportunities or reductions in force. As a point of emphasis, it should be noted that seniority shall be based on continuous service including approved leave of absences.
Substitute drivers shall be granted seniority rights before newly hired drivers if each is hired full-time simultaneously.
Substitute driver (part-time employee) / Drivers who are employed on a part-time basis and who function as substitutes for absent full-time drivers are not guaranteed any specific number of work hours per week and are not eligible for any employee benefits.
Vocational route / The process of transporting students to and from a school to another site for the purpose of exposing the student to specialized instruction in vocational/technological subjects.

EMPLOYEE SENIORITY:

Seniority / Seniority will be used as the determining factor in considering route advancement opportunities or reductions in force.
Determination of hire-in date / Driver hire-in dates are established bythe date the employee completes their final “CDL” test.

DEPARTMENT STAFFING:

Board approval / All official staff positions within the Pupil Transportation Department will be Board approved.
Staff jurisdiction and authority / Every member of the Pupil Transportation Department staff has the authority to provide instruction and advice to drivers as required by their official job duties, and as directed by the Director of Transportation.
Staff members / Board approved staff members include the following:
  • Director of Transportation
  • State Certified Bus Driver Instructor

Driver Trainers / At the recommendation of the Transportation Director, a driver may be assigned to School Bus Driver Trainer position. Transportation will budget for drivers to attend a certification course and they will have the responsibility of giving instruction, guidance, and corrections to driver procedures.

DRIVER ASSIGNMENTS:

Assigningdrivers to routes / All routes are subject to periodic change. The Director of Transportation has the authority to modify routes at any time throughout the school year for more efficient utilization of equipment and personnel by any or all of the following means:
  • Adjusting the number and identity of students on specific buses
  • Changing route design to include bus stop locations and intervals
  • Discontinuing route(s) or route segments
Drivers will drive their assigned route(s) as originally designed or as subsequently modified. All route changes will be recommended by the drivers, certified bus instructor and/or Director of Transportation, and approved by the Director of Transportation.
Any drivers caught changing routes without approval is subject to disciplinary action up to termination.
Drivers will be notified not later than July 15 preceding the beginning of the school year of any elimination of routes or other assignment changes that occur for reasons other than providing for equitable loads among the affected drivers in the area in combination with a reasonable balance of riding time for affected students.
When possible and feasible, drivers will be assigned the same route(s) as driven during the previous school year, subject to route availability and needs.

ROUTE/JOB VACANCIES:

Route Vacancies / As new routes are created, or vacancies occur in existing routes, they will be appropriately posted, bid on by interested drivers, and awarded based on driver seniority. If a driver bids on a route, that driver must keep that same route for one year. The year begins the day the route begins.
Filling of Route Vacancies / Not every primary or secondary route that is left vacant will be automatically posted and filled. The decision to fill route vacancies will be determined by the Director of Transportation including the reassignment of affected students to other bus routes to make the routes more efficient or to equalize existing driver workload or driving time.
Route Vacancy Posting Requirements / Within ten (10) working days following any route vacancy, and after the decision has been made to fill that vacancy, a written notice of any such vacancy will be conspicuously posted at the following locations throughout the District for a period of ten (10) working days:
  • Transportation Department
  • Central Office
The written notice will include a route description.
Secondary Routes / The following secondary routes may be bid: vocational, extended school services, school for the blind and deaf, and any other route not considered a full time assigned area. The Director of Transportation will assign a driver based on seniority. If a regular driver can not be found, then a substitute driver will be assigned.
Bidding Process / If a driver is interested in a vacant route, they must sign up at the Transportation Department prior to the deadline. The vacant route will be awarded based on seniority.
When a new bus route becomes available and no regular driver bids, a substitute driver may bid on this new route.
Bidding Limitations / Drivers are only allowed one primary route and/or one secondary route change as the results of the route/job bidding process per contract year. No lateral or reduction changes shall be permitted unless it benefits the driver and the District.
A driver may not bid on a secondary route if the duration of those routes would put the driver into overtime status.
Awarding of routes / The driver to whom the route is awarded shall start on said route as soon as possible. Actual starting time shall be determined working in cooperation with the Transportation Director.

BUS ASSIGNMENTS AND PARKING:

Driver/Bus Assignments / When a new bus arrives, the Director of Transportation will assign the bus to the driver. This determination will be based on the age of the current buses on route, the number of years that the bus has been used on a regular route, and a driver’s driving record, and how well the driver has maintained the current bus he/she is driving.
Bus Parking Guidelines / All buses will be parked at the Central Office bus lot.

BUS MONITORS:

Utilization of Bus Monitors / The decision to assign a Bus Monitor to a specific bus will be made by the Director of Transportation.
The Bus Monitor (an individual other than the bus driver) has the general responsibility of:
  • Assisting in the loading and unloading of students
  • Administering to the needs of students while they are being transported to and from school, or related functions

Transporting three and four year old students / Each bus that transports three and four year old children is required to have at least one Bus Monitor. In relation to three and four year old children, the Bus Monitor is responsible for:
  • Delivering and receiving each child safely to and from the parent, guardian, or a person authorized by the parents
  • Escorting any three and four year old child who must cross a roadway
Assisting the driver as needed in enforcing student safety rules
Bus Monitor training / The District shall provide all bus Monitors with appropriate training prior to assuming the duties of their job.

SPECIAL EDUCATION TRANSPORTATION:

Bus Monitors / A Bus Monitor will be assigned to a bus if the presence of a monitor is dictated by the student(s) IEP and/or the District's Director of Special Education relative to special physical, mental, or emotional needs of the student(s) being transported.

EMPLOYEE PAY:

Salaries / All regular and substitute classified personnel shall be paid on an hourly or salary basis. Salaries will be paid on the 15th and last day of each month.
Drivers' pay for services rendered / Employees will be paid a minimum of 20 hours per week for primary route for work activities according to the rate specified in the Classified Salary Schedule. The length of the workday shall be established for each position by the Board. Such work includes, but is not limited to:
  • Pre-trip, monthly inspections, fueling
  • Vehicle housekeeping and cleaning
  • Administrative and logistical requirements
  • Bus evacuation drills
  • Consultation or counseling duties
  • Drug testing
It does not include the interim period between assigned route segments, non-authorized waiting time between mid-day route segments, and other non-required activities assumed by the employee.
In the A.M., the driver's time starts when they begin their pre-trip and ends when they finish routes. In the P.M., a driver's time starts when they begin their pre-trip or walk-around inspectionloading of students at schools and ends when they finish the post-trip inspection at the parking lot.
Any variances to this section must come under Non-Traditional route classification. (See definitions - non-traditional route)
Daily time clock in / Transportation employees are to clock in/out by using the time clocks in the transportation garage or school they are assigned. When taking an extra-curricular trip, drivers should record their time on the trip sheet in addition to time clock in and out.
Employees falsifying time records is a serious offense that will be handled accordingly.
Overtime Work / Drivers are not normally authorized overtime (time worked beyond 40 hours per week). Hourly employees required to work in excess of forty (40) hours per week will be paid at the rate of 1 1/2 times the regular rate for all hours beyond 40 as provided by law for overtime work. Overtime will only be allowed when deemed essential, and then only if approved by the District Superintendent. Weekly hours accrue Sunday through Saturday.
Employee absences / All absences from the job must be in accordance with established Board policies on the subject. A completed transportation absence request must be submitted to the Director of Transportation promptly for such absences. Planning is essential to getting requests approved. However, it is understood that medical and emergency leave are often out of the employee's control and will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
A “Report of Absence” form should be completed as soon as possible when the employee returns to work.
Credit for experience / Refer to the District Policy Manual pertaining to Classified.
Stipend for Drug/Alcohol Testing / Drivers submitting to a random drug or alcohol test will be paid at regular rate for each time they submit to a required random drug or alcohol test in the manner and location prescribed.

HOLIDAYS/VACATIONS/LEAVES: Refer to the District Policy manual pertaining

to Classified.

Absence Days Drivers are under a contract to work the number of days

determined by the school calendar; and are

expected to report for work other than absence due to illness

or personal. Since employees under a 10 month contract “do

not” get vacation days these are the

only authorized days off work.

Absence days should be requested inadvance so suitable

coverage can be scheduled. Events such as vacation,

theological retreats, or other events should be planned while

school is not in session. Documentation shall berequired to

justify that an employee cannot report to work.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE:

This policy is designed to provide employees with an opportunity to present their work-related complaints through a grievance procedure. An appropriate dispute is an employee's expressed dissatisfaction concerning an interpretation or application of a work-related policy or procedure that directly affects the employee filing the grievance.

The grievance procedure is the exclusive remedy for employees with appropriate complaints. As used in this policy, the term "timely fashion" means five (5) working days unless extended by the Superintendent. The grievance procedure has a maximum of three (3) steps, unless the complaint involves a matter that can be appealed to the Board as described herein below, but disputes may be resolved at any step in the process. Disputes will be processed until:1.Employee is satisfied, 2.Does not file an appeal in a timely fashion, or 3. Exhausts the right to appeal under this policy. The decision becomes final whenever an employee does not file an appeal in a timely fashion or when a decision is made in the final step and the right of appeal no longer exists under this policy. Employees who feel they have an appropriate dispute should proceed as follows:

  • Step 1 - File a complaint within five (5) working days of the occurrence on which the complaint is based on a written form provided for this purpose with the employee's Designated Administrator. If the dispute involves the Designated Administrator, then the employee may proceed directly to Step 2. The Designated Administrator will investigate the complaint, attempt to resolve it, and if unresolved, provide a written decision to the employee within ten (10) calendar days of receipt of the complaint.
  • Step 2 - Appeal the decision to the Superintendent’s designee if the employee is dissatisfied with the Designated Administrator's decision, or file the initial complaint with the Superintendent’s designee if Step 1 has been bypassed.

This appeal or initial complaint filing must be made in a timely fashion using typed or legible hand written statements, and if an appeal of a decision offered, the initial complaint and the Designated Administrator's response to the initial complaint must be attached thereto. If an appeal, Superintendent’s designee may request the Designated Administrator to provide a written response to the appeal.