School Bus Safety

 

  1. Use caution and avoid walking in the THE DANGER ZONES outside of the bus. 
  2. Follow the Driver's instructions. 
  3. Be KIND and RESPECTFUL to others. 
  4. Stay seated, facing forward. 
  5. Always keep your hands, feet, body, and objects to yourself.
  6. Speak in a classroom voice.
  7. Please do not eat or drink on the bus as it is a choking and allergy hazard. 

 

What do the red lights mean? 

Please help keep our students safe by paying attention to the bus's lights. Yellow lights indicate that the bus is about to stop, once the red lights and stop sign come on, it means that students are exiting and may be crossing the street. 

There is one exception: If you are passing a bus on the roadway opposite of you that is separated by a median or other physical barrier, you do not need to stop. 

Please be aware of the law. First offense is a Class 2 misdemeanor with a fine up to $300, mandatory court appearance and six points on a driver's license. A second offense within a five-year period escalates to a Class 1 misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000.

Student safety is number one!

Eligible Riders

A bus ride to and from school is provided if the home address is more than:

  • One and a half miles for high school and middle school students.
  • One mile for elementary students.

State regulation requires that no one except school personnel and school children regularly assigned to a school transportation vehicle for a particular route and schedule may ride a school bus, unless she/he has received prior authorization from the appropriate school administrator and/or the Transportation Department. The Transportation Department will grant authorization to:

  • Any parent, provided space is available.
  • Any student going home with a friend, provided the student presents a note signed by a parent to an administrator at their school, who will then approve it and the note will be given to the bus driver, and provided space is available.
  • Any optionally enrolled student who has submitted the "Space Available" form to the Transportation Department and received approval, provided the student does not present a discipline problem. (The "Space Available" form can be accessed by clicking on the link provided on this website or at any LPS school and from the Transportation Service Center.)
  • Elementary students who use day care centers or sitters before and after school if an established stop is within the attendance boundary of the home school and is more than one mile from the school.

 

ITEMS NOT ALLOWED on the BUS

State regulation states that school buses shall not transport any items, material, or equipment that might endanger occupants of the bus. 

  • Weapons or facsimiles (includes water/toy guns, knives, etc…) 
  • Drugs, alcohol, tobacco products and all related paraphernalia (pipes, vape pens, etc…)
  • Chemicals
  • Glass bottles or containers
  • Flammable liquids, aerosol cans, perfumes, air sprays
  • Objects with sharp or dangerous edges
  • Oversized objects that cannot be secured or held in the student's lap without blocking the aisle or going above the seat back (this includes band instruments, large classroom crafts/projects and athletic equipment)
  • Animals/living creatures other than approved service animals
  • Skateboards/scooters

If a student arrives at the bus stop with any of the items listed above, they may not ride the bus with the item. All illegal items observed will be reported to the police and school administration immediately. Any incidents involving the possession of weapons, facsimiles, and other unsafe items will be reported immediately and may result in the student's transportation access being denied temporarily or permanently.