Overview

The mission of the Secaucus Public Schools Transportation Department is to provide safe and efficient transportation to the students of the District. School buses, by design, provide significant protection for the passengers, but the passengers themselves play a critical role in making the ride to and from school even safer. All students have a right to experience a safe ride, but students also have a responsibility to contribute to the safety of the ride. Please take the time to review this information with your child and be sure he or she understands the importance of their role in helping to maintain safety.

Bus Regulations

To provide for the optimum safety, parents or other adults are encouraged to wait at the bus stop before and after the students are transported to school. Parents and students should arrive at the bus stop five to ten minutes before the usual pick-up time.
Students should wait off the road in an orderly fashion for the bus.
Parents of pupils who miss the school bus must arrange other transportation for that day.
Students should not distract or engage the bus driver in conversation.
Each student must ride his/her assigned school bus. Bus changes are not permitted.
Bus drivers will report any violations of behavior rules to the principal.
Students must cross in front of the school bus and look both ways when crossing the street.
Parents who want to transport a child from the schools main office at least five minutes before dismissal to pick up their child or the child will be sent home in the regular manner. Park in designated areas specific to your school.
Certain types of children’s clothing can create a hazard on the school bus. Long dangling jackets or drawstrings, long backpack straps and long scarves or other loose clothing can get caught in the handrails, doors or other equipment as the child enters and exits the bus.

The driver shall be in full charge of the school bus at all times and shall be responsible for order; s/he shall never exclude a pupil from the bus, but, if unable to manage any pupil, shall report the unmanageable pupil to the principal of the school which he attends. A pupil may be excluded from the bus for disciplinary reasons by the principal and his parents shall provide for his transportation to and from school during the period of such exclusion.”

Parents are responsible for the safety of students until they board the bus. Parents are encouraged to escort their children to the bus stop, especially along and across busy roadways.
Parents of all students must notify schools with change of home, work and cell phone numbers, as well as student emergency list.
Parents of Kindergarten students are required to meet them at the stop at the end of their school day. Should there be no one to receive the child, he/she will be taken back to the school and transportation home becomes the responsibility of the parent.
For departmental safety and tracking, your child is only permitted to ride the bus he/she is assigned to and get on and off at their assigned stop only. No ineligible riders are allowed on the bus.

Transporting Musical Instruments/Sporting Equipment on School Buses

Oversized objects (musical instruments, sports equipment, etc.) are not permitted on the bus to school or home from school. Large musical instruments such as guitars, tubas, saxophones, French horns, snare drums and baritones are too large to be transported on school buses safely. In an accident, these items can easily become a projectile and can injure a student. Smaller instruments such as flutes, or clarinets for example can be stored safely with the student on board the bus. Bus drivers, bus aides, teachers, or parents are not permitted to assist in putting the instruments on the bus for a student. Any instrument carried onto the bus, must be placed in the student’s lap, or stored between the student’s legs on the floor. Unsecured instruments and sporting equipment are a safety hazard and cannot block the aisle. Any kind of sporting equipment, including bats of any kind, etc., must be handled in a safe manner, preferably secured in a sports equipment bag. Sports equipment and bags must be able to be placed on the student’s lap or between the student’s legs on the floor. If you’re not sure if the object is an acceptable size for transport, please check with your child’s Principal for guidance.

Danger Zones

The most important fact that parents must be aware of is the Danger Zone around the outside of a school bus. Despite all of the special mirrors on a bus, drivers may not always be able to see young children who are close to the bus. Everyone near the bus, including students, siblings and pets should stay away from these "danger zones".

Parents can assist by:

Encouraging students to stay out of the danger zone and do so themselves.
If a child needs to cross the road to get on or off the bus and you meet the bus, please cross with him or her, following the driver's hand signal.
Avoid purchasing traditional yellow raincoats, which blend in with the color of the bus.
Remove all jacket and coat drawstrings.
Students should keep all belongings in a book bag. Loose items dropped by children can cause them to reach into the Danger Zone.

Students are required to wear seat belts by State law. School bus drivers will inform students on the first day of school and remind students as necessary that they must wear their seatbelts. (NJSA 39:3B-10)

Drivers are not responsible for checking individual seatbelts per State law.

Transportation questions or concerns? Email us at [email protected]