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When the attached form is received at Transportation Center, "Request for
Review of School Bus Stop Review" form is completed by Transportation
Department staff. It is dated, numbered and transmitted to the appropriate
Safety Officer along with copies of maps of the neighborhood in question and
existing route sheets when appropriate.
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The "Request for Review of School Bus Stop" form and attached maps and route
sheets are reviewed by the Safety Officer. Often there is discussion between
the Safety Officer and the Transportation Planner regarding past reviews of the
area or clarification of the request for review.
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The Safety Officer conducts a site review of the area (during the time that
students are in the area whenever possible). The site is reviewed in accordance
with National Standards, State and District guidelines. Items considered are
distance to closest existing stop, grade at location and other physical aspects
of road surface, maintenance, traffic volume, lighting, traffic controls,
visibility of the students and stopped bus and any other safety issues deemed
pertinent by the Safety Officer. While on-site the Safety Officer completes the
lower portion of the "Request for Review" form.
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The Safety Officer may radio or call the Transportation Planner for additional
information while on-site completing the site review.
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Upon completion of the site review, the Safety Officer discusses his/her
recommendations regarding the request with the Transportation Planner and
occasionally with the Transportation Supervisor. The final recommendation is
presented to the Director of Transportation for approval/disapproval and sign
off.
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The individual requesting the additional stop or change is called by either
the Safety Officer or the Transportation Planner and notified of the status of
their request. If the request has been denied, an explanation of the
circumstances is provided to the requester. If the request is approved, the
requester is notified of the stop location, pickup and drop off times, route
number and effective date of the change/addition.
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The Transportation Planner then determines the route serving the area that can
accommodate the additional time and number of students that will be added by
the change/addition and adds the stop to the morning/midday/afternoon route
segments. The stop must be added to the master wall map and the wall route
board in the routing office as well as to the computer system that generates
the route sheets.
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The new route sheets are distributed to the drivers, dispatch and the payroll
clerk. The new stop listings (listing all active school bus stops by school)
are distributed to the school, dispatch and routing staff. Often, parents of
students using the current routes must be notified of the changes. Notification
of the route sheets and stop listings must be timely so that drivers will have
time to revise their maps/notebooks, schools will have the opportunity to
understand where students are to meet the bus, parents may be notified of
changes, and transportation staff may update their records and listings.
