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 Drop off age
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Skip
Senior Member

USA
72 Posts

Posted - 03/28/2008 :  08:10:46 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Does any one have a policy on what age you may drop aff students without a parent present. I can find nothing in NY state law to cover this issue. I know of cases were drivers have been in trouble for leting students off with out supervision.
My drivers want it for there protection. some parents find it as an inconveinance. As of now the super says no one up to second grade will be dropped off with out a parent. i have told the drivers no matter what age if they do not feel comfortable letting the student off. Dont do it. I would rather have a pissed of parent wiyh a safe child,than knowing something happened to the child after one of the drivers drop the child off.

Lifestar Fe
Top Member

United States
521 Posts

Posted - 03/28/2008 :  08:17:26 AM  Show Profile  Click to see Lifestar Fe's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
My drivers always did it up to fourth grade. I am not sure what the law is though.

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Thomas Ford 85-16
Top Member

USA
4177 Posts

Posted - 03/28/2008 :  09:57:41 AM  Show Profile  Visit Thomas Ford 85-16's Homepage  Send Thomas Ford 85-16 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
My hometown school district required a parent to be present up and through third grade. Where I work, they only require a parent to be present for the four year olds in the preschool/head start program. I'm not sure what exactly to call it, since there is a headstart in the county already, but it's some federally funded early start program. At schools, an adult even meets the bus to get these students. On the other hand, it drives me nuts but I have to let kindergarteners off to no one in the middle of nowhere. I really think parents need to be meeting the elementary schoolers. It's too much of a bother for the parents to get out of the house and up to the road though, so our admin won't be pushing a revision of that policy anytime soon.

Mike's Bus Yard - http://buses.zwebpages.com - Since 1999
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NathanW
Advanced Member

United States
313 Posts

Posted - 03/28/2008 :  1:37:19 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
*shrug* I don't have a clue. Generally, when I sub a route the kids tell me when someone is supposed to be there. Sometimes dispatch will tell me before I leave. Usually I can tell by the look on a kids face if they are supposed to get picked up or not.

Nathan--Driver Extraordinaire
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Kodie
Top Member

United States
2028 Posts

Posted - 03/28/2008 :  4:12:26 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Our district requires a parent at the bus stop for K-1st graders. After that they can be let off.
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BBInt.10
Top Member

USA
1042 Posts

Posted - 03/28/2008 :  4:43:43 PM  Show Profile  Visit BBInt.10's Homepage  Send BBInt.10 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
Where I drive, only Kindergarten students require a parent to be present for dropoff. However, if there is always a parent present for an older elementary school student, and one day they are not there, we can bring the student back to the school if that's what we feel is best. There are a couple students on my bus older than kindergarten that I end up bringing back to the school from time to time.

If all your problems are behind you... you must be a school bus driver.
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80-RE4
Top Member

USA
5700 Posts

Posted - 03/30/2008 :  8:53:44 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Skip

Does any one have a policy on what age you may drop aff students without a parent present. I can find nothing in NY state law to cover this issue. I know of cases were drivers have been in trouble for leting students off with out supervision.
My drivers want it for there protection. some parents find it as an inconveinance. As of now the super says no one up to second grade will be dropped off with out a parent. i have told the drivers no matter what age if they do not feel comfortable letting the student off. Dont do it. I would rather have a pissed of parent wiyh a safe child,than knowing something happened to the child after one of the drivers drop the child off.



Well that is a good attitude. I suppose you are in charge of operations? Around here, it is K-01. However some parents feel as if they make up their own rules regarding this issue (too bad, they don't).

Being a substitue driver- I will and do make sure that children (although it has somehow failed me once), make sure that those in grades K-01 have a parent. They must ID that person (parent, sister, brother) before they are allowed off the bus. If it holds up the route that I am subbing, makes a person upset, then life goes on and the faster they get to the bus to claim their child, the faster they can go on with their life.

I have been a substitue bus driver for the past 3 years. Prior to that (4 years, from 2001 to 2005, I was a perm. route driver). What a difference! Substitute drivers don't know that it's OK for "Sally" to get off with no parent. That doesn't work for me and if "Sally" is in the 1st grade, her mom or dad has to come to the bus door and tell me that that is her daughter etc.

Thanks to the person on this forum who once said "A late bus is a safe bus"!


A few weeks ago a K child started to get off the bus and I asked where his mom was and he said she waits in the house. The house is on a hill behind rocks. I told him he could not get off and we would circle around or try to contact his mom. I radioed into dispatch with the information and they were able to contact the mother. I dropped off a few kids and went back to the stop.

The mom walked down her 1,000 flight of stairs and asked me why I didn't let him off at the bus stop which was about 3,000 feet from her house and there was no way for me to see if he made it in.

I explained to her that as a sub driver, I have to make sure that all K-01 children are delivered with the right person. She said she allows her son to walk home without supervision. I explained to her nicely that while I'm driving the school bus, it's policy to make sure that K-01 has a parent or guardian etc for safety.

She went on to say that it is a residential area and it's a safe area. (Here I am thinking, lady what is your point I have other kids to drop off). I said to her "Well everything is fine now, I know that your son has been delivered safely and that is my main concern.

So she kept going ON and ON and ON about how she allows her son to walk without supervision. I wanted to say "well you are a bit crazy" but I said "Well it's my job to make sure he gets delivered safely, what if he wandered away? It still did not click in her head!

When I said that "What if he wandered away" her response was "My son is smart enough not to do that"... I finally had to say, well I have other kids to bring home and I would love to chat but I have to get going...

I just don't understand!!!!! It's not my fault that this lady built her house on a mountain with 1,000 flights of stairs.

(Okay had to vent!)



The reason why I am not burnt out from this job is for the parents that appreciate our hard work! The ones who say THANK YOU for making sure he was with the right person!

Edited by - 80-RE4 on 03/30/2008 8:54:57 PM
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