Field Trips

The requesting party should confirm by email, an approved field trip with Field Trip Specialist at least 48 hours prior to the execution of the field trip. If the field trip has a somewhat complex routing or timing schedule, please ensure that the Transportation Department understands all the requirements prior to executing the field trip.

Due to early release the last two (2) weeks of school when dates vary, extra curricular trips can not be scheduled.

One sponsor/coach/teacher must be on each bus. They are to assist the driver with managing the students and are required to maintain a safe, clean atmosphere on the bus.
Sponsors, coaches or teachers cannot be picked up at or taken to their home.
Spouses of sponsors and their children are not allowed to ride on the bus.
A trip driver’s obligation is to the sponsor and the group. A driver is notto leave the bus unattended unless he/she is with a group, has to get something to eat, or use the restroom. During these times, a driver will leave the keys with another school bus driver, if available. Drivers will fuel their bus prior to the event to avoid delaying the return trip.

Local mileage chart and tables are for estimated mileage only. All trips will be charged for the actual miles traveled.
Trip Mileage Charges:

Field Trip rates are :$3.50 per mile.

If you need the bus to remain on location there will be a “Wait time” fee of $16.50 per hour and charged $3.50 per mile
These are trips where Transportation drivers are required to remain with their group for the entire time of the trip
Coach and or Sponsor Driven Trips:$2.60 per mile

All drivers must have current CDL, DOT Physical Card and Certification cards on file with Transportation’s Field Trip Coordinator (FTC) before they will be allowed to drive a field trip
All other trips:$3.50 per mile.

Drop and return trips will be charged for two(2) round trips from Campus to Campus
An additional $15.00 fee will be charged in the event that buses are not cleaned when returned (i.e. swept, windows up, all trash picked up and door closed)
For all trips within our district, we are requesting Campus Administrators to schedule trips for a drop and return whenever possible. This will allow us to use or resources more efficiently

Out of State trips may be charged an additional insurance charge, where required

All TOLL ROAD FEES are to be paid by the Sponsors if the bus is not equipped with a toll tag

Sponsors will be required to sign and validate the trip-approval-form form at the completion of each trip. Transportation drivers will have these forms with them and must have the sponsors signature. Sponsors will receive a copy for campus records

Field trip changes and cancellations must be e-mailed to the Field Trip Specialist within 24 hours before the trip to inform the department of any changes or cancellations during business hours, 5:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
For major changes, a new requisition is required. You will be charged if a bus is dispatched due to a cancellation that has not been rescheduled.
The charge will be the total miles round trip or actual cost, whichever is greater.

Special Needs buses are also limited due to the type of special equipment needed for student travel. It is extremely important that when requesting a Special Needs bus you clearly state the number of walk-on students, aides, teachers, etc. along with number of students in wheelchairs, and/or any other special adaptive equipment necessary to safely transport students.

Sponsors are not allowed to hold buses past their 1:30 p.m. return time to their Campus. There are nocases where this is acceptable. School buses must be back in time to run their routes.
Field trip buses must return according to the requisition. Failure to comply with this requirement usually results in late route runs and unnecessary anxiety for bus students, parents, teachers, and principals.
Repeated occurrences may result in limiting Field Trip service to your campus.

It is the responsibility of the requestor to provide meals and a separate room for the driver and/or monitor at no cost to the driver and/or monitor.
Breakfast $10.00
Lunch $10.00
Dinner $10.00
Down time $8.00 an hour (up to 8 hours per day)
Overtime rate will apply only if the employee exceeds 40 hours of actual hours worked during a one week period (Sunday through Saturday).
The driver and/or monitor may share a room as long as they are the same gender. The only exception would be a husband and wife team. In the interest of safety, the driver and/or monitor must be able to sleep. A driver and/or monitor is not permitted to sleep in the same room as a student or sponsor.
No monitor is provided unless there is a wheelchair or a special needs student scheduled to ride. If a monitor is needed for a full passenger bus, it needs to be requested on the requisition.
At no time will the driver transport students without adult supervision. The driver’s responsibility is to transport students to their destination and back to point of origin.