Bus Transportation
The Transportation team ensures safe and reliable transportation for students traveling to and from school and school-related activities.
Key responsibilities include:
- Bus route planning and scheduling
- Coordination with schools and families
- Fleet maintenance and inspection
- Driver training and certification
Eligibility
Eligibility
Cypress School District provides transportation to and from school in the following situations:
- Students in grades K-3 living more than ¾ mile and students in grades 4-6 living more than 1 mile from their home school. This currently applies to certain students at Luther and Vessels only. Designated stops are available for each of these school sites.
Families complete an online Bus Transportation Application to request transportation from one of these designated stops.
- Students with an IEP requiring bus transportation.
Eligible students receive an application from the Special Education department.
- Students who qualify under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, are in foster care, or meet the definition of low income and need transportation to and from school. Designated bus stops will be identified based on student need.
Families contact their home school office, and the school office staff submits the form requesting transportation.
- Students who have been administratively transferred and need transportation to and from school.
Families contact their home school office, and the school office staff submits the form requesting transportation.
School bus transportation continues to be impacted by a nationwide bus driver shortage. Therefore, we are asking that families only apply for bus transportation if it will be used on a regular basis.
Students approved for bus transportation will only be permitted to ride the bus on their assigned route and time.
Please remember . . .
- Reporting Absences: If your child does not need bus transportation, please contact the transportation department at (714) 220-6950.
- Pick-up / Drop-off: Students must be at their designated pick-up stop and ready to board 5 minutes before their scheduled pick-up time. Students who are not met at drop-off will be returned to their school.
- Route/Times: Pick-up and drop-off times may be adjusted throughout the year if there is an increase or decrease in the number of students on the same bus route.
- Pick-up/Drop-off Address Changes: Changes to a student's pick-up or drop-off address may take up to three days to implement.
- Personal items: Make sure all sweaters, jackets, backpacks, and other personal items are marked with the student's name. Any unmarked items left on the bus will be kept for one week and then donated to a charitable organization.
Rules & Regulations
School Bus Rules & Regulations
Bus Stops
Buses will stop only at designated bus stops or the closest safe point if a bus stop is not accessible. The district does not provide bus service to locations outside the district boundaries.
Travel Time
Travel time(s) may change when modifications are made to a route. The district attempts to limit riding time to less than 45 minutes whenever possible.
Bus Delays
The bus may be delayed for many reasons; therefore, students should wait at the bus stop for 10 minutes after the assigned time before parents contact Transportation. In order to keep to the schedule, the bus driver will not wait for late-arriving students. Students are expected to be at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time.
Meeting Students at the Bus
All transitional kindergarten/kindergarten students are designated as “Must Be Met” riders, which means being met by a parent or designee. The parent or designee should be at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to the scheduled drop-off time. Only the people on the student’s contact list are allowed to meet the student. If no one is present at the drop-off time to meet a “Must Be Met” student, or if the person is not on the list, the student will be returned to school for safety reasons. If the parent cannot be reached, the student will be taken to the Police Department.
Student Illnesses
Students who are ill should not be sent to school. If a student becomes ill at school, the parent will be notified and will be responsible for taking the student home.
Seat Belts
Seat belts should be used when available.
Lost Items on Buses
Students may retrieve lost items from the bus on the next school day. Thereafter, unclaimed items will be turned over to the school.
Video Cameras
Video cameras may be used on school buses to monitor student behavior. Boarding a school bus is considered consent to be photographed. Video images will not be made public.
Student Safety
At least once at the beginning of each school year, each student will receive appropriate instruction in safe riding practices and participate in an emergency bus evacuation drill. We are committed to the safety of students while on the bus and at a bus stop. However, parents and students bear the responsibility of keeping themselves and others safe when traveling to and from the bus stop.
Student Conduct
The following are district rules for the safe transportation of students on district buses at all times:
- Students should conduct themselves safely and properly while waiting around bus stops and loading zones. This includes not harming private property surrounding the bus stop.
- Students must present their own bus pass to identify themselves to the driver when boarding the bus (both morning and afternoon) and can only ride buses to which they are assigned.
- The bus driver is responsible for safety on and around the bus and must be obeyed at all times. The bus driver may designate where students are to sit on the bus.
- Students must remain seated with hands and feet inside the bus at all times.
- For the safety of everyone, food, drink, and littering are not permitted on the bus.
- Students may not use cell phones or other electronic devices while on the bus. These items must be kept in bags or backpacks.
- Students are forbidden to board the bus with objects that present a safety hazard to other students.
- Students will exit through the front doors only unless directed otherwise by the driver. When it is necessary to cross the street after leaving the bus, the student must cross in front of the bus under the direction of the driver while the flashing lights are in operation.
- School rules of conduct also apply when waiting for or riding the bus. Students who fail to comply will have their riding privileges suspended and/or revoked.
Disciplinary Action
When unacceptable student behavior on the bus is observed or reported, the Transportation department will contact the principal or designee to review the incident and any disciplinary action. Parents and students will be counseled, as appropriate. Please note that depending on the severity of the infraction, we reserve the right for immediate suspension of bus riding privileges.
Violation of the rules of conduct may result in a Student Bus Citation with the following consequences:
General Education Students
- 1st Citation: Warning and bus citation sent home for parent signature.
- 2nd Citation: Warning and bus citation sent home for parent signature with notation from principal of action taken and notification of potential suspension from riding the bus.
- 3rd Citation: Student suspended from riding the bus for 5 consecutive days. Bus citation sent home for parent signature with notation from principal of action taken and notification of potential 20-day suspension.
- 4th Citation: Student suspended from riding the bus for 20 consecutive days. Bus citation sent home for parent signature with phone call from principal of action taken and notification of potential suspension from riding the bus for the remainder of the school year.
- 5th Citation: Student suspended from riding the bus for the remainder of the school year. Bus citation sent home for parent signature with phone call from principal of action taken and notification of suspension.
Special Education Students
- 1st Offense: Parent communication. A citation will occur only after parent communication of the first offense has been completed.
- 1st Citation: Warning and bus citation sent home for parent signature. Bus driver, Transportation department, and principal may meet with student, and principal may assign consequence.
- 2nd Citation: Warning and bus citation sent home for parent signature with notation from principal of action taken and notification of potential suspension. Principal calls parent.
- 3rd Citation: Student suspended from riding the bus for 2 consecutive days. Bus citation sent home for parent signature with notation from principal of action taken and notification of potential 5-day suspension. Principal calls parent.
- 4th Citation: Student suspended from riding the bus for 5 consecutive days. Bus citation sent home for parent signature with phone call from principal of action taken and notification of potential additional suspensions.
Download a copy of the School Bus Rules & Regulations
Safety Plan
Introduction
The Cypress School District will provide transportation for students under provisions of state law, regulations, and Board policy. It is the intent of the Cypress School District to use reasonable care and exercise appropriate safety measures in all aspects of student transportation.
Education Code
Pursuant to Education Code Section 39831.3 and Vehicle Code Section 22112, this Transportation Safety Plan must be kept on file at all school sites served by the Transportation department as well as at the Transportation department. This plan will be revised as needed and must be produced when requested by the California Highway Patrol.
Transportation Safety Plan
- Only authorized bus riders are permitted to ride the bus. Riders will be required to get on and off at his/her designated stop or other trip destination.
- Cypress School District utilizes bus passes for all students. These bus passes identify the student and his/her bus stop. All students must have a bus pass in order to ride the bus.
- The bus driver will make every effort to arrive at the bus stop at the scheduled time for pick-up and dropoff. If the bus arrives early, the driver will wait until the scheduled time before departing. In order to remain on schedule, the driver cannot wait at any stop beyond the scheduled pick-up or drop-off time.
- The bus driver has the authority to separate students and to assign students to specific seats as deemed necessary.
- Bus drivers are required by law to load and discharge passengers only at authorized stops as listed on scheduled home-to-school or school-to-home routes. If a student is hesitant or reluctant to get off the bus at his or her stop, the student will not be forced to get off and will be returned to school. Please do not ask or expect a driver to stop at a location other than your student's assigned bus stop.
- Many students who qualify for transportation through an individualized education plan (IEP) and all transitional kindergarten and kindergarten students must be met by a parent or designee. When authorized parties are not available to meet the student as required, the bus driver will complete the route and take the student back to school.
- Students needing to cross the street on which the bus is stopped shall be provided escort service.
The crossing light system (Ambers and Reds) shall be activated, as required, when the bus is stopped to load and unload students if the vehicle is parked on a highway or private road, unless under the direction of a traffic officer.
The lights DO NOT allow students to cross the roadway or highway unless the driver has exited the school bus and given the student direction that it is safe to cross. Students are to remain on the roadside until directed by the driver. Students are never to cross the roadway or highway behind the bus unless crossing at an official traffic-controlled signal.
Each student being escorted across the street is required to cross under authority of the driver after exiting and crossing in front of the bus.
- In order to ensure the continued high level of safety provided to our students and expected by the public, the Transportation department will continue to educate school bus drivers, students, and the public about the laws and dangers associated with loading and unloading students.
- Each student on a school bus must behave in a satisfactory manner in order for the driver to remain alert to the many hazards of driving. The safety of all students is of primary importance; a student who behaves in an unsatisfactory manner may be denied transportation. A student's conduct at school bus loading zones and stops must be satisfactory to allow for the safe loading and unloading at these locations. Parent reinforcement of these regulations will help considerably in maintaining a high level of safety and a low level of disciplinary problems. Parents may be responsible for any damage to vehicles or property caused directly by their child(ren).
- In compliance with SB 1072 and Education Code 39831.3 (Child Safety Alert System), (1) The bus driver shall inspect the entirety of the interior of the bus for students before exiting the bus. The driver shall turn the ignition to the off position and remove the key. The driver shall place the key in his/her possession prior to checking for students as he/she walks to the rear of the bus. (2) The driver shall push the Child Check Mate System button at the rear of the bus and hold in for 3 seconds to disengage the system. (3) The driver shall continue to check the interior of the bus for students as he/she walks to the front of the bus before exiting.
- California Vehicle Code Section 22112 requires a school bus driver to activate the red lights at all times when a school bus is stopped to load and unload students. This includes locations where traffic is controlled by an official traffic signal. However, Section 22112 does not permit a school bus driver to activate the red lights at the following locations:
- Any place where traffic is controlled by a traffic officer.
- School bus loading zones on or adjacent to school grounds or during an activity trip if the school bus is lawfully parked.
- Where the school bus is disabled due to mechanical breakdown.
- Where students require assistance to board or leave the school bus.
- Where the roadway surface on which the bus is stopped is partially or completely covered by snow or ice.
- On a state highway with a posted speed limit of 55 miles per hour or higher where the school bus is completely off the main traveled portion of the highway.
- Any location determined by the school district, with approval of the CHP, to present a traffic or safety hazard.
Download a copy of the Transportation Safety Plan