Student Handbooks

Transportation

Contact

Illinois Central School Bus
220 North Randall Road
St. Charles, IL  60174
Phone: (630) 584-1658
BPS Transportation Line: (630) 937-8837

Busing Information

Students living 1-1/2 miles or more from their attendance center are entitled to ride the school bus at no cost. Students living within 1-1/2 miles, but in an area designated as hazardous by the State of Illinois, may ride the bus at no cost. Students living within 1-1/2 miles may ride the bus for a fee.

Students who use the bus service for transportation to and from school must register with the school office at the time of school registration.  Students who are not registered may not ride a school bus for any reason except a school sponsored trip. Students may ride only the bus to which they are assigned.  

Please notify the school if a child is not going to ride the bus home from school. Unless notification is received, the child will ride the bus home.

Bus route and stops are published electronically on the PowerSchool parent portal, which can be accessed through the district website at www.bps101.net.   

All students who ride a school bus–whether to and from home or on a field trip–are expected to follow the safety guidelines listed below. Riding a school bus is a privilege not a right. Failure to comply with reasonable expectations will result in suspension of bus riding privileges.

Discipline reports filed by the bus company with the school office will be forwarded to the parent.  A regular pattern of reports will result in a loss of bus riding privileges.

Twice a year all students participate in a Bus Evacuation Drill.  The purpose of these drills is to ensure that students and adults know what to do in the case of an actual bus emergency.

Code of Conduct for Riding the School Bus

Riding the school bus is a privilege provided to the student population by the district. Video cameras may be in use.

School Bus Passenger Code of Conduct

  1. This code shall apply to all passengers riding Illinois Central School Bus school buses including faculty, staff, students, and authorized guests.
  2. Illinois Central School Bus shall communicate the requirements of this code through the districts that we serve through printed notice. In addition to meet and greet handouts to the parent population.
  3. Parents or guardians of student passengers are responsible for instructing their children on applicable safety and behavior expectations for their children, including acquainting themselves with, and discussing with their children, the bus procedures.
  4. Students who do not abide by the code may forfeit their bus riding privileges. Illinois Central School Bus will supply detailed documentation to the district. The final decision to interrupt transportation services will be determined the authorized school district official.  

Code of Conduct Prior to Loading (on the road and at school)

  1. Encourage students (especially those in preschool and elementary school) to use the restroom prior to boarding the bus. The bus will not make restroom stops.
  2. Be on time at the designated school bus stop in order to keep the bus on schedule.
  3. Refrain from horseplay or other boisterous conduct that could pose a danger to the health and safety of the student or to others while waiting for the bus.
  4. Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before boarding the bus. Students shall line up in an orderly, single-file manner and not rush to board the bus. Students should board the bus by age with youngest students loading first.
  5. If there are no sidewalks or paths, walk to the side of the road facing traffic to get to the bus stop.
  6. Use the bus handrail and watch your step when boarding the bus.

While on the Bus

  1. Keep head, arms, and hands inside the bus at all times. Yelling or obscene gestures will not be tolerated.
  2. Refrain from loud talking, laughing, or creating unnecessary confusion, which may divert the driver’s attention and may result in a serious accident.
  3. Treat fixtures on the bus with care. Illinois Central School Bus will seek reimbursement for any vandalism or other acts of destruction that result in damage to bus seats, windows, etc.
  4. Refrain from tampering with the bus or its equipment.
  5. Keep all aisle ways clear of books, packages, coats and other objects.
  6. In cases of road emergencies, remain in the bus unless directed otherwise by the bus driver.
  7. Do not throw any objects out of the bus window.
  8. Remain properly seated while the bus is in motion. Remain in assigned seat unless directed to move by driver. Do not stand or sit on the bus floor.
  9. Refrain from fighting, or engaging in other behavior that would endanger the health and safety of self or others.
  10. Do not consume food or beverages on the bus.
  11. Obey all instructions from the bus driver.

After Leaving the Bus

  1. When crossing the street without the assistance of a bus driver, cross at nearby crosswalks or intersections, 12 feet in front of the bus but NEVER behind the bus. If no crosswalks or intersections are available, look both left and right to ensure that no vehicles are approaching before crossing. Always avoid crossing at curves or on hills.
  2. When crossing the street with the assistance of a bus driver, walk twelve (12) feet in front of the bus and check to see if the alternating red lamps on the top of the bus are flashing. If so, look at the driver and wait for him/her to give you the signal to cross. If the red lamps are not flashing, do not cross. Notify the driver if the lamps are not working and ask for assistance in crossing the street.
  3. Passengers shall not be permitted to leave the bus at other than designated bus stops unless proper authorization has been given in advance by school officials.

Bus Assignments

  1. Passengers may be assigned to ride designated buses at specified times and locations.
  2. Passengers may not bring guests or friends on the bus.
  3. Passengers are assigned seats on the bus, and if not assigned the bus driver will determine where the passenger will sit.
  4. Illinois Central School Bus may take corrective action against passengers who violate the Code, up to and including forfeiture of bus privileges by requesting approval from the authorized school official.

Reporting of Student Infractions

Students are under the direct supervision of the bus driver while riding the bus. The driver shall be responsible for enforcing and reporting any infractions to the school administrator. If monitors are riding the bus, they shall assist the driver with supervision.

If an infraction is observed, the driver shall submit an Incident Report to the dispatcher on duty immediately upon return to base. This notice will be sent over to the authorized school official for review and determination of action to be taken. The student’s parents shall be notified of the incident by the authorized school official or by Illinois Central School per authorization from authorized school official.

The driver shall not threaten nor order students off the bus en route. The driver shall not search students nor detain students by force on the bus. If the school administrators are not at the loading area or bus stop, students shall be permitted to leave.

If an emergency exists, the driver shall stop at the nearest safe location and make reasonable efforts for self-protection and protection of other passengers. In the event the driver cannot make the protective efforts, the driver shall set the brakes and gear to secure the bus, remove the ignition keys, evacuate passengers from the bus and call for assistance.

The driver shall verbally inform the dispatch of the action taken immediately after completing the run and submit a written report. Dispatch will send over a copy of this report to the authorized school official. In addition dispatch will call the assigned school official to report this incident, documenting date and time of call.

Electronic Recordings on School Buses

Electronic visual and audio recordings may be used on school buses to monitor conduct and to promote and maintain a safe environment for students and employees when transportation is provided for any school related activity. Notice of electronic recordings shall be displayed on the exterior of the vehicle’s entrance door and front interior bulkhead in compliance with State law and the rules of the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Traffic Safety.

The content of the electronic recordings are student records and are subject to District policy and procedure concerning school student records; such recordings are exempt from the Eavesdropping Act. Only those people with a legitimate educational or administrative purpose may view and/or listen to the electronic video and/or audio recordings. If the content of an electronic recording becomes the subject of a student disciplinary hearing, it will be treated like other evidence in the proceeding.

Illinois Central School Bus – St. Charles Location is dedicated to the following:

  • Providing safe transportation of the students
  • Accommodating transportation requests and meeting time commitments.
  • Operating efficiently and within budget.

Transportation Reimbursement

The purpose of the Parent/Guardian Pupil Transportation Program is to reimburse parents or guardians of eligible students for qualified transportation expenses. Statutory authority for this program can be found in the Illinois School Code at 105 ILCS 5/29-5.2 Student eligibility criteria for this initiative includes the following:

  • The pupil must be under age 21 at the close of the school year;
  • The pupil must be a full-time student in grades K-12;
  • The pupil must live either:
  1. 1 1/2 miles or more from the school attended; or
  2. within 1 1/2 miles of the school attended, where a verified safety hazard exists (similar to the safety hazard mechanism in regular/vocational transportation reimbursement); and
  3. The pupil did not have access to transportation to and from school provided entirely at public expense.

Parent/Guardian Transportation Claim forms are mandated to be filed electronically via the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Web Application Security System (IWAS) located on the ISBE homepage at isbe.net.