--- title: "PPS Student Transportation Service Guidelines (Rev. 08/07/2024)" source_url: "https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1751562292/ppsnet/thzskadliar1v7qds4yc/Service_Guidelines_Student_Transportation_2024.pdf" retrieved: 2026-10-12 document_type: "PDF, linked from https://www.pps.net/departments/transportation/service-guidelines" sha256: 4e650662993d97d54f49b6f4134c9dfea942275021b60a48d25ea64ead7880dc original: originals/pps-transportation-service-guidelines-2024.pdf extraction_method: "pdftotext -layout" --- # PPS Student Transportation Service Guidelines (Rev. 08/07/2024) Unofficial text extraction for research. May contain extraction errors; consult the original at https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1751562292/ppsnet/thzskadliar1v7qds4yc/Service_Guidelines_Student_Transportation_2024.pdf. ```text Table of Contents SECTION A - Student Transportation Responsibilities................................................................ 2 SECTION B - Eligibility of Riders................................................................................................. 3 SECTION C - Conditions of Ridership......................................................................................... 5 SECTION D - Safety Provisions...................................................................................................7 Student Safety Training Provisions....................................................................... 8 SECTION E - Authority & Responsibility of School/Principal....................................................... 9 SECTION F - Transportation of General Education Students....................................................10 GT Students Attending Their Neighborhood School........................................... 10 GT Students Attending Dual Language Programs.............................................. 11 GT Students Attending Alternative & Focus Programs....................................... 11 SECTION G - Transportation of Special Education Students.................................................... 12 SECTION H - Hitcher Provisions............................................................................................... 16 Hitcher Request Form......................................................................................... 17 SECTION I - Volunteer & Temporary Bus Passes..................................................................... 18 Temporary Bus Pass Form...................................................................................19 SECTION J - Communication of Changes ................................................................................20 SECTION K - Reporting Transportation Problems/Concerns.................................................... 22 SECTION L - Transportation Department Appeal Procedure.................................................... 23 SECTION M - Appendices......................................................................................................... 24 RESOURCES............................................................................................................................ 25 Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 1 SECTION A STUDENT TRANSPORTATION RESPONSIBILITIES Student Transportation is responsible for: ● First and foremost, it is to protect the health, safety and well-being of its students. ● Secondly, to recognize the rights of each individual to quality education. ❖ Selecting the type of transportation to transport Portland Public School students. This may involve large school buses, small school buses, vans, sedans, contracted cabs, Tri-Met, or other available options that meet student needs and comply with District and State guidelines. ❖ Selecting bus stops and student assignments, based upon safety, respect for private property, prescribed walking distance to/from school and bus stops and economy of operation. Stops are located not less than 3/10 of a mile apart in designated safe areas central to the needs of all students. Exception: Student congestion and hazards may influence locating stops less than 3/10 of a mile. ❖ Providing semi-annual Safety Training Of Pupils in Portland Schools (STOPPS) in accordance with ODE rules (see Section G). ❖ Providing appropriate bus routes and time schedules that are coordinated with Board adopted school begin/end times to permit maximum equipment use in meeting student needs as set forth by Transportation and Board policies. As of Aug 2023, elementary bell times are 8:00 AM – 2:15 PM and 8:45 AM – 3:00 PM, middle school times are 9:15 AM – 3:45 PM and high school times are 8:30 AM -- 3:30 PM. ❖ Educating and enforcing District and state regulations for the safest transport of students with regard to student conduct on buses and at bus stops. ❖ Enforcing District and state regulations for the selection and training of school bus drivers and other District and contract personnel who may transport students of the District. ❖ Ensuring that district school buses are not being used for any other purpose except district and student related activities. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 2 SECTION B ELIGIBILITY OF RIDERSHIP 🚍 Transportation shall be provided in the following instances: 1. For students who live more than one mile from the elementary school they attend within their school attendance boundary. 2. For students who live more than one and one-half miles from the middle school they attend which is within their attendance boundary. 3. The distance from home to school shall be determined by: a. Measurement of the most direct combination of roads, streets, highways, and public paths. b. Measurement shall be determined from the street immediately in front of the school to the street in front of the student residence. This distance does not include private drives or parking lots. 4. High school students who reside more than one and 1.5 miles from the school they attend which is within their attendance boundary and one mile or more from TriMet, private, or other public services. Measurement shall be determined from the street immediately in front of the student residence to the closest stop. 5. Students in Dual Language Immersion programs who are native language speakers and are attending their assigned school, who live more than one mile from their assigned elementary school, or more than one and one half miles from assigned middle school. Non-native language speakers attending Dual Language Immersion programs may ride existing bus routes at existing stops as “hitchers” (see Hitcher Provision under Section I). 6. Students transferred at District initiative to another school to reduce overcrowding;. 7. Open-enrollment and private school students who live more than one mile from their assigned elementary school, or more than one and one half miles from assigned middle school, may ride existing bus routes at existing stops as “hitchers” (see Hitcher Provision under Section I). 8. Adult and student volunteers or other authorized persons who ride buses for a specific school-related function. Authorization shall be approved at the request from the school principal by the Student Transportation Director. Temporary Bus Passes (TD-38 form) will be issued by the school principal (see Section J, Item 5 for Adult/Volunteer Bus Passes) as required by Student Transportation. 9. Students transferred at District initiative to another school to provide an educational program not otherwise available. 10. Students enrolled in Special Education classes who have transportation as a related service in their IEP, PEP or IFSP. See Section L for specific guidelines pertaining to the “Transportation of Special Education Students.” 11. Students who meet the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 3 12. District or contract staff on official business. 13. Teachers, coaches, parents or chaperones who must accompany students on buses for field trips, athletic events, Outdoor School or other school-related functions. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 4 SECTION C CONDITIONS OF RIDERSHIP State of Oregon Rules For Students Riding School Buses These rules are posted in all Oregon school buses. Rules Governing Pupils Riding School Buses (OAR 581-053-0010) The following requirements and conditions pertain to all students who are eligible to ride on District or contracted transportation: 1. OAR 581-053-0010 “Rules Governing Pupils Riding School Buses” state: a. Pupils being transported are under authority of the bus driver. b. Fighting, wrestling, or boisterous activity is prohibited on the bus. c. Pupils shall use the emergency door only in case of emergency. d. Pupils shall be on time for the bus both morning and evening. e. Pupils shall not bring firearms, weapons or other potentially hazardous material on the bus. f. Pupils shall not bring animals, except approved assistance guide animals on the bus. g. Pupils shall remain seated while the bus is in motion. h. Pupils may be assigned seats by the bus driver. i. When necessary to cross the road, pupils shall cross in front of the bus or as instructed by the bus driver. j. Pupils shall not extend their hands, arms or heads through bus windows. k. Pupils shall have written permission to leave the bus other than at home or school. l. Pupils shall converse in normal tones; loud or vulgar language is prohibited. m. Pupils shall not open or close windows without permission of the driver. n. Pupils shall keep the bus clean and must refrain from damaging it. a. Pupils shall be courteous to the driver, to fellow pupils and passers-by. b. Pupils who refuse to promptly obey the directions of the driver, or refuse to obey regulations, may forfeit their privilege to ride on the bus. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 5 2. Additional District Guidelines: a. Due to safety and cleanliness concerns, eating and drinking on buses is prohibited. Exceptions are: ● On field trips and/or during inclement weather while the bus is parked. ● Diabetic students who may suddenly need sugar to control glucose levels. b. Students’ personal articles and belongings shall be placed in a manner that will not block aisles or emergency exits or endanger other riders. Large items that will not fit under the seat, cannot be carried in the student’s backpack or cannot sit on the seat next to the student will not be transported. It will be the parent’s responsibility to transport these items to/from school. Larger items with wheels such as skateboards and scooters must be attached to a backpack and unable to roll. Scooters must be collapsible. c. Students should be at designated stops at least five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled bus arrival. School buses may not wait more than one minute past the scheduled stop time for late students. d. A back-up bus will not be provided if students miss the bus. Back-up transportation may be provided only if it is verified there has been a Transportation Department error. e. Students or parents shall not request bus drivers to deviate from their prescribed route or make schedule changes. f. Requests for schedule or route changes shall be submitted to the Transportation Routing Office for evaluation and approval or denial. g. Students getting off at an alternate stop will require a note from their legal guardian and signed by the school. h. Pre-kindergarten, Kindergarten and designated ESL students must be met at their afternoon stop by a responsible person. Unmet students will be returned to the sending school/center. i. Students are required to conduct themselves in an orderly manner while waiting for, loading and unloading the bus. Good conduct and respect for private property are essential to maintain community support and bus stops. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 6 SECTION D SAFETY PROVISIONS 1. Students living within one mile of their assigned school (Pre-kindergarten – 5) or within 1.5 miles for grades 6 – 8 will only be transported if it is determined that they face unsafe and hazardous walking conditions(Section D.3. High school students (9 – 12) who live within 1.5 miles from their assigned school or who live within one mile of a TriMet bus stop and live more than 1.5 miles from their assigned school will only receive service if it is determined that they face unsafe and hazardous walking conditions(Section D.3). 2. The Transportation Field Supervisors will investigate to determine where unsafe and hazardous walking conditions exist. Parents may request transportation through Student Transportation or through their school. Schools will utilize TD-6’s for transportation requests. Student Transportation will review safety criteria to determine approval or denial of the request. If the request is denied, the requester shall be informed via email. The requestor may appeal by contacting the Transportation Department. 3. The following criteria will be used to determine if potentially unsafe, and hazardous conditions exist for students K-8 walking to/from school or bus stop: (a) Sidewalks or shoulders Usable shoulder is the portion of the roadway that extends beyond the outer lane marker. A usable shoulder can be asphalt, gravel, concrete, dirt, grass, or other substances that allow sufficient surface for walking. Shoulder width is determined as follows: ● When the roadway is marked with a fog line it shall be measured from the fog line out. ● When no fog line is available, the shoulder will start 10 feet from the left side lane marker of the right most lane. ● If the usable shoulder is less than four feet, it will be considered a potential hazard. However, there are community neighborhoods where students may walk safely in the streets. (b) Speed Limit Effective speed limit over 20 mph or high crash network and no sidewalk present ● Effective speed limit considers school zone speed limits where mapped school zones have signage to indicate a reduced speed limit for schools. (c) Intersection Crossings One or both of the segments being crossed has: ● Effective speed limit over 20 and no crossing controls (stop sign and/or signal and/or crosswalk) ● Effective speed limit over 25 or high crash network street: ○ The street is two lanes and a four-way stop or a crossing with a signal and crosswalk is not present ○ The street is more than two lanes and a crossing with a signal and crosswalk is not present (d) Other Conditions Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 7 There could occasionally be a condition not covered which would adversely affect the safety of students in walk areas. These conditions will be assessed and considered with all other pertinent information available. 4. The Student Transportation Department will review and respond to all safety concerns of District students, parents/guardians, or District staff. 5. High school walkability will be assessed on a case by case basis as we finalize the walkability criteria for high schools. STUDENT SAFETY TRAINING PROVISIONS All District students shall receive school bus safety instructions at least twice annually through participation in the STOPPS (Safety Training of Pupils in Portland Public Schools) program. This program is designed to familiarize students pre-kindergarten through 12th grades with school bus safety and emergency evacuation in compliance with OAR 581-053-0210. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 8 SECTION E AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY OF SCHOOL/PRINCIPAL School principals/administrators have responsibility and authority in specific areas of student transportation. Their counsel and assistance is necessary to ensure the District meets the goal of safe, timely, and economical transportation. The areas/procedures affecting principals are: 1. Student Management: “Student Referral” (TD-9 form) -- Requires action to be taken by the school principal and Field Supervisors. The principal or designee will work with Field Supervisors and has the authority to initiate corrective measures to assist the driver to resolve student misconduct that could jeopardize the safety of other passengers. The need for open communication and cooperation with all parties (driver/student/guardian/teacher/Transportation Department) is necessary to assure bus safety, comfort, and on-time performance. 2. Student Management -- Principals/Student Management Specialists may be asked to assist drivers with maintaining order and student safety while drivers are at or in route to and from a school. 3. Chaperones – Excluding to/from school service, transportation will not be provided for field trips or outdoor school without a teacher or authorized School District personnel to act as chaperone. Principals have the responsibility to assign such a person to accompany students on the bus and to assist drivers in maintaining proper conduct. 4. On-Site Supervision -- The Principal or designee must provide on-site supervision during bus loading and unloading for their students at school and receive written Bus Referrals from bus drivers or bus aides where assigned. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 9 SECTION F TRANSPORTATION OF GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS For information regarding Special Education Students, please see Section G below. C.1: STUDENTS ATTENDING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL 1. Students will be expected to walk to bus stops up to one mile from their home based on the scale in item 3 below. Special Education and 504 students are expected to walk to bus stops commensurate with their ability. 2. The following scale is the criteria for the student walking distances to/from bus stops: Grades Distance Pre-K to K 0.25 mile during midday when older students are not en route Pre-K to 5th 0.5 mile 6 to 12th 1 mile 3. General transportation routes are developed to run within a 60-minute time frame whenever possible. Occasionally routes in district wide programs or routes in rural areas may require a longer ride. 4. Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten students must wear daily an approved yellow bus tag designating name, school, emergency phone number, route number and bus stop. Pre-K and Kindergarten students are required to be met at the afternoon bus stop. Students wearing a yellow tag who are not met at the afternoon bus stop by a responsible person will be returned to their school of attendance. Additionally, for safety, 1st through 2nd grade students must wear an approved white bus tag for the first three weeks of school. 5. Other than for pre-K and Kindergarten students, the School District does NOT require general education students (1st –12th grade) to be met at the afternoon bus stop. Parents are encouraged to educate their children in safe walking routes to/from schools and bus stops as well as an overall transportation plan. If parents want to require their older child to be met at the bus stop, they will need to get an approved yellow bus tag from their school. Students that do not get off the bus at their assigned stops will be returned to their school of attendance. Students getting off at an alternate stop will require a note from their legal guardian and signed by the school. 6. Students who attend school outside their assigned attendance area, under the “open transfer provision” shall not be eligible for transportation except under “Hitcher Provision,” when applicable (see Section I, Item 11). Parents are responsible to provide transportation to the bus stop or to the school for open transfer students. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 10 C.2: STUDENTS ATTENDING DUAL LANGUAGE (DLI) PROGRAMS AT CLUSTER-SITES* (*A cluster-site refers to an individual school that offers additional programs that are not held in the same location as the school that is offering the program.) 1. DLI transportation routes are developed to run within a 60-minute time frame whenever possible. Occasionally routes for DLI programs may require a longer ride. 2. Bus stops for district wide programs will be located at schools or sites suitable for parents and students to wait for the bus. They will not generally be located in neighborhoods. 3. Bus tag requirements are the same as General Transportation for neighborhood schools. (See Section C.1.4) 4. Other than for pre-K and Kindergarten students, the School District does NOT require general education students (1st –12th grade) to be met at the afternoon bus stop. (See Section C.1.5) 5. Eligibility for DLI is based on the students home address and home language as it relates to the DLI program at their school. Students who live within the PPS district boundary whose home language matches the DLI program are eligible for transportation. Students whose home language does not match the DLI program are not eligible except under the hitcher provision (see Section I.11). DLI students who reside outside the PPS boundary are not eligible for transportation. Stops will be added based on the location of native language speaking students. C.3: STUDENTS ATTENDING ALTERNATIVE AND FOCUS OPTION PROGRAMS DISTRICT WIDE* (*District wide refers to the entirety of the Portland Public Schools area it serves.) 1. Transportation will only be provided for students who test into their alternative program as it best serves their educational needs. Students attending choice schools through lottery programs are not eligible for transportation. 2. Bus stops for district wide programs will be located at schools or sites suitable for parents and students to wait for the bus. They will not generally be located in neighborhoods. 3. Transportation routes are developed to run within a 60-minute time frame whenever possible. Routes for district-wide programs often require a longer ride. 4. Bus tag requirements are the same as General Transportation for neighborhood schools. (See Section C.1.4) 5. Other than for pre-K and Kindergarten students, the School District does NOT require general education students (1st –12th grade) to be met at the afternoon bus stop. (See Section C.1.5) Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 11 SECTION G TRANSPORTATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS 1. Individual Education Program (IEP) Determination -- Determination of transportation needs will be noted during the student IEP process. The IEP team will utilize section 3.d of the Special Education Procedures Manual to assist in informing parents of key transportation points and gathering needed data to facilitate smooth implementation of transportation services. The IEP should specify the need for transportation (not the type of transportation), any specialized equipment needs and/or handling instructions and other information pertinent to the safe transportation of the student. 2. Types of Transportation – The Student Transportation department utilizes several different modes of transportation services to best meet the needs of students and transportation operations. a. Yellow School Buses – This is the preferred method of transportation. Special Education students will ride buses that are appropriately equipped ,( i.e., seatbelts, car seats, safety support systems, lifts, etc.), to transport them safely to/from schools or centers. Drivers are responsible for properly securing students and equipment. Specialized buses may be multi-used for various education schools/programs. b. Type 10 Sedans and Vans – Student Transportation may schedule district owned and operated cars and vans in situations where school buses are not available, to correct overcrowding issues or excessively long rides, or where special medical or safety issues prevent a student from riding on a bus with other students. c. Taxi Cabs – Contracted cars and vans may be used when district resources are not available. Mandated Cab requests for medical or safety issues require administrative approval within the Transportation and/or the Special Education departments. Transportation will ensure that only properly trained and certified cab drivers are used to transport District students. d. Public Conveyance (Trimet) – Transportation will work with Special Education to provide Trimet tickets/passes instead of bus or cab service when appropriate. Whether this is appropriate will be determined collaboratively by the Transportation and Special Education departments. e. In-Lieu -- The District may elect to request or allow parents/guardians to transport their children to and from school and receive some reimbursement for services performed. Such arrangements can be established if it is: 1) beneficial to all concerned, 2) cost effective for the District, and 3) mutually agreed upon by parties involved. Additionally: i. Approved full time in-lieu requests are for the one regular or extended school year only, i.e., regular school year (September – June) or extended school year (July – August). ii. Requests approved for the regular school year shall not automatically be carried over to the extended school year, and requests approved for the Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 12 extended school year shall not automatically be carried over to the regular school year. iii. Parents must apply for each school year they are interested in. All requests are subject to approval. iv. Temporary in-lieu requests may be approved at the discretion of the Transportation Department, pending start-up date of regular service. v. Retroactive in-lieu will only be approved in extenuating circumstances and will be assessed on a case by case basis. 3. Bus Stops – Most Special Education transportation services are provided from student residence/day care location to school of attendance; however, students who are capable will be expected to walk to a stop where practical. a. Only one AM and PM stop location per student. Multiple AM or multiple PM stop locations are not authorized. b. Temporary changes of pick up or drop off locations cannot be accommodated. 4. Transportation Requests – a. Transportation requests for new service, change of school/program placement, change of class times, change of days of attendance, change of parent/guardian, or disability code must originate with the Special Education program. Such requests must be submitted via the electronic Special Education Transportation Request process. Requests for new service must only be submitted once the IEP process has been finalized and transportation has been added as a related service. A temporary hold will be placed on requests until the IEP documentation is updated. b. Transportation requests for permanent changes in drop off/pick up location, emergency contact information, phone numbers, day care information, or other information not noted above can be submitted by the parent/guardian via phone call directly to the Transportation Department or through the Special Education program via the electronic Special Education Transportation Request process. c. Except during peak times (late August – October), transportation requests will be completed and effective within ten (10) working days of receipt by the Transportation Department. d. Fall startup data shall be provided electronically by Special Education in a format to include needed data as determined by Transportation. Once the electronic data is received by Transportation, all further requests from Special Education must be submitted via the TD-7 form. A calendar for receiving and processing fall transportation data will be cooperatively established each year by Transportation and Special Education. It is essential that this data be timely, complete, and accurate to ensure a smooth start up of Special Education transportation services. 5. Routing Priorities -- Transportation requests are normally processed on a first come, first served basis. During times of peak requests (late August – October) priority will be given as follows: a. Establishing service to students not currently receiving service and addressing safety concerns. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 13 b. Adjusting service based on special medical or behavioral circumstances. c. Changes for students already receiving service. 6. Routing Sequence/Riding Time -- Whenever possible the Routing Office will establish a service where the students living closest to school are picked up last when going to school and dropped off first when returning home. In instances of students living in multiple directions “from” school but similar distances, routing will be sequenced to get the largest number of students home the quickest. 7. Drop-Off Requirements/Parent Responsibility a. Met Students - Initially all Special Education students are required to be met at the door of the vehicle by a responsible person. It is the parent’s responsibility to determine who that responsible person is. Drivers shall not leave a student at the drop off location without a responsible person meeting the student at the door of the vehicle unless an approved “Request For Change Of Special Ed Drop Off Procedures” form (TD-75) is signed by parent/guardian, principal/program, and is on file in the Transportation Office. The TD-75 will allow for a visual unmet status where the driver must make visual contact with a responsible person at the address of the drop-off location, or an unmet status where the driver will drop the student at the drop address without confirming if anyone is home. The TD-75 form is available in PDF format at the Forms section of the PPS Inside website here- https://www.pps.net/Page/179 b. Drop Time - School buses run on a scheduled service and must leave stops on time to ensure all students are delivered to their drop off location in a timely fashion. If parents/guardians are waiting inside a building, they should be in a position to see the bus arrive as bus drivers cannot honk vehicle horns to announce arrival and cannot leave the bus to come to the door of the building. Drivers will not leave the bus stop prior to the scheduled time and will only wait one (1) minute past the scheduled drop-off time. After the one (1) minute, if the student(s) are not met when required to be met, the driver will leave and continue on route. c. Unmet Students (PM Routes) - Upon completion of a PM route drivers will deliver unmet students to the District’s Unmet Student Facility. Unmet students will not be returned to the drop-off address. Once delivered to the Unmet Facility, every effort will be made to contact the parent/guardian or the emergency contact. ParentsParent/Guardians will have until 6:00 PM to pick up the unmet student prior to local law enforcement being notified. The Unmet Facility is intended only as an emergency care facility for students when due to an emergency parent/guardians could not be at the drop off location. This facility should not be used as a drop in daycare. If a parent/guardian knows they will not be able to meet a student, it is their responsibility to make other arrangements. d. Unmet Students (Midday Routes) - Upon completion of a midday route drivers will return unmet students to the sending school. The sending school will be responsible to contact the parent/guardian or emergency contact person to make arrangements for the student to be picked up at the school. Unmet students will not be returned to the drop-off address. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 14 8. Unmet Children’s Facility -- The Unmet Facility is a contracted service where unmet transported students are taken pending contacting parent/guardian or emergency contact person. This facility is located at a school site with contracted childcare professionals who will provide supervision for unmet students until parents or guardians can pick up their students. 9. Inclement Weather Service -- In the event of inclement weather it is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to decide whether it is appropriate to send their child to school. On inclement weather days when the District announces snow routes, driving conditions can vary dramatically causing delays in picking up students and in some cases making it impossible to get to some pick up locations. On those snow route days a cooperative decision between parent/guardian and driver must be made. The options are: a. Transportation will not attempt to pick up/drop off the student. b. An alternate pick up/drop off location is agreed upon. c. Transportation will attempt to pick up/drop off the student at the regular stop. If on snow route day’s item b is selected, the pick up/drop location will not be changed for that day even if weather conditions improve. A parental handout will be provided in November giving parent/guardians pertinent information for monitoring District inclement weather decisions. Parents/guardians are encouraged to listen to listed radio and TV stations during times of inclement weather for the most up-to-date closure information. Parents/guardians are also encouraged to subscribe to the district phone/text communications. 10. Parent Communication -- A Special Education Parent Letter will be sent in August to all parent/guardians of Special Education students set up for transportation services in the fall. Subsequently all requests for new service will result in the Special Education Parent Letter being sent to the parent/guardian of the student, covering key points of transportation service for their child. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 15 SECTION H HITCHER PROVISION Hitchers are students who are not eligible for transportation who ride on existing bus service at existing stops. Conditions of hitching are: 1. Students are under the authority of the district and the bus driver during the time of bus use and must adhere to the rules governing all students on the bus. 2. Time or mileage may not be added or the route altered in order to provide hitcher service. No new stops can be added for Hitchers. 3. Hitchers on Special Education buses will not be denied service if the Special Education rider is temporarily not riding. If the Special Education rider’s service is removed, the hitcher’s service will also be removed. 4. Bus service may be terminated at any time with notification as a result of: a. Route changes resulting in the bus no longer traveling to the needed stop b. Authorized service is eliminated c. Space for eligible riders is no longer available on the bus d. School closure or shortened school hours e. Hitching student’s behavior is inappropriate 5. No back-up bus will be provided if the hitcher misses the bus. 6. A hitcher request must be approved and returned before the student is authorized to ride. 7. Approval is for the current school year only, and must be submitted again each year. 8. Link to Hitcher Form in multiple languages are located here- https://www.pps.net/Page/179 Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 16 Big Bus Hitcher Form - LINK EXAMPLE Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 17 SECTION I VOLUNTEER & TEMPORARY BUS PASSES The District may authorize bus transportation for adults or volunteers provided they meet the following conditions: 1. They are School District employees, contract carrier personnel, parent/guardians of District students or school volunteers on official or authorized business beneficial to the District. 2. They comply with safety procedures, regulations and school policies without modifying bus schedules and stops. 3. Because of the increased liability exposure, infants/toddlers in strollers, infant seats or carry-ons accompanying parents to/from school affairs, shall only be transported when properly secured by securement devices. If a bus does not have the proper and approved securement, then parents must find other means of transportation. 4. Link to Temporary Bus Pass Form in multiple languages are located here- https://www.pps.net/Page/179 5. Any adult/volunteer, who wishes to ride a bus and meets District conditions, must receive an authorized temporary bus pass from the school principal or designated representative. Authorization is on a “space-available” basis and cannot displace authorized riders or cause overloads. 6. The individual must show the temporary bus pass to the driver when boarding the bus. The temporary bus pass is only valid for the specified date. Another temporary bus pass must be issued beyond the specified period. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 18 Temporary Bus Pass Form - LINK EXAMPLE Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 19 SECTION J COMMUNICATION OF CHANGES 1. General Education Communication – For students riding regular education routes to and from school. a. Fall Route Posting – Regular education routes are reviewed annually and finalized in mid-August. https://sites.google.com/pps.net/gt-bus-schedule// b. Changes to routes during the school year – When routes change during the school year. Student Transportation will send a message through School Messenger to students and families notifying them of the change and the effective date. Changes will also be posted to the District website. https://sites.google.com/pps.net/gt-bus-schedule// c. Delays or Emergencies – In the event of a delay or emergency, Student Transportation makes every attempt to send out timely notification to impacted schools and students using School Messenger. Delays will be communicated when they are 15 minutes or more. 2. Special Education Communication a. Pick up and Drop off times – Special Education drivers will dry run their routes in August after assignment of routes and set pick up and drop off times a minimum of three days prior to school start. Drivers will then contact their parents to notify families of pick up and drop off times. At this time, they will also confirm information regarding special needs of their student riders. b. Changes to services – Special Education routes can change frequently based on the needs of students and changes in route assignments. Drivers will dry run new route changes and notify families a minimum of 24 hours prior to implementation. Exceptions to this time limit may be made in the event of a safety concern but will be uncommon. c. Delays or Emergencies – In the event of a last minute change, delay or emergency, Student Transportation will every attempt to contact families by phone with notification of the change and /or timely notification of the delay or incident/accident. Delays will be communicated when they are 15 minutes or more. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 20 Small Bus Change of Drop-off Status Form - LINK EXAMPLE Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 21 SECTION K REPORTING TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS/CONCERNS 1. Who To Call -- Anyone experiencing problems or concerns with transportation should call directly to the Transportation Department at 503 916-6901 regardless of whether concerns are regarding contracted or District operated service. 2. Ways to Contact Transportation – There are several ways to contact Student Transportation. ● Email – Transportation@pps.net or Let’s Talk https://www.pps.net/contact ● Phone – 503-916-6901 ● Mail – 716 NE Marine Drive., Portland OR 97211 3. Complaint Process -- Complaints are entered and tracked electronically. Complaints will be forwarded to the appropriate person who can best resolve the concern. Complainants may request a call back regarding their concern. Complaints will be handled in a timely and professional manner. Anonymous complaints will not be accepted. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 22 SECTION L TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT APPEAL PROCEDURE 1. Requests -- Requests for changes, additions, or deletions of transportation service can originate from schools or patrons. Schools shall submit requests via a TD-6 (General Transportation Request) form. Patron requests can originate via the school or can be submitted in writing directly to the Transportation Department. Once received by the Transportation Department Routing Office requests will be evaluated against eligibility requirements and/or established safety criteria. Based on said requirements and criteria, a decision of approval or denial will be made. Routing Office staff will notify the originating party of the decision. 2. Level 1 Appeal -- If the requestor wishes to appeal the denial of a General Transportation Request, they may do so in writing to the Portland Public Schools, Routing Manager (716 NE Marine Drive, Portland, OR 97211) or by email at transportation@pps.net. The Routing Manager will review the appeal with the appropriate parties, have an on site observation conducted as necessary and either uphold the request denial or take other appropriate action as necessary. The Routing Manager will respond in writing to the requestor within 10 working days and maintain files of all such correspondence. 3. Level 2 Appeal -- If the requestor wishes to appeal the denial of a Level 1 appeal, they may do so in writing to the Director of Transportation (716 NE Marine Drive, Portland, OR 97211) or by email to transportation@pps.net. The appeal should be submitted only when there is a belief that the District or its personnel have violated, or misinterpreted or erroneously applied written policies of the District or relevant state or federal laws or regulations. The appeal must set forth the evidence in support of such belief. The Director of Transportation will review the relevant information and convey a final decision in writing to all people involved. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 23 SECTION M APPENDICES Student Transportation Service Models 1. Neighborhood Transportation -- This level of service is provided to students who are attending their assigned neighborhood school. Bus stops are located within neighborhoods in areas that can accommodate multiple students or, in areas with limited walkability, at student’s residences. 2. Centralized Transportation- This level of service is provided to students who are attending an authorized program at a site other than the student’s neighborhood school. This could be a DLI program or other programs identified by the District. Bus stops are located at schools or other sites suitable for parents and students to wait for the school bus. 3. Shuttle services- This service is provided to students who are attending classes at two school locations or if there is a need to provide transportation to access appropriate childcare options by District child care partners. 4. Trimet services- Trimet youth passes are provided to high school students who are attending a PPS neighborhood high school or a District sponsored alternative site. Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 24 🔍 RESOURCES 🔎 Resource Link/Contact Phone, Student Transportation (503) 916-6901 Child Missing Phone Line, Student Transportation (503) 916-6901, press ‘2’ when prompted Student Transportation Website pps.net/transportation Email, Student Transportation transportation@pps.net Parent & Staff Resources, Student Transportation pps.net/Page/179 Portland Public Schools Website pps.net General Transportation (GT) Bus Schedule pps.net/gt-bus-schedule Inclement Weather Information pps.net/Page/124 Safe Routes to School pps.net/saferoutes Student Bus Tags White_BUS TAGS/Yellow_BUS TAGS Rev. 08/07/2024 Service Guidelines - Student Transportation, Portland Public Schools 25 ```