Transportation
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Michelle McClellan Transportation and Food Services Secretary
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Christine Thompson Transportation Services Coordinator
The school district administration Transportation Department is open between the hours of 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and may be reached at 412-731-1300 Email: [email protected] See bus garage contacts to call the dispatch for your student's bus.
The Transportation Department is responsible for coordinating transportation for students in the Woodland Hills School District who attend any of the district's five public schools, special education schools, placement schools, or charter/ non- public schools (within 10 miles of the district border).Transportation assignments are implemented according to District policies as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Education's guidelines for pupil transportation.
Bus Garage Dispatch Contacts
Woodland Hills Students
If transportation for a daycare is needed use the Request for Alternate Bus Assistance Form (below) . All public school students will be routed to/ from their home address based upon the student's registration information. Bus information may be obtained by registering for My Ride K-12 at myridek12.tylerapp.com. Transportation assignments will be released seven days prior to the school's start date.
Alternate Bus Assignment / Daycare Transportation
Woodland Hills School District provides transportation to and from daycare facilities that are within the borders of Woodland Hills School District. The nearest school board approved district bus stop will be used for pick up and drop off. The daycare facility is responsible for meeting the bus if necessary. If the facility is within the walking zone to the school of attendance there will be no transportation provided. Requests must be submitted annually on the “Request for Alternate Bus Assignment Form”. It may be mailed to:
WHSD Transportation Officeor emailed to [email protected]
Daycares can also collect forms from families and submit with their official roster.
Each student is permitted one stop in the morning and one stop in the afternoon. Requests will be denied for different stop locations on separate days of the week. All requests MUST be the same Monday - Friday. The morning stop may differ from the afternoon stop.
Alternate Bus Assignment Request Form
Charter & Non-Public School Students
In compliance with State regulations (Act 372 of the PA School Code), the Woodland Hills School District requires parents or guardians to submit a request for transportation annually beginning July 1st and no later than July 31st. This is for any student desiring daily or periodic transportation to charter and non-public schools. This procedure is in addition to the student’s school sending enrollment information and rosters verifying enrollment and primary residency in the school district.
Transportation for students will be provided after the school district receives the required information from the school and the parent or guardian has submitted a transportation request form for each student. Bus information may be obtained by registering for Travesa's My Ride K12. Student transportation assignments will be released one week prior to their school's start date.
Please note: You must fill out a new request form if your student transfers to a new charter or non-public school during the school year.
Charter/Non-Pub Transportation Request Form
Pittsburgh Regional Transit
First View Bus Tracking (First View is available for all WHSD public school students.)
Inclement Weather
All schools WHSD provides busing for will follow the same delay/cancellation as the district.
If a school you attend, that is serviced by WHSD, has a delay/cancellation, then buses will follow the schedule designated by WHSD.
Safety & Conduct
The Woodland Hills student motto is to be Prompt, Prepared, Productive, Polite, and Proud. Practice this each morning. The bus will remain on schedule.
When Waiting at a Bus Stop:
- Report to the bus stop ten (10) minutes ahead of schedule.
- Stand in orderly and safe groups avoiding traffic.
- Remain at a safe distance until the bus stops.
- Disembark quickly and carefully and move away from the bus.
- If you must cross the street, walk in front of the bus and watch for traffic.
When Boarding:
- Students may not bring animals, alcoholic beverages, firearms or any considered weapon or explosives onto the bus.[16]
- All foods and beverages must be in a container and are not consumed on the bus. Glass containers must be safely packed and encased in a break-resistant container.
- Students may board only the assigned bus. Students will not be permitted to board a later bus either going to school or returning home.
- Board the bus quickly and carefully.
- Students must conduct themselves in an acceptable manner at all times. Vulgarity, profanity, fighting or other improper conduct is not permitted.
- Students may not block the aisle or emergency door with musical instruments, lunch boxes, books or other possessions.
- Students must not extend arms or heads out of windows at any time.
- Students must remain seated while the bus is in motion of if the bus is delayed on the road.
- Students may not operate the bus door or tamper with the emergency door.
- Students may not use the emergency door except in the case of an emergency.
- Students may not eat, drink, smoke, or play music out loud on the bus.[17]
- Every student who rides a bus must get on and off at the assigned bus stop.
When Departing:
- Students may not depart the bus in the morning before it arrives at the designated school of the student.
- Students may not depart the bus in the afternoon except at their designated bus stop.
- Students who must cross a street after departing from the bus shall cross only in front of the bus on the signal by the driver.
Discipline Procedures
Student bus transportation is a privilege and convenience that is provided by the Woodland Hills School District to eligible students. This transportation is governed by Section 1361 and 1362 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code. All school runs, including school discipline procedures and protections apply when students are on the bus. Incidents that occur on the bus may result in disciplinary action.
Students are subject to suspension per Policy 233 if they are involved in disrupting action jeopardizing the safety and welfare of their fellow students or any infraction of the stated rules of conduct.[18]
All discipline problems will be handled by the school of attendance.
Violation of the standards for bus conduct shall be subject to the following penalties:
- First Offense: Conference with student and warning letter to parents/guardians. A principal may suspend a student from the bus on the first offense if the first offense is serious in nature.[5]
- Second Offense: Suspension of bus riding privileges of one (1) day.[5]
- Third Offense: Suspension of bus riding privileges of three (3) days.[5]
- Subsequent Offenses: Permanent suspension may occur from school bus riding privileges for the balance of the school year.[5]
Drivers are supplied with bus disciplinary report forms that will be presented to building principals or their designee when specific violations of the bus regulations occur. The school building administration is responsible for discipline on the bus. Parents/Guardians will be afforded a copy of this report and notified of the action taken. Copies of this report will also be submitted to the district transportation department.
These regulations apply to all forms of student transportation made available by the district. Activity buses and field trips also fall under the guidelines of these regulations as well.
Special Needs Transportation
Special needs transportation is an IEP team decision and, if necessary, will be included in the related services of the student's IEP.
Students should be ready to board the vehicle ten minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time and be at the curb when it arrives ready to board. Waiting inside the house delays the bus and may cause it to arrive at the school after the bell and breakfast service.
The vehicle is not required to honk or call prior to arrival at the curb stop nor stay in excess of three minutes. Please be prepared and waiting at the curb, ready to board the vehicle upon arrival.
Curb to curb transportation will only be assigned when required by the student's IEP.
Additional Rules & Regulations
Please be advised that buses may be equipped with audio and video monitoring devices according to School Board Policy 810.1 “The use of video and audio recording equipment supports efforts to maintain discipline and to ensure the safety and security of all students, staff, contractors and others being transported on district-owned, operated, or contracted school buses or school vehicles."
All transportation carrier employees are required to meet the Department of Transportation requirements relating to commercial driver physical examinations. DOT physical cards are required to be kept with the drivers at all times when operating a transportation vehicle for the Woodland Hills School District.[11]
All transportation carrier employees are required to have their Act 34, Act 151 and FBI clearances on file with the district prior to their first day of work.[12][13][14]
Bus drivers shall not deviate from the established bus route except for hazardous driving conditions or approved by the district transportation department.
Students shall be taken on and discharged from the school bus only at the designated stops. All stops should be made where the bus can be easily seen. The driver shall give proper signals when slowing and stopping the bus. The driver shall keep the bus stopped until all students are off the roadway and safely on on or off the bus. The driver will not proceed until all students are seated.
Each student shall be assigned to a bus. Persons other than a school student, employee or official shall not ride in a school bus on a regular route.[15]
The bus driver shall not leave the bus while the motor is running.
Bus doors shall be closed while the bus is in motion.
Bus doors shall be opened at railroad crossings.
Bus drivers are not required to stop and wait at bus stops with no students present. Be at the bus stop - not in a car or on a porch.
The bus driver shall not drive the bus backward on school grounds without the direction of a person on the ground.
Advertising shall not be displayed on the school bus.
No student is permitted to ride any bus other than the one regularly scheduled, unless otherwise approved by the district. The principal must have a signed note from the custodial parent/guardian, and verify the request by a telephone call.
Parents or guardians should refrain from requesting special services from a bus driver including changing bus stop locations. This inludes requesting front door pickup or dropoff. Curb to curb stops are for special needs students only.
Kindergarten students will not be dropped off at a stop without a parent, guardian, or appropriate designee to meet them. If no one is at the stop the driver will alert their dispatch who will try to make contact with the family. If there are other children on board the bus, it will continue its run until someone has been contacted. The bus will then return to the stop.
Please note: If a driver does not recieve students at a stop for three consecutive days or more, service to the stop may be suspended. If more than two weeks elapse and students have not returned to riding, they may be removed from the route.
The Transportation Director shall be notified of any overloading of school buses.
If there is a crossing guard at your child's stop, be advised that crossing guards are not responsible for child care purposes. Guards are not able to watch individual children left at a stop without supervision. Please respect that crossing guards work to provide a safe environment for all children.
My Ride K12 Portal