LOADING AND UNLOADING
THE SPECIAL NEEDS VEHICLE

STUDENT SAFETY is always the primary focus in school transportation. Transporting students to and from school safely each day is a -team- effort. The team is made up of the school bus driver, school bus aide/attendant, parents, and staff at the school responsible for student transportation.

-Loading and unloading- the school bus is usually taken for granted, but these operations can present a great many problems if not done properly. Listed below are several considerations that should be presented to each bus team member to insure safe student transportation. -Special care and consideration should be given to loading and unloading students with special needs.

1. As the law applies, always use, or make sure the school bus driver uses, the stop arm and 8-way flashers when loading and unloading passengers.

2. Often disabled children require more time to get from the home to the bus; for this reason, when loading students with special needs, the driver should activate the stop arm only when children are in sight or actually being loaded onto the school bus.

3. Remind all passengers as often as possible that even though the stop arm and 8-way flashers may be activated, other vehicles -don't- always stop. Students that ride the school bus should always be watchful for traffic when approaching and leaving the school bus. Remind children on your bus as often as necessary about safety on and near the school bus.

4. Insist that each child on the bus wear a seat belt at all times when the bus is in motion.

5. Except in an emergency, never leave children alone or unattended on the bus. Once children board the bus, either the driver or attendant must remain with the children. The bus team should never leave children with special needs outside the bus and unattended. Children should remain either in school or on the bus until it is their time to be moved safely to or from the bus.

6. Load all children, ambulatory and nonambulatory, on the -curb- side of the street. Never let children step out of the bus into a traffic lane. If this requires a child to cross a street, the driver should direct the child from the bus when it is safe to cross. The school bus driver should never stop the bus in the middle of the street or roadway to pick up a child. If there is another bus team member present on the bus, he/she should -personally- walk this child across the street to a safe location. Never allow a small child or child with disability to walk across a street unattended. If necessary, wait for a parent or responsible adult to come for the child or position the bus so that the service door is on the right curbside of the street.

7. When loading or unloading a student with a physical disability, especially one in a wheelchair or other mobile seating device, the driver should park the bus on level ground.

8. When possible, remove the lap tray from the wheelchair and store it in a secure place on the bus. When possible, power wheelchairs should be loaded/unloaded with the power turned off.

9. When loading wheelchair passengers, load only one at a time so no passenger is left unattended either on the bus or at the loading area. A team of 2 to 3 adults is usually required to accomplish this safely.

10. When loading a student with a physical disability in a wheelchair, the driver should:

11. When loading or unloading a mixed group of ambulatory and nonambulatory children at the school do not load or unload both groups at the same time. Offload ambulatory children first - before operating the lift for other children. Load nonambulatory children before allowing ambulatory children to walk onto the bus.

12. The use of the wheelchair lift on any school bus shall only be used for nonambulatory and certain ambulatory children that cannot access the school bus by the front service doorway. At no time should an adult accompany a child on the lift. In most situations, it is strongly advised that ambulatory children that cannot use the front service door of the school bus be seated in an appropriate mobile seating device when being lifted onto or off the bus, using the wheelchair lift.

13. Whenever possible, use a four-point tie down system to secure a wheelchair and its passenger; the tie down system should include lap belt, shoulder strap(s), and/or special wheel tie downs as appropriate. When there is doubt, consult the child's O.T. or P.T. or special education specialist.

14. In most situations, the driver's responsibility is the operation of the bus and any lifting apparatus. If there is/are (an)other bus team member(s) present, they are usually responsible for the children on the bus and/or on the ground. HOWEVER, the driver is still responsible for the safety of everyone- on the bus; therefore, the driver should make a final check of all wheelchair belts and straps before leaving a pupil's pick up location. Remember...when there's an accident, -the driver- is responsible. A bus aide/attendant should never feel insulted when the driver makes this final check. This is only done for the safety of the child.

15. Messages from parents or guardian must always be in writing. Never leave anything to memory alone.

16. Never carry medication to school for a child unless a note comes with it. Make sure any medication you are asked to deliver gets into the hands of an adult at the school. Without prior approval, a child should not be allowed to carry his/her own medication (pills, etc.).

17. Never make changes in seating (car seats, special restraints, etc.) without communication with school staff or parents.

18. Unless there has been prior written approval, leave students with special needs only with a responsible adult at the end of the school day. The driver should radio his/her supervisor as soon as possible if a child cannot be delivered home at the end of the day. -Document- these types of delays or undeliverable situations, and inform school staff as soon as possible (no later than the next day) in any case of an undeliverable child. NEVER ABANDON OR LEAVE A CHILD UNATTENDED. The bus aide/attendant responsible for the child MUST remain with the child until suitable supervision is located.

19. CHECK FOR CHILDREN THAT MAY HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP BEFORE YOU GET OFF THE BUS - AT THE END OF EACH ROUTE - BOTH MORNING AND AFTERNOON.

20. ACCOUNT FOR EACH CHILD ON YOUR ROUTE EACH DAY.- IF A STUDENT IS ABSENT, NOTIFY APPROPRIATE SCHOOL STAFF.

Source: Chicago Public Schools, Bureau of Student Transportation