Special Education Transportation – Region III
Region III coordinates transportation services for Region III district students as per their IEP and in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:39-1. The safe transportation of Region III special education students eligible for transportation services is our number one priority.

Face Masks are optional while riding the school bus

Parent Information

We request that parents review the following information with regard to student transportation.

• Parent(s)/guardian(s) are responsible for assisting their classified student from the house to the school bus in the morning and again at drop off.
• Your child should be ready for pick up 10 minutes prior to the scheduled pick up time. Please allow extra time for those last-minute things before the bus arrives. Think of the delays that would occur if the bus were required to wait for each child on the route. Bus drivers may only wait 3 minutes for a child. Your child should be ready and waiting for the bus. Bus drivers are not responsible for returning to pick up a child once they have left. (At the beginning of the school year it is advisable to allow a 30 minute window with regard to the pick-up time conveyed by the bus transporter for the first two weeks of school as it usually takes this long for the driver to establish the route).
• Please allow for some fluctuation in pick up and drop off times. A number of factors are involved. Remember, that throughout the school year, bus schedules may be affected by inclement weather and road construction. Changes are also possible throughout the year as a result of student additions, withdrawals and absences.
• A responsible adult must be available from the time of dismissal to receive your child upon drop off to your home. You should be available to receive your child at your child’s program dismissal time not what time you think the bus will arrive at your home.
• If you are unable to meet the school bus and have not made arrangements with the transportation office to have a responsible person receive the student at the designated drop-off point, the driver will be instructed to take the student to the local district child study team office or the police department.
• The Region cannot accommodate requests to pick up and drop off students at different locations on different days. Pick up/drop off is from the home to school only.
• We cannot make any deviations in busing based on after school activities you may have planned or may be arranging for your student.
• Food/drinks are prohibited on the bus due to students who may be riding the bus with severe food allergies and it is also a potential choking hazard.
• Should a student miss the bus, the transporter shall not be recalled. Transportation becomes the responsibility of the parent.
• Please contact your transporter and the school directly to inform them of your child’s absence; to inform them if your child leaves early for any reason so the transporter is not waiting for your child and contact them in the event your child does not go in on the morning bus but you expect your child to ride in the afternoon. In the event your child will not be attending for an extended period of time or will no longer be requiring transportation, please contact your child study team office.
• If your child no longer requires transportation or for any other reason, you must notify your Child Study Team immediately. Your child study team will notify the Region III Office.

If you change your address/telephone, please notify your child study team immediately. Your child study team will notify the Region of the change. Should you need to contact us with any concerns you may have during the year, our phone number is 201-768-2200 ext. 12180.

Transporter Information for Parents

• The assigned transporter will telephone at the beginning of the year and/or prior to a new student starting on a route to provide an estimated pick up time. Typically, notification is made by the transporter 24-48 hours before starting on the route. If you do not hear from the transporter, you may call them directly to ascertain your student’s pick up time.
• Transportation pick up times may change during the school year when new students are added and or students leave the route.
• The transporter establishes the route order in order to provide safe and efficient service.
• While the student is being transported on the school bus, it is considered an extension of the school day and acceptable classroom standards of behavior shall be expected. The bus driver is in full charge of the bus at all times and is responsible for ensuring that students observe regulations at all times.
• The school bus driver will never exclude a pupil from the school bus, but if unable to manage a pupil, the school bus driver will report the unmanageable student to the principal or Region of the school in which the pupil attends. Discipline may include excluding the student from the bus by the Region/Principal and the student’s parent or legal guardian shall provide transportation to and from school during the exclusion.
• Bus Incident reports will be reported in writing to the Region III Office and the building principal by the transporter. A determination of appropriate disciplinary action will be made.

STUDENT CONDUCT WHILE RIDING THE SCHOOL BUS

Riding the school bus is a privilege—not a right. With the privilege comes the responsibility of each student to behave in an orderly and safe manner. The right to ride the bus is based on the student’s observance of the following rules and regulations.

• Obey the driver and be courteous to the driver and to fellow students. Students are to conduct themselves while on the bus so that they will not distract the driver from the job of driving.
• Observe classroom conduct when on the bus. The school bus is a classroom on wheels. It is an extension of the school day.
• Wait for the bus on the sidewalk or shoulder, not in the roadway.
• Keep a safe distance from the bus while it is in motion.
• Enter the bus without crowding or disturbing others and occupy your seat immediately. Students should stay in their seat until the bus arrives at the discharge point.
• Remain seated with seat belts fastened, face forward and keep the aisle clear.
• Be ready for the bus approximately 10 minutes before the scheduled pick up time.
• Exit the bus only at the approved stop (home or school).
• Stay out of the driver’s seat. Unnecessary conversation with the driver is prohibited while the bus is in motion.
• Do not shout to other passengers or passers-by.
• Bus windows shall remain closed unless given permission by the driver.
• No smoking, profanity, eating, drinking or chewing gum on the bus.
• No fighting, spitting, swearing, teasing, provoking others, or inappropriate conversations.
• Harassment, Intimidation, or Bullying will not be tolerated at any time
• Do not throw articles of any kind, in, out, or around the bus.
• Keep head, hands and arms inside the bus.
• Keep the bus clean, sanitary and orderly.
• Do not damage or abuse the seats or equipment.
• Do not place book bags, books, projects or any other equipment in the aisles—these items should be kept clear. Students should keep feet out of the aisles.
• To prevent being caught in a school bus door or handrail, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that coat drawstrings be no more than three inches in length at the waist.
• Parents should caution children about attaching key rings and other items to their backpacks/coats as these too may become caught on the handrail or door.
• Children should avoid wearing any article which may cause a snagging incident.
• Misuse of cell phones and other electronic equipment will not be tolerated.

SEAT BELTS
• Each student on a school bus which is equipped with seat belts shall wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt at all times while riding a school bus. Whenever a pupil fails to comply with this provision, it shall constitute good cause for exclusion/suspension of that pupil from the bus. (N.J.S. 18A:25-2) All buses contracted by the Region III Office of Special Education School District have seat belts.)

For more information regarding student transportation, please visit the New Jersey Student Transportation website.

https://www.nj.gov/education/finance/transportation/

Special Education Transportation Inclement Weather Procedures

During the school year we may occasionally find it necessary to close school due to unsafe travel conditions. Additionally we may, if conditions warrant, implement a delayed opening. The following procedures will be utilized for school closings or delayed openings for all students bused by Region III Special Education school districts:

You may dial the Administrative Offices at Northern Valley Regional H.S. District at 201-768-2200 and listen to the tape recorded message regarding school closing/delayed opening or consult the website at http://www.nvnet.org

• On 90-minute delayed opening days, the bus contractors will pick up bus riders approximately 90 minutes after their regularly scheduled pick-up time.
• On 90-minute delayed opening days, SLICE of PIE morning sessions will be CANCELED.
• For students attending Northern Valley Demarest, Old Tappan, and the Access Program at NVD, bus contractors will pick up riders 90 minutes after their regularly scheduled pick-up time.
• Note for Student’s Attending Schools outside the Northern Valley Regional H.S. District/Region III:
When your child’s school is closed or has a delayed opening the transporter will adhere to your child’s school schedule.
•  If your child’s school is having a regular school day but Region III (Northern Valley Region III Districts) is either closed or having a delayed opening, your transporter will adhere to Region III district’s schedule, i.e., your child will either not be picked up for school or be picked up 90 minutes later. This is because the local roads have been determined to be unsafe for travel.
• Early Dismissals for Northern Valley Regional HS District will be 12:00 noon (this includes Demarest HS, Old Tappan HS, the Access Program and the Summit House.
• Early Dismissals for the Valley & TIP Programs will be 12:30 pm.