Transportation

Parents wanting to know their child’s eligibility for bus service and corresponding bus pick-up and drop-off locations should use our interactive online system. After clicking this link:

• You will be asked to enter your user name and password. Both of those are your student’s ID number, which is the ID number generated through Infinite Campus.
• Click “Log-In.”
• Click “Work with Students.”
• Click “View My Students.”
• Click a student’s name to be taken to their transportation information page. Read this page carefully as it explains the morning and afternoon transportation information for your student.

Students with the same home phone number will be grouped together on the “View My Students” page. If, for some reason, you do not see all the students in your household, try logging in again using one of your other children’s information.

If you are new to the district, please use the “Parent Communication” button on the Versatrans e-Link home page to let the Transportation Department know of your plans to use busing. That will notify Transportation to add your child to the route. Please use this same process to notify Transportation if busing will no longer be needed.

If you wish to make a change regarding your student’s pick-up or drop-off location, please log in to the online system and click on the “Parent Communication” link. Follow the instructions for completing the form. The alternate bus stop must be in the same attendance area as your child. Alternate stops outside that area will not be approved.

How long until your child’s bus arrives to pick him up? How long until her bus gets her home from school?

A mobile application can tell Pickerington School parents approximately where their child’s bus is in the morning and afternoon. Parents must download the app to receive text notifications in case of bus delays and other information. You can download the “Versatrans My Stop App” from Tyler Technologies at the Google Play or the App Store.

Parents will need their children’s student ID numbers to set up the app.

Parents should not use the system to wait until the very last minute to send their children to the bus stop. Students must be at their designated stop by the scheduled bus arrival time, and waiting until the last minute can be dangerous if children are running to meet their bus.

Plus, the system operates by tracking the GPS units in each bus, so it operates on a lag that can be up to two minutes. During that time, the bus may have made progress on its route, so GPS locations are only approximate.

Parents who will likely see the greatest benefit from the application are those who live in the more rural parts of the district and parents of children with special needs.

School transportation is a service provided in accordance with numerous state and federal standards covering topics ranging from minimum bus service levels and training of bus drivers to construction and operation of school buses.

At a minimum, Ohio public school districts are required by law to provide bus service to all public, non-public, and community school students in grades K-8 who live two miles or more from their school of attendance. Transportation of high school students is optional.

Like most school districts, Pickerington provides service over and above this minimum standard. Currently, the district provides bus service to students in all grades, including those attending pre-school special needs classes. In addition, service is provided to all students in grades K-6 who live one mile or more from their school of attendance. Where dictated by safety considerations, bus service is also provided to some students who live closer than one mile from their school of attendance.

School transportation is a form of public transportation that is designed to be safe and efficient while serving as many students as possible. It is not an individualized transportation service. As in other forms of public transportation, there is little opportunity to alter or change schedules and routes to meet individual family circumstances.

The safety of our students is always the district’s first concern. The safe operation of a school bus requires both the full attention of the school bus driver and proper behavior of the student passengers. Parents are asked to discuss with their children their individual responsibilities for a safe bus ride and the importance of observing the bus rules.

These rules are based on state law, Ohio Department of Education guidelines, and Pickerington Schools policies. Adherence to these rules ensures the safety and welfare of all riders on the bus.

Remember, the school bus driver is the school district representative in charge of the bus. A driver’s instructions must be followed and respected by students on the bus. These instructions guide the students as they board and leave the bus and help manage student conduct during the ride.

Rules for school bus safety include:

1. Students should take the safest route to the bus stop and arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the scheduled arrival of the bus. Wait a safe distance from traffic. While waiting, students must respect other individuals, their possessions and surrounding property, and behave in an orderly fashion.

2. When crossing a street to board a bus, a student must check traffic in both directions, obey the bus driver’s hand signal, and walk at least ten paces in front of the bus.

3. Students should not run toward a moving bus or approach the bus until the driver opens the door. Students should enter the bus calmly, sit face forward in the first available or their assigned seat, and keep the aisle of the bus clear. In some cases, elementary and middle school students will be assigned three to a seat.

4. Students need to observe classroom behavior and follow their school’s code of conduct while on the bus. All drivers’ instructions should be obeyed promptly and respectfully. Ask the driver’s permission to open windows.

5. Students must be quiet when the bus is approaching railroad crossings and must remain quiet until the bus has safely crossed the tracks.

6. Students must not throw or pass objects on, from, or into the bus. Students should keep their entire body within the bus.

7. Students are not to eat or drink on the bus except as required for medical reasons.

8. Students must not use tobacco in any form on the bus.

9. Students must not have alcohol or narcotics in their possession while on the bus except for any prescription medication required for a student.

10. Students may carry on the bus only objects that can be held in their laps or properly secured. Additionally, if students are attempting to carry on more items than can safely be held on their lap they will not be permitted to ride. Headphones, boom boxes, toys, etc., must be kept in book bags. This includes musical instruments. Students will not be permitted to bring the following musical instruments on buses transporting students to and from school.

• Tenor Sax
• French Horn
• Baritone
• Trombone
• Tuba
• Drums
• Cello
• String Base

Drivers may confiscate anything carried on the bus. No animals are allowed on the buses except where specified in a student’s IEP or 504 Accommodation Plan. No glass bottles or containers are allowed on the bus.

11. Students may only board or leave the bus at locations to which they have been assigned unless they have written parental and administrative authorization to do otherwise.

12. Students should not tamper with the bus or any of its equipment, including emergency equipment. Students and parent/guardians will be held financially responsible for any malicious destruction to the bus and/or to equipment.

13. If students need to cross the street after getting off the bus, they should cross at least ten paces in front of the bus. Before students cross, the driver will raise his or her hand. Once the hand is lowered, the student should cross to the middle of the street, stop and look both ways to check for any oncoming traffic. If it is safe, the student should then continue crossing and go directly to their place of safety. Never stop to pick up anything from underneath the bus.

14. All students are governed by the district’s policy on harassment.

15. Civil charges may be filed against a student for any serious rule violation(s).

16. Any malicious distraction of the bus driver is considered a violation of the student discipline code.

Corrective actions for misconduct on a school bus will follow appropriate district and Petermann policy. Minor infractions may involve corrective action by the bus driver at the time of the incident or a later call to a parent or guardian.

Serious or repeated infractions jeopardizing anyone’s safety will result in a write-up for Petermann personnel to address. If a student is referred a third time, severe disciplinary action will be taken. Such discipline can involve suspensions from bus transportation up to and including immediate removal from a bus, if warranted. Pupils have a right to due process. Parents, guardians, or designees are responsible for transporting students to and from school when bus privileges have been suspended.

For an extra measure of safety, many of our buses are equipped with video recording devices to monitor conditions on the vehicle. The video recording this produces may be used to support disciplinary action or for driver training purposes. Petermann is the sole owner of the video recordings.

I cannot see my child’s bus stop from the house. Are there state laws that set the standards for bus stop location?

No law requires a parent to see the bus stop from home. Students in Ohio may be assigned to a bus stop up to one-half mile from their home. We encourage parents to accompany their child to the bus stop whenever possible. This teaches the child safe habits of walking to and from the bus stop and may give the parent piece of mind. Bus stop locations are determined by each district’s board of education.

Are sidewalks required for my child to get to his/her bus stop?

Many students walk alongside of roadways to reach their bus stop, and in some instances no sidewalks exist. While we understand this may be of concern in some situations, the Department of Education does not promulgate bus stop placement. Issues relating to where a child’s bus stop is located and safety concerns along the way to the bus stop must be addressed with the district in which you reside.

I make my child wait inside of my house until the bus is at the stop. I have heard this is not allowed. Is this true?

Ohio law requires children to be waiting at the bus stop before the bus arrives. Bus drivers count the students at the bus stop before they load and as they get on the bus to ensure all children are safely on board. If students are not waiting at the bus stop the bus driver cannot count them and cannot be certain the students are all safely on board. Waiting at the bus stop before the bus arrives further ensures that no one chases after the bus (a very dangerous thing to do!) Many districts also instruct their buses to not stop at locations where no students are waiting.

How is the Transportation Department funded?

The Ohio General Assembly has included in the Biennial Budget partial reimbursement for transportation costs. The remainder of the funding comes directly from the District’s General Fund. Each school district is evaluated each school year for efficiency of its operation. Safe and efficient transportation operations is defined by being good stewards of our tax dollars and not unnecessarily burdening the overall budget that could affect funding in other areas.

If you are a private school parent in our district who qualifies for “in lieu of” you must complete the contract, application, and attendance verification forms.  You’ll need to email mimi_leonard@plsd.us for the forms and take note of the deadlines listed on the form.

Failure to return all forms by the identified date will be interpreted as a withdrawal of your request for transportation reimbursement and no payment will be made.

Parents who have signed a contract and completed an application in the past will not need to re-submit the contract if their child remains in the same private school. You will only be required to complete and submit the application and attendance verification form before the due date that requires the signature of the private school administrator.