Conroe Independent School District

Transportation Department

Field Trip Guidelines and Requestions

 

Field Trip Guidelines for Regular Education Transportation

Conroe Independent School District

 

MILEAGE CHART

 
 
 

This procedure is for all types of school bus field trips (Coach driven, Regular Ed and Special Needs)

1. All Field trip requisitions must be received by the Field Trip Coordinator at least fourteen (14) working days prior to the event.
2. The authorized representative must approve all field trip requisitions.
3. Requisitions are filled on a first come, first serve basis so the earlier you submit your requisition, the better your chance for approval. 4. Bus routes are first priority and field trips second. Trips should be scheduled Monday thru Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. Trips which do not fall within this time period may not be approved due to limited resources.
5. Shuttle trips must be explained in detail on your requisition.
6. If a car seat or a bus with seatbelts is needed, you must specify this on the form.

FIELD-TRIP CONFIRMATION

The requesting party should confirm, either by email or fax, an approved field trip with Field Trip Coordinator at least 48 hours prior to the execution of the field trip. If the field trip has a somewhat complex routing or timing schedule, please ensure that the Transportation Department understands all the requirements prior to executing the field trip.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR TRIPS
 Due to early release the last two (2) weeks of school when dates vary, extra curricular trips can not be scheduled.

SPONSORS OR COACHES
 1. One sponsor/coach/teacher must be on each bus. They are to assist the driver with managing the students and are required to maintain a safe, clean atmosphere on the bus.
2. Sponsors, coaches or teachers cannot be picked up at or taken to their home.
3. Spouses of sponsors and their children are not allowed to ride on the bus.
4. A trip driver's obligation is to the sponsor and the group. A driver is not to leave the bus unattended unless he/she is with a group, has to get something to eat, or use the restroom. During these times, a driver will leave the keys with another school bus driver, if available. Drivers will fuel their bus prior to the event to avoid delaying the return trip.

FIELD TRIP COST (see mileage charts)

 1. Local mileage charts and table estimates are from Campus to Campus. Mileage will be charged at $2.75 per mile for Regular Ed and Special Needs buses.
2. Coaches or sponsors with a bus certification that drive their own trip bus will be charged $1.80 per mile.
3. For trips within our district, we are requesting that campus administrators schedule trips for a drop and return whenever possible. This will allow us to use our resources more efficiently. Campuses will be charged for mileage incurred for both Drop Off and Return.

4. "Wait time" will be tracked at a rate of $15.00 per hour.
5. Out of State trips may be charged an additional insurance charge, where required.
6. All Toll Road Fees are to be paid by the sponsors.
7. An additional $25.00 fee will be charged in the event that buses are not swept, windows up, and doors closed.

Note: The charts are for estimates only. You will be charged actual mileage for the trip that will include the distance from your Campus back to your Campus. The bus may not be dispatched from transportation.

FIELD TRIP CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS

1. Field trip changes and cancellations must be faxed or e-mailed to the Conroe Transportation Center (936) 709-5969 within 24 hours before the trip to inform the department of any changes or cancellations during business hours, 5:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
2. For major changes, a new requisition is required. Please remember to void/cancel the old requisition before preparing the new requisition. You will be charged if a bus is dispatched due to a cancellation that has not been rescheduled.
3. The charge will be the total miles round trip or actual cost, whichever is greater.

FIELD TRIP BUS AVAILABILITY

Conroe and Woodlands Transportation Centers have a limited number of buses available between (6:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.) and (1:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.). There are more buses available after 5:30 p.m.. Routes take precedence over field trips.

Special Needs buses are also limited due to the type of special equipment needed for student travel. It is extremely important that when requesting a Special Needs bus you clearly state the number of walk-on students, aides, teachers, etc. along with number of students in wheelchairs, and/or any other special adaptive equipment necessary to safely transport students.

1. Sponsors are not allowed to hold buses past their 1:45 p.m. return time to Transportation. There are no cases where this is acceptable. School buses must be back in time to run their routes.
2. Field trip buses must return according to the requisition. Failure to comply with this requirement usually results in late route runs and unnecessary anxiety for bus students, parents, teachers, and principals.
3. Repeated occurrences may result in limiting Field Trip service to your campus.


OVERNIGHT OUT-OF-TOWN FIELD TRIPS

1. It is the responsibility of the requestor to provide meals and a separate room for the driver and/or monitor at no cost to the driver and/or monitor.
a. Breakfast $5.00
b. Lunch $8.00
c. Dinner $12.00
d. Down time $5.75 a hour (up to 8 hours per day)
e. Overtime rate will apply only if the employee exceeds 40 hours of actual hours worked during a one week period (Sunday through Saturday).

2. The driver and/or monitor may share a room as long as they are the same gender. The only exception would be a husband and wife team. In the interest of safety, the driver and/or monitor must be able to sleep. A driver and/or monitor is not permitted to sleep in the same room as a student or sponsor.
3. No monitor is provided unless there is a wheelchair or a special needs student scheduled to ride. If a monitor is needed for a full passenger bus, it needs to be requested on the requisition.
4. At no time will the driver transport students without adult supervision. The driver's responsibility is to transport students to their destination and back to point of origin.

FIELD TRIP DO’S AND DON’TS:

DO’S...

  • Observe all the bus safety rules
  • Complete a seating chart for all trips
  • Review Emergency Evacuation with students prior to departure from campus
    • See Evacuation Script below
  • Understand that the driver is responsible for safety on board the school bus
  • Treat the driver with respect
  • Have the bus back on time
  • Report driver misconduct


DON’TS...

  • Allow standing on the bus while in motion
    • This includes all personnel on buses, i.e. students, teachers, sponsors, coaches, band directors, etc.
  • Allow students to be transported while out of control
    • Allow throwing of anything while being transported
    • Store articles in the aisles
    • Allow excessive noise
  • Allow eating or drinking on the bus
    • If eating or drinking is allowed, the sponsor will make arrangements for bus clean up
  • Keep a bus past its allotted and approved times.
    • Drivers must return to campus in time to safely and efficiently transport students home from school in the afternoons

QUESTIONS, COMPLAINTS OR PROBLEMS PLEASE CALL IN ORDER LISTED:

Kay Bridenthal
Trip Coordinator
936-709-5989 Work
936-672-1408 Nextel
936-709-5969 Fax

Conroe/East County Centers

Anna Fenton
Asst. Operations Supervisor
936-709-7916 Work
936-709-5969 Fax

Sandra Hammond
Operations Manager
936-709-7916 Work
936-709-5969 Fax

Woodlands Center

Shirley Condel
Asst. Operations Supervisor
832-592-8800 Work
832-592-8820 Fax

Oak Ridge Center

Anna Kay Neeley
Asst. Operations Supervisor
832-592-8850 Work
832-592-8869 Fax

Woodlands/Oak Ridge Centers

Tawana Salinas
Operations Manager
832-592-8800 Work
832-592-8820 Fax

CHARTERS

Please see the Purchasing department's website under "Shopping A-Z." The link is listed below.

http://info.conroeisd.net/department/purchase/ShoppingAZ.htm

Look under C for Charter Bus Rentals

LEASE VEHICLES

Please see the Purchasing department's website under "Shopping A-Z." The link is listed below.

http://info.conroeisd.net/department/purchase/ShoppingAZ.htm

Look under C for Car, Truck & Van Rental Car, Truck & Van Rental

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