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Rules and Guidelines

All students in Kindergarten and 1st grade MUST have a Parent/ guardian present at the bus stop in the afternoon.  If you want your kindergarten or 1st grade student to be allowed to walk home without you being present, you must see your child's bus driver or someone at the Transportation Office to complete a release form.  

Parents and students should be aware that the sole purpose of a school bus is to transport students safely to and from school. Since the school bus driver carries this heavy burden of responsibility, the school bus is considered an extension of the classroom and all Dothan City Board of Education rules apply. The following guidelines are to be followed when riding the bus. Any student not abiding by these guidelines may be subject to discipline as outlined in the DEFINITIONS AND RULES RELATING TO FORMAL DISCIPLINARY ACTION in the Dothan City Code of Conduct.

(Any violations of school bus rules will be handled by the local school administration.)


Bus Rules

  1. Students will be picked-up and dropped-off at their residence or designated bus stop only.
  2. Be at the bus stop at least 5 minutes prior to the designated time.
  3. Obey instructions given by the driver.
  4. Be courteous to fellow pupils and the bus driver. (Do not annoy other students)
  5. Horseplay, Threats, and Fighting are not permitted on or around the bus or at bus stops.
  6. Remain silent when approaching and crossing railroads.
  7. Talk only in a normal voice and do not use profane or obscene language.
  8. Remain properly seated, do not change seats, and keep head and hands inside the bus.
  9. Do not eat, chew gum, drink, smoke, or strike matches on the school bus.
  10. Do not carry weapons of any kind.
  11. Do not tamper with any of the equipment on the bus, especially the emergency door.
  12. Do not litter the bus, or throw objects within or outside the bus.
  13. Do not leave the bus except at your regular stop without written permission from the administration. If it is a different stop, the student should provide a letter signed by parent/guardian, dated, and telephone number 24 hours in advance. Once approved by the school administrator, the transportation director will need to approve to make sure we have room on the bus. Some buses do not have extra room to accommodate the request. 
  14. Do not bring glass or possible dangerous items on the bus.
  15. Books, packages, coats, band instruments, and other items should not be in the aisles or in the driver compartment and should not be left on the bus. These items must be held in the child's lap and must not occupy the seat of another child.
  16. Students are not allowed to transport Prescription or Non-Prescription medications on the bus except emergency medications and approved medications prescribed for self-administration.
  17. Students are allowed to have cell phones as long as they are in silent or vibrate mode.
  18. If a parent wants to get a release form for their kindergartner or 1st grader, they must get it from the school. The school will send transportation a copy.   


Charles “Chuck” Poland, Jr., Act

No Trespassing on School Buses - Offenders will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No Trespassing on School Buses - Offenders will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Punishment could result in a fine up to $6,000 and up to one year in jail. Charles "Chuck" Poland, Jr. Act (Alabama Act 2013 - 347)

a. A person commits the crime of trespass on a school bus in the first degree if he or she is found guilty of doing any of the following:

  1. Intentionally demolishing, destroying, defacing, injuring, burning, or damaging any school public bus.
  2. Entering a public school bus while the door is open to load or unload students without a lawful purpose, while at a railroad grade crossing, or after being forbidden from doing so by the authorized school bus driver in charge of the bus, or upon demand of a principal of a school to which the bus is assigned or other duly authorized school system official.
  3. As an occupant of a public school bus, refusing to leave the bus on demand of the authorized school bus driver in charge of the bus, or upon demand of a principal of a school to which the bus is assigned or other duly authorized school system official.
  4. Intentionally stopping, impeding, delaying, or detaining any public school bus being operated for public school purposed with the intent to commit a crime therein.


b. The crime of trespass on a school bus in the first degree is a Class A misdemeanor.
C.  Subdivisions (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (a) do not apply to a child who is less than 12 years of age or to authorized school personnel who are boarding the school bus as a part of their job assignment.

References

Section 13A - 7-4.2 Charles "Chuck" Poland, Jr. Act