Table of Contents
Prologue: Special Needs Transportation
Student Bill of Rights
Chapter One: Students with Disabilities
and Their Special Needs
Driver Teams
Introduction …………………………………………………………………………..2
Student Bus Passengers with Disabilities…………..………………………….2
The Difference between a Disability and a Handicap…………..……………..2
Talking About or with Students with Disabilities…..……………………….….3
Interacting with Students with Disabilities……………………….…………….10
It Is Not Just What You Say But How You Say It……………….………….….11
Being Yourself……………………………………………………………….11
Meeting Someone with a Disability………………………………………11
Helping Students with Disabilities……………………………………….11
Communicating……………………………………………………………...11
Socializing……………………………………………………………………12
Environmental Awareness………………………………………………...12
Architectural Barriers………………………………………………………12
Appropriate Touching………………………………………………………13
Don't Push an Adult's or Stranger's Wheelchair without
Their Permission…………………………………………………….13
Do Not Recoil If You Met A Person with AIDS. Shake Hands
As You Would with Anyone……………………………………….13
Hidden Disabilities………………………………………………………….13
Be Open-Minded…………………………………………………………….14
Learn More about Specific Disabilities…………………………………14
Students with Disabilities on the School Bus………………….…….…….….14
Is An IDEA Definition of Autism Helpful To Driver Teams? ….…….…........15
Characteristics of Students with Severe Autism…..….......................15
Their disability affects their ability to communicate
verbally and nonverbally with others……………………………15
They engage in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements……………………………………………………………15
They are resistant to environmental changes in their daily routines–particularly the bus ride routine……………………….16
They have unusual responses to sensory experiences……...16
Personal Attendants with Autistic Students
On Regular Routes?....................................................................16
Failure to Respond to Normal Surroundings …………………………..20
Failure to Respond to Love and Affection………………………………21
Engaging in Repetitious or Stereotypic Behaviors……………………22
Avoiding Stressful Situations for Severely Autistic Student
Riders ………………………………………………………………....23
Deaf-Blind (Dual Sensory Impairment) Students………………………………27
Orienting Deaf-Blind Students…………………………………………….27
Personal Distress Signals………………………………………………….27
Using Effective Greetings………………………………………………….28
Appropriate Touching………………………………………………………28
OK or Not OK Signals………………………………………………………28
Seating Assignments……………………………………………………….28
Changing Seating Assignments……………………………………….....29
Elbow Touch Method……………………………………………………….29
Table 1: Driver Team Strategies for Deaf-Blind Students …………...30
The Emotionally Disturbed…………..…………………………………………….31
Childhood Schizophrenia….………………………………………………32
Students with Emotional Disturbance-Conduct Disorder……………33
Characteristics of Students with Behavior Disorders………………...34
Table 2: Driver Team Strategies with Acting-Out Students………….36
Students Who Are Withdrawn….……………..…………………………..36
Driver Team Observational Checklists for Students with
Various Anxiety Disorders…………………………………………37
Table 3: Driver Team Observational Checklists for Students with
Phobias…………………………………….………………………….37
Table 4: Driver Team Observational Checklists for Students with
Generalized Anxiety Disorders (GAD)…………………………...38
Table 5: Driver Team Observational Checklists for Students with
Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD)……………………….39
Table 6: Driver Team Observational Checklists for Students with
Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD)……………………….41
Special Needs or Regular Bus Service?.………………………………..43
Special Needs Bus Placement Means Fewer Incident Reports?.......43
Behavior Incident Reports and Bus Suspensions or Revocations...44
Behavior Management Guidelines Used
On The Special Needs Bus…………………………………….…..44
Students with Hearing Impairments……………………………………………...45
Conductive Hearing Loss…………………………………………………..45
Sensorial or Nerve Hearing Loss.………………………………………. .45
Degrees of Hearing Loss…………………………………………………...45
Students with Mild Hearing Loss………………………………………....46
Students with Moderate Hearing Loss…………………………………..46
Students with Severe To Profound Hearing Loss…….……………….47
Students Using Speech Reading or Signed Language………………47
A Driver Team Special Handling Route Service Checklist for
All Deaf or Hard of Hearing Students……………………………48
District Transportation Department Policy for Learning and
Using American Sign Language (ASL) ………………………....52
ASL Signs: The Daily, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly…….……..…53
Fingerspelling………………………………………………………………..54
Manually Coded English…………………………………………………...54
Signing Exact English (SEE)………………………………………………54
Total Communication…………………………….…………………….…..55
Bus Support Guidelines for the Deaf or Hearing Impaired……...…..55
Students with Hearing Aids on the Special Needs Bus………….…..57
Two Basic Types of Hearing Aids………………………………………..58
Problems Adjusting To Hearing Aids……………………………….…..60
One Hearing Aid or Two?.....................................................................61
Assistive Listening Devices………………………………………….…...61
Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS)……………………………62
Telephone Text Services (TTS)…………………………………..62
Teletypewriters (TTY)………………………………………………62
When Driver Teams Make Calls to Deaf Parents Using TTY…….….64
Receiving Calls from Deaf Parents Who Use Their TTY……………..64
Table 7: Driver Team Special Handling for Students
With Hearing Impairments………………………………………..66
Students with Learning Disabilities: The Legal Definition………………….66
Learning Disabilities Is an Invisible and a Personal Disability….....67
Learning Disabilities Symptoms………………………………………...67
Table 8: Driver Team Special Handling for Students with
Learning Disabilities………………………………………………….…...71
Students with Mental Retardation on the Special Needs Bus………….….72
IDEA Definition of Mental Retardation…………………………………73
Students with Mild Retardation………………………………………….73
Students with Moderate to Severe Retardation………………………73
Students with Severe to Profound Retardation………………………74
Driver Team Management Techniques for
Severely/Profoundly Retarded Students……………………....74
Table 9: Driver Team Special Handling for Students with
Severe Retardation………………………………………………...75
Driver Teams and the Home Visit Prior to the First Day of
Bus Service………………………………………………………………….75
Home Exits, Walkways and Curbside Bus Stop Accessibility……..77
Once on Board during the Practice Run What Student Special
Handling Will be Needed?.........................................................79
When the Physical Therapist Comes on Board
To Evaluate Needed Special Needs Student Handling……..80
Students with Cerebral Palsy Who Use Other Mobility Aids
Or who are Ambulatory……………………………………………..……82
Students with Multiple Disabilities……………………………………………..84
High- or Low-Functioning Students with Multiple Disabilities…....87
Students with Special Health Care Needs…………………………………….89
Technology-Assisted Students…………………………………….......89
Medically Fragile Technology-Assisted Students…………………..90
Medical Considerations and Special Needs Transportation……...91
Spare Lift Buses…………………………………………………………..92
Modified Routes and Bus Schedules…………………………..……..93
Student Emergency Medical Information…………………………….93
Backup or Emergency Bus Communication Systems………….…94
Students with Orthopedic Impairments (OI)…………………………………94
Students with Brittle Bone Disease…………………………………...95
What Driver Teams Must Know About Brittle Bone Disease……..96
Many OI/BBD Students Must Use A Wheelchair or
Scooter for Mobility………………………………………………99
OI/BBD Students Using Canes, Crutches or Walkers
For Mobility on the Bus………………………………………...100
Driver Teams Must Report Any Suspected Child Abuse
To Their Supervisors…………………………………………...101
Table 10: Driver Team Special Handling for Students
With Brittle Bone Disease……………………………………...103
Students with Club Foot………………………………………………..104
Students with Missing Limbs………………………………………….106
Students with Cerebral Palsy on the Special Needs Bus……..….108
Cerebral Palsy Causes: Congenital or Acquired…………………..109
Spastic Cerebral Palsy………………………………………….109
Ataxic Cerebral Palsy…………………………………………...110
Athetoid Cerebral Palsy……………………………………..….110
Mixed Forms of Cerebral Palsy………………………………..110
Special Handling for Students with Cerebral Palsy
On the Special Needs Bus……………………………..113
Students with Cerebral Palsy and Their Special Needs
Transportation Eligibility Form……………………….114
Students with Scoliosis………………………………………………..115
Students with Prostheses or Orthotics?........................................117
Students Who Are Amputees…………………..……………………..118
Students with Other Health Impairments (OHI)……………………………120
Students with Special Health Care Needs……………..…………...120
Students with Heart (Cardiac) Conditions………………………….122
Students with Chronic Health Impairments………………………..125
Students with Severe Allergic Reactions…………………………..125
Students with Insect Sting Allergies on the Special
Needs Bus………………………………………………………..126
Students Reactions to Insect Stings—
Strategies to Save A Life………………………………………127
Anaphylactic Reactions………………………………………………..129
Students with Allergic Reactions to Sunshine
On the Special Needs Bus…………………………………….130
Students with Contact Allergic Reactions or Dermatitis
On the Special Needs Bus…………………………………….131
Eczema or Hives Reactions of Special Needs Students
On the Bus……………………………………………………….133
Inhaled Allergens on the Special Needs Bus…….…………….....134
Antihistamines……………………………………………………….....135
Student Use of Prescription Drugs
On the Special Needs Bus………………………………..…..136
Students with Cystic Fibrosis………………………………………..137
Students with Juvenile Diabetes (Diabetes Milletus)…………….138
Two Types of Diabetes………………………………………..138
What You Need To Know……………………………………..139
What Is Insulin?....................................................................140
Oral Diabetes Medications……………………………………140
Students with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome…………………………141
Students with Epilepsy (Seizures or Convulsions)………………141
Students with Seizure Behavior on the
Special Needs Bus……………………………………..142
When the Seizure Is Not an Emergency What
Should the Driver Team Do?................................................144
Students with Arthritis…………………………………………………145
Students with Lupus…………………………………………………...146
Students with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)………………………………147
Students with Neurological Impairments…………………………...147
Students with Tuberous Sclerosis…………………………………...148
Students with Tourette's Syndrome…………………………………148
Students with Prader-Willi Syndrome…………………………….....149
Students with Spina Bifida………………………………………….....150
Students with Neuromuscular Diseases…………………………….151
Students with Myasthenia Gravis………………………………….....152
Students with Muscular Dystrophy……………………………..……152
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy……………………………….152
Facio-Scapulo Humeral Dystrophy…………………………..153
Myotonic Dystrophy………………………………………........153
Lou Gehrig's Disease
(Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/ALS)………………..153
Students with Speech or Language Impairments…………………153
Effective Interaction Guidelines on the School Bus
with Students with Speech Impairments……………………154
Students with Childhood Stroke or Aphasia…………………….…155
Bus Riders Unable To Speak…………………………….…………...156
Students with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)…………………………157
Ongoing Communication Problem with
Everyone Including the Driver Team………………………...159
Driver Teams Dealing with a Student with
Frontal Lobe Traumatic Brain Injury…………………………161
Students with TBI Which Causes Them Motor Damage…………162
Driver Teams Deal with the Emotional Damage
That Comes with TBI Students……………………………….163
TBI Students and Their Use of Mobility Aids……………………....165
Table 11: Driver Team Special Handling for
Students with Traumatic Brain Injury………………………..168
The Visually Impaired…………………………………………………………..169
Interacting with Students with Visual Impairments
And the Blind…………………………………………………….171
Chapter Two: Special Needs Bus Equipment
and the Student Personal
Equipment Brought on Board
Personal Equipment Commonly Found on the Lift Bus…………………174
Introduction to Lift Bus Safety………………………………………………..174
School Bus Lift Anatomy………………………………………………………175
Lift Platform Size………………….……………………………………..175
Lift Platform Volume Requirements………………………………….176
Lift Platform Characteristics…………………………………………..177
Lift Platform Inner Roll Stop…………………………………………..178
Lift platform Handrails………………………………………………….179
Lift Platform Markings………………………………………………….179
Lift Equipment Safety Features……………………………………………….180
Table 12: Lift Platform Safety………………………………………………….183
Lift Bus Seating and Wheelchair Seating Areas….………………………..184
Regular Routes and Buses with Lift Equipment…………………………...185
Mainstreaming Students with Disabilities on Regular
Or Special Needs Buses………………………………………………..185
Students with Visible Disabilities on the Special Needs Bus………..…..187
Table 13: Mainstreaming Students with Disabilities
On Regular or Special Needs Buses…………………………………188
Students Using Mobility Aids on the Regular Bus………..……………….189
Walker Users on the Lift-Equipped Regular Bus…………………………..189
Wheelchair Users on the Lift-Equipped Regular Bus……………………..190
Assistants Required on Lift-Equipped Regular
Or Special Needs Buses………………………………………………..192
Scooters Accommodated on Regular or Special Needs Buses………....193
Table 14: Mobility Aid Users on Lift-Equipped Buses………………….....194
Other Lift Equipment Safety Issues…………………………………………..194
Table 15: Tiedown Issues on Lift Buses……………………………………..196
What Parents Face In Purchasing Their Students
First Wheelchair…………………………………………………………..197
Manual Wheelchair Anatomy…………………………………………………...198
Manual Wheelchair Types……………………………………………………....199
Transport Manual Wheelchair………………………………………….199
Heavy Duty Manual Wheelchair….…………………………………….197
Recliner Manual Wheelchair…………………………………………....197
Table 16: Manual Wheelchair Troubleshooting……………………..200
Power Wheelchair Anatomy………………………………………………….....201
Power Wheelchair Types………………………………………………………..202
Front Wheel Drive Power Chair………………………………………...202
Rear Wheel Drive Power Chair…………………………………….…...202
Center Wheel Drive Power Chair…………………….………………...202
Tilting Rear Wheel Drive Wheel chair………………………….………202
When To Repair or Replace Wheelchairs?..................................................203
Wheelchair Repair or Replace Cost Considerations…………….....206
Wheelchair Repair or Replacement Decisions--
Parental Denial or Avoidance Decisions……………………………...207
Table 17: Power Wheelchair Repair or Replace
Decision Guidelines…………………….………………………………...209
Wheelchair Tray Management on the lift Bus………………………………..211
Clear Wheelchair Trays…………………………………………………..212
Half Right- or Left-Sided Trays..………………………………………..212
Pediatric- or Adult-Sized Wheelchair Trays…………………………. 213
Adult-Sized Wheelchairs with Flat Trays……………………………...214
Wheelchair Tray Desks…………………………………………………...214
Padded Wheelchair Trays………………………………………………..215
Wheelchair Tray Brackets-Universal Brackets
and EZ-On Lock Clamps………………………………………….215
Wheelchair Tray Risks for Student Injury during
A Bus Accident –What Not to Do…………………………….....216
Reducing Student Wheelchair Tray Risks for Injury
During A Bus Accident—What To Do…………………………..217
Wheelchair Tray Storage-Behind, In Front Of,
Or to the Side?...........................................................................219
Students Who Are Required To Ride the Bus with
Their Wheelchair Trays……………………………………………………220
Students Using Scooters on the Lift Bus…………………………………......221
When Parents Choose Their Child's Scooter…………………………221
Why Students Need the Use of a Scooter for Mobility…..………….222
Student Physical Factors for Scooter Use…………………………….223
Other Factors in Scooter Selection and Use………………..………...224
Scooter Configurations and Components…………………………….226
Scooter Drive Trains and Power Systems…………………………...228
Front-Wheel Drive Scooters……………………………………228
Rear-Wheel Drive Scooters…………..…………………………228
Scooter Brakes……………………………………………......................229
Scooter Wheels and Tires……………………………………………….229
Scooter Seating……………………………………………………….…..230
Scooter Tillers, Controls and Steering Mechanisms……………….230
Safe Operation of On or Near the Lift Bus…………….....................231
Table 18: Scooter Troubleshooting Guidelines…..…....…………...232
Students with Crutches on the Special Needs Bus………………………...233
Parts of a Crutch……………………………………………………….....234
Driver Team Responsibilities for Monitoring Crutch Users……....234
Driver Team Support for Specific Student Movements
Using Crutches on the Bus……………………………………..237
Crutch User Accidents on the Bus………………………………..…..240
Students Using Crutches at the Home Curb………………….……..242
Students Using Crutches at the School Loading Zone Curb….….244
Table 19: Crutch Safety Guidelines…………………….……………..246
Strollers on the Lift Bus…………………………………………………………247
An Infinite Variety of Strollers with a Common Problem……….....247
Stroller Securement Using Wheelchair Tiedowns……………….....248
Transferring a Student to an Infant or Child
Safety Restraint System (CSRS)………………………………250
Safe Lifting of Students Being Transferred Between
Stroller and CSRS………………………………………………..251
Is There a Right Stroller for the Lift Bus?.....………………………..252
Stroller Issues on the Lift Bus-
A Driver Team Self-Test…………..……………………………..253
Table 20: Stroller Safety Guidelines…………………………………..260
Students Using Walkers on the Lift Bus….…………………………………..261
Walker Components……………………………………………………...261
Walker Storage and Proper Securement—
'The Walker Holster'……………………………………………..264
Avoiding Tripping Hazards for Walker Users……………………….265
Empty Standing Walkers on the Lift Bus…………………………….265
Type One Walker User-Loading and Unloading
Using the Lift Platform………………………………….266
Type Two Walker User Bus Stepwell Accessibility………………..267
Type Two Walker Users Transfer Themselves
To Their Assigned Seat…………………………………………268
Walker Maintenance-Who's Responsibility Is it?...........................269
Table 21: Walker Safety Guidelines…………………………………..269
Service Animals and the Americans with Disabilities Act………………..270
Types of Service Animals on the Special Needs Bus……………..271
Hearing Dogs………………………………………………..…....271
Service Dogs……………………………………………………....272
Assistance Dogs………………………………………………...272
Seizure Response Dogs………………………………………..272
Combination Dogs………………………………………………272
Driver Teams and Others on Board Getting Along
With Guide Dogs and Their Masters…………………………273
Helping a Student with a Service Animal
Approach the Special Needs Bus……………………………273
Helping a Student with a Service Animal
After Boarding The Bus…..………….………………………...274
Students with Service Animals Disembarking At
The School Loading Zone……………………………………..275
Table 22: Guidelines for Service Animals on the Bus……………276
Long Cane Users………………………………………………………………..277
Table 23: Guidelines for Long Cane Users on the Bus……..……280
Using Bus Service Manuals to Properly Clean
All Onboard Lift Bus Equipment……………………………………..281
Cleaning Lift Bus Equipment and Student Mobility Aids.……………….284
Notifying Parents about Student Mobility Aids Equipment
That Must Be Cleaned, Repaired or Replaced…………………….285
A Word about Insurance Companies and About
Highly Responsible Parents……………………………………….....286
Wheelchair Repairs—What Goes Wrong The Soonest
Before A New Wheelchair Can Be Purchased…………………….287
Equipment Backup on the Lift Bus………………………………………….288
Assistive Communication Devices on the Special Needs Bus………...289
What Is Assistive Technology?......................................................289
What Are Assistive Technology Services?...................................290
Driver Team Responsibility to Transport'
Assistive Technology with Student Riders………………...291
Text-to-Speech Communicators or Augmentative
Alternative Communication…………………………………...292
Is It Stowed in the Bus or Kept with the Student
And Used To Communicate?...............................................294
AAC Technology ad Normal Wear and Tear
On the Special Needs Bus…………………………………….295
Augmentative Alternative Communication
Technology Software…………………………………………..296
Chapter Three: The Driver Team
All School Bus Drivers Must Have a Commercial
Drivers License by Federal Law ……………………………………..300
How Do Drivers Obtain Their CDL.…………………………………………..301
What Do the Terms Class A, Class B and Class C on a CDL?...............302
What Are the Enforcement Codes and When are They Needed
On the CDL?.....................................................................................302
The Special Needs Driver: The Job Description……………………………303
Pre-Trip Inspection-Open Hood Inspection………………………………....303
Bus Exterior Inspection…………………………………………………………304
Checking All Evacuation Doors, Windows and Hatches………………….304
The Lift Operation Check………………………………………………………..305
The Directional Lights Check…………………………………………………..305
Checking For Interior Vandalism………………………………………………306
Checking Windshield Wipers………………………………………………......306
Checking the First Aid and Body Fluid Kits………………………………….307
Two-Way Radio & Cellular Phone Checking………………………………...308
Wheelchair Tiedown Checking…………………………………………….......308
Seatbelt Inspections…………………………………………………………......308
Sounding the Horn……………………………………………………………….309
Mirror Adjustments……………………………………………………………….310
Lift Bus Wheel Chocks…..………………………………………………………311
Checking For a Seeping Child………………………………………………….311
Turning Off Switches and Lights………………………………………………312
Securing Tiedowns and Related Equipment…………………………….......312
Cleaning and Sweeping the Bus Interior…………………………………......313
Closing All Windows and Hatches………………………………………….....313
Returning Lost Articles…………………………………………………………..314
Submitting Work Orders…………………………………………………………314
Pre-Trip/Post-Trip Inspection Form Example………………………………..315
Common Special Needs Driver Mistakes and Their Remedies…………..316
Not Helping the Bus Assistant with Bus Exterior
Pre-Trip Inspection…………………………………………….…316
Not Helping the Bus Assistant Do A Lift Equipment
Pre-trip Inspection…………………………………………….….317
Not Helping the Bus Assistant with a Pre-Trip
Wheelchair Tiedown Inspection…………………………….…318
Not Helping the Bus Assistant with a Pre-Trip
Occupant Restraint Inspection……………………………..….319
Not Cross-Checking Child Safety Restraint Systems
with the Bus Assistant……………………………………….….320
Not Providing Appropriate and Timely Special
Handling For Each Special Needs Student……………….…321
Drivers Who Avoid Working with the Bus Assistant
On Student Management Issues…………………………….…322
Drivers Who Avoid Making Student Seating
Assignments or Reassignments…………………………….…322
Drivers Who Avoid Lifting or Transferring Students
with the Bus Assistant Using the Two-Person Lift…………323
Drivers Who Do Not Report All Student Injuries To
the School Nurse…………………………………………………324
Drivers Who Do Not Maintain Their First Aid and
CPR Certification…………………………………………………325
Table 24: Common Special Needs Bus Driver Mistakes……….….326
The Special Needs Bus Assistant: The Job Description………….327
The Pre-Trip Inspection for the Bus Assistant………………….…..327
Student Management………………………………………………………….…331
Peer Relations and Communication…………………………………………..332
Parental Relations and Communication……………………………………...333
Post-Trip Inspection……………………………………………………………...335
Special Needs Bus Assistant Common Mistakes and
Their Remedies……………………………………………………….…..338
Not Helping the Driver with the Bus Exterior
Pre-Trip Inspection…………………………………………….…338
Not Helping the Driver Complete a Lift Equipment
Pre-Trip Inspection…………………………………………….…339
Not Helping the Driver with Bus Interior
Pre-Trip Inspection…………………………………………….…340
Not Helping the Driver with Occupant Restraint Inspection…......341
Not Helping the Driver Pre-Trip Inspect the Onboard
Child Safety Restraint Systems………………………………..341
Not Providing Appropriate and Timely Special
Handling for Each Special Needs Student………….………..342
Not Being A Greeter for Each Special Needs Student…….……....343
Not Preceding Each Special Needs Student
At the Stairwell…………………………………………….……...343
Not Taking Primary Responsibility For
Special Needs Student Management on the Bus………......344
Not Getting Involved When Special Needs Students
Seriously Act Out on the Bus…………………………………..345
Sitting in the Front of the Bus When Special Needs
Students Are Seated Behind the Bus Assistant…………….345
The Bus Assistant Does Not Wear a Back Support Belt
Or Use Proper Lifting Techniques…………………………….346
The Bus Assistant Does Not Report Injuries to the
School Nurse No Matter How Minor…………………………..347
The Bus Assistant Does Not Maintain Current
First Aid and CPR Certification………………………………..347
The Bus Assistant Does Not Cooperate with
The Driver to Keep the Bus Clean…………………………….348
Assistant Daily Bus Safety Inspection Self-Test…………………...349
Table 25: Common Special Needs Bus Assistant Mistakes……...351
Stress Management on the Special Needs Bus…………………………….352
Driver Team Sources of Stress………………………………………...353
Driver Teams Who Don't Work Together for Student
Behavior Management…………………………………………..353
The Greater the Challenge Driver Teams Face the
Stronger They Become………………………………………….354
Driver Teams and Maintaining Professional Distance From Their Students………………………………………………………………355
Stress and Tight Route Deadlines……………………………………….355
Driver Team Common Sense—Must It Be Trained For
Adults on the Special Needs Bus?...........................................356
Driver Team Stress and Hostile Parents………………………………..357
Driver Team Stress and Acting-Out Student Riders.…………….......359
Driver Team Stress and Emergency Situations……………………….360
Driver Team Personalities—Teams That Work Together…………....360
Why Are Some Driver Teams So Successful?...................................361
Balancing Jobs and Personal Pressures………………………………362
Driver Team and Unprofessional Behavior…………………………………….363
Unauthorized Transportation Service on the
Special Needs Bus………………………………………………….363
Providing Route Service Beyond Designated or
Authorized Levels………………………………………………..…364
Using Extraordinary Measures on the Special Needs Bus………….365
Limits of the Good Samaritan Law and
The Special Needs Driver Team………………………………….365
The Reasonable and Prudent Special Needs
Driver Team Behavior Test………………………………………..366
Maintaining Physical Fitness for the Job Requirements……………366
Slips, Trips and Falls on the Special Needs Bus…………………......367
Avoidable and Preventable Accidents and Injuries
On the Special Needs Bus………………………………………...367
Substitute Drivers and Bus Assistants: Who Will Take
The Team's Place?.....................................................................368
Lifting, Bending or Moving Students Who Are
Unable to Move Themselves……………………………………..368
Repetitive Stress Injuries and the Special Needs Driver Team……369
Unauthorized Special Needs Bus Passengers…………………….....369
Hearing Complaints and Resolving Grievances……………………………...370
Relying on Family (Our Customers) Complaints……………………..370
Gossip, Hearsay or Uninformed Opinion………………………………371
Repeated Complaints—Are they Valid or Invalid?............................371
Do Complaints Received Reflect Legitimate
Parent Expectations?................................................................372
Must Current Route Services Be Changed To Reflect
Student Changes From Year-to-Year?....................................372
Are Driver Teams Providing Expected Student
Route Services?........................................................................373
Driver Teams May Be Required To Maintain Route
Current Route Services before the Court Decides…………..374
It Is Not Majority Rules but the IEP Committee Rules
To Provide Specific Student Route Services…………………374
If the Parents Are Our Customers Then Why Do We
Lose Them To Other Providers?.............................................375
Handling Incoming Calls…………………………………………………377
Changing Route Services and the Negative Results of
Those Changes on Other Families……………………………..378
Chapter Four: Other Special Needs Transportation Support Personnel
Parents with Their Child on the Special Needs Bus?……………………...380
Table 26: Parental Roles in Supporting Special Needs
Transportation…………………………………………………………….381
Personal Attendants……………………………………………………………..382
Table 27: Special Needs Transportation Support
Provided by Personal Attendants…………………………….……….383
Physical Therapists or Occupational Therapists on the Bus…………….384
Table 28: Special Needs Transportation Support
Provided by Physical Therapists……………………………..………..387
Occupational Therapists on the Special Needs Bus……………..………...388
Table 29: Special Needs Transportation Support
Provided by Occupational Therapists…..…………………..………..389
Respiratory Therapists on the Special Needs Bus……………..………….389
Table 30: Special Needs Transportation Support
Provided by Respiratory Therapists…….…………………..………..390
The School Nurse or a Private-Duty Nurse
On the Special Needs Bus………………………………………….......391
Nurses and Their Responsibilities for Student Nursing Care……392
Who Is Driver Team Leader When the Nurse Is on Board?...........393
Duties of the Lift Bus Driver with the Nurse on the Bus………….394
Table 31: Lift Bus Driver and Nurse Support for
Special Needs Transportation…………………………………396
Lift Bus Assistant and the Bus-Riding Nurse………………………397
Table 32: Lift Bus Assistant and the Bus-Riding Nurse
Support for Special Needs Transportation………………….400
Joint Duties and the Riding Nurse and the Driver Team………....402
Substitute Bus Drivers and Nurse Support…………………………402
Substitute Bus Assistants Providing
Bus-Riding Nurse Support……………………………………..403
Each State's Nurse Practice Act………………………………………404
Table 33: Health Care Procedures on the Bus
With the Driver Team…………………………………………….404
Transportation Dispatcher-Electronic Dream Support……………………405
The Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST)……………………………405
Current Practices in Retrofitting Child Safety Seats
On Special Needs Buses………………………………………………..407
Proper Placement of Lap Belts for Child Safety
Restraint Systems in School Buses…………………………..407
Using Reinforced or Lap-Belt Ready Bus Seats for
CSRS Placement in School Buses…………………………….408
Proper Placement of CSRS in School Bus Seat Rows
On the Bus…………………………………………………………409
Adequate Bus Aisle Width for CSRS Use…………………………….411
Adequate Space between School Bus Bench Seats
For CSRS Forward- or Rear-Facing Positions………………412
Table 34: The Child Passenger Seat Technician (CPST)
Support for Special Needs Transportation…………..………414
Other Related CSRS Issues…………………………………………….415
Shop Bus Mechanics or Technicians Are Very Much A Part of
Special Needs Driver Team Support………………………………….416
Three Levels of Interior Cleaning On the Lift Bus………………………….416
Frequency of Lift Bus Interior Cleaning……………………………...417
Why Hosing a Lift Bus Interior Down Is a BAD IDEA………………418
Table 35: Mechanics and Technicians Cleaning of Buses
In Support of Special Needs Transportation…..…………….419
Using the Service Manuals to Properly Clean All Onboard
Lift Bus Equipment……………………………………………….420
Table 36: Using OEM Service Manuals to Properly Clean All
Onboard Lift Bus Equipment…..……………………………….422
Cleaning Mobility Aids Equipment Also Means Inspecting
That Equipment…………………………………………………...423
Giving Parents Advanced Formal Notice Concerning
The Disposition of Student Mobility Aids……………………425
Table 37: Parental Responsibilities to Maintain and Repair
Their Child's Mobility Aid Equipment………………………...427
A Word about Insurance Companies and about Highly Responsible
Parents……………………………………………………………………..428
The IEP Committee Is the Primary Support Group for
Special Needs Transportation………………………………………....428
The Special Needs Transportation Eligibility Documentation…...429
Form #1: Special Needs Transportation Eligibility Form………....430
Keeping the Special Needs Transportation Eligibility
Folder on the Bus………………………………………………...430
Summary of Interpretation……………………………………………...430
Form #2: Climate Control Transportation Request
for Students with Special Needs………………………………433
Chapter Five: Specific Driver Team
Issues Resolved
Driver Teams and the Home Visit Prior To the First Day
Of Bus Service…………………………………………………..…...….438
Home Exits, Walkways and Curb Bus Stop Accessibility……………….439
Once On Board the Bus during the Practice Run What Special
Handling Will Be Needed……………………………………………....441
School Loading Zones and the Special Needs Bus……………………....442
Accessible School Loading Zones…………………………………..442
Using the Accessible Path of Travel—Approaching
The School Loading Zone……………………………………..443
Private Vehicle and Bus "Safety Mix" at the School
Loading Zone…………………………………………………….445
Curb-to-Curb Service at the School Loading Zone……………….447
Door-to-Door Service at the School Loading Zone……………….447
School Loading Zone Coordination—Safety or Chaos?..............448
Early Arrival at the School Loading Zone…………………………..449
Late Arrival at the School Loading Zone…………………………...450
Early Departure from the School Loading Zone…………………..451
Personal Safety in the School Loading Zone……………………...452
Students and Adults Moving Behind or Between
Buses and Not at Crosswalks………………………………..452
Pedestrian Safety Requirements at the
School Loading Zone………………………………………….453
Lift Platforms As Walkway Obstructions……………………….....453
School Campus Police or Security at the
School Loading Zone…………………………………….........454
Reducing Driver Team Liability………………………………………………455
Driver Teams Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect……………....456
Meeting Special Needs Student Physical Needs
On the Bus…………………………………………………..…...457
Protecting the Special Needs Student From Dangers
In the Environment……..………………………………………458
Transporting Medications and Prescriptions
On the Bus…………………………………………………….....459
Sample School District Policy Concerning the Handling
of Medications…………………………………………………..460
Avoiding Transporting Medications that are
Controlled Substances………………………………………...461
Observing Student Behavioral Changes Following
Their Medication Changes……………………………………462
Handling Confidential Information on the
Special Needs Bus……………………………………………...462
Dispensing Medications On the Special Needs Bus……………..463
Medication Administration on the Special Needs Bus……….....463
Confiscating Medications from Special Needs
Students on the Bus……………………………………………464
Beyond Minimal Special Needs Transportation Compliance…………...465
Planning for Special Needs Transportation Service……………...465
Verifying Transportation Services As Specified in the IEP……...466
Minimal Compliance and the Need to Know………………………..466
Special Needs Transportation Service Documentation…………..467
Special Needs Transportation Eligibility Forms As
Documentation for Transportation Service Needs………..467
Form #3: Special Needs Transportation Eligibility Form………...468
The Special Needs Route Sheet and Minimal Compliance……....469
The Bus Ridership Logs………………………………………………………..469
Form #4 Special Needs Bus Seating Chart..……………………......470
Driver Team Reasonable and Prudent Services
To Special Needs Students……………………………………...........471
Special Needs Planning and Implementation:
Coping with Change……………………………………………………471
Driver Team Attitude about Required Changes…………………...472
Driver Teams-Providing a Support System for
Adults Coping with Change…………………………………...473
The Buddy System……………………………………………………...473
Five Stages of Change for Special Needs Driver Teams………...475
Change and Gossip…………………………………………………….475
Information about Change—Is That Enough
For Driver Teams?................................................................476
Senior Divers & Assistants as Opinion Leaders……………….....476
Transportation Supervisors and Trainers As
Change Agents………………………………………………….477
Parents and Changes in Special Needs Transportation………...477
Routing Changes-Everybody Loses and Wins?.....................................478
Permanent or Temporary Route Changes…………………………478
Length of Travel Time for Students with Disabilities…………....479
Temporary Route Changes…………………………………………...480
Updating Route Sheets-How Often Are They Updated?..............481
Continuously Updating Route Sheets……………………………...481
Route Sheets at the Beginning of the School Year………………482
Route Changes during the School Year……………………………482
Length of Special Needs Bus Routes—Resolving
The Issues…………………………………………………….....483
When Special Needs Route Service Must Begin………………….484
Special Needs Transportation Eligibility Forms
That Specify Route Pickup or Arrival Times……………….485
Parental Work Schedules and Special Needs Route Service…...486
Parental Choice of Routes Assigned for Their Child…………......487
Parental Bus-Specific Preferences…………………………………...487
Special Needs Route Sheets vs. Actual Routes Driven
and Times of Arrival…………………………………………..488
Other Special Needs Length of Route Service Factors………...490
Apartment Complexes—Gate-to-Gate or Curb-to-Curb Service?........493
Outside or Inside the Gate Levels of Special Needs
Bus Service…………………………………………………….493
Apartment Complex Security Issues………………………………495
Curb-to-Curb Service at Apartment Complexes or
Gated Communities…………………………………………..496
The Special Needs Child Crossing the Street in a
Gated Community…………………………………………….497
Parental Responsibilities for Special Needs Bus
Service in Gated Apartment Communities……………….499
Door-to-Door Service in Apartment Complexes and
Gated Communities…………………………………………..500
Private Lanes and Cul-de-Sacs—When to Stay Out……………………501
When Private Lane Service Is Not Appropriate………………....502
Driving On Private Lanes in Adverse Weather Conditions……503
Managing Students Using Wheelchairs on Private Lanes
And in Adverse Weather Conditions………………………503
Issues with Dropping off Students under Extreme
Or Adverse Weather Conditions……………………………504
Sidewalk Surface Dangers for Students and their
Special Needs Driver Team………………………………….505
When Private Lanes Are Not Safe for Special Needs
Student Pickup and Delivery………………………………..506
When Private Lane Service Is Appropriate for
Special Needs Buses…………………………………………507
Chapter Six: Managing the Bus Behavior
Of Students with Disabilities
Behavior Incident Reports and Behavior Management Plans………...510
Intermediate Measures Implemented
On the Special Needs Bus…………………………………………...510
Student Bus Behavior Incident Reports…………………………………..514
Bus Suspensions and Revocations………………………………………..515
Behavior Management Plans (BMPs)……………………………………....516
How to Report a Special Needs
Student Bus Behavior Problem.………………………………….....517
Providing Complete and Accurate Student Behavior
Information……………………..…………………………………….....518
Extreme Student Aggression……….……………………………………...,,518
What Is the Problem and What Can We Do About It?................…….....519
Crisis Situation One: Students Acting Alone On The Bus—
Self-Mutilation…………………………………………………….….....519
Driver Teams Who Care Enough To Intervene….……….…………….....522
Crisis Situation Two: Three Types of Student-to-Student
Extreme Aggression on the Bus………………………………….....523
Table 38: Student-To‑Student Extreme Aggression
On the Bus………………………………………………………………525
Levels of student Acting Out on the Bus…………………………………..527
Table 39: Levels of Student Acting Out on the Bus….………………528
Driver Team Job Security and Appropriate Physical Restraints
With Extremely Aggressive Special Needs Students……………529
Table 40: Appropriate Student Physical Restraints…..……………...530
Crisis Situation Three: Assaults by Parents on the
Special Needs Bus…………………………………………………......532
Crisis Management Strategies (CMS): How Can the Driver
Team Stop a Student Crisis on the Special Needs Bus……..…..534
Crisis Management Strategies: The Pre-Crisis Stage………….………..535
Crisis Management Strategies: Stage Two—the Driver Team
In Action Using Appropriate Physical Restraint (APR).…………536
Driver Teams Who Are Vulnerable To Injury from Acting
Out Students on the Special Needs Bus………………………..….537
"My Students Respect Me and Will Not Act out If I
Talk To Them"……………………………………………………..……538
"My Students Love Me As I Love Them and Would Never Act
Out For Me"…………………………………………………………..….539
"Other Teams on Other Buses Have Trouble with Their
Students, But Not on My Bus!"………………………………..……..539
"My Student Can Handle His or Her Crisis If I Talk To Them.
They Don't Have To Get Violent
If I Am There to Help Them" …………………………………..…….540
"The Other Students Will Help Me If One of My Students
Tries to Hurt Me! They Won't Let Them Hurt Me!"…………..…...540
Applying Appropriate Physical Restraints—Seven
Levels of Interpretation……………………………………………..…541
Applying Physical Restraint as A Driver Alone on the
Special Needs Bus……………………………………………………..543
Students Who Are Runners from the Special Needs Bus……………....545
When Students with Disabilities Become Runners…………………..….546
Students with Disabilities Who Have A History of Running……………547
Runners before Boarding the AM Bus to School…………………………548
Driver Team Responsibility for Student Runaways……………………...549
Student Runners off the Special Needs Bus………………………………551
Limiting Unauthorized Exits from the Special Needs Bus……………...552
Severely Autistic Students Who May Be Runners……………………….553
Seating Assignment Policy and Procedures……………………………...554
Driver Team Bus Seating Assignment Procedures..…………………….555
Form #5 Wheelchair Seating Placement for Rear
Lift Positioned Bus ….……………………………………………...…556
Seating for the Bus Assistant Is Not Assigned…….……………………..557
Changing Seating Assignment Changes Student Bus Behavior……...557
Managing Special Needs Student Using Mobility Aids
And Their Seating Assignments……………………………………..558
Transporting Empty Wheelchairs……………………………………………559
Scooter Securement on the Special Needs Bus………………………….559
Securing Crutches or Canes on the Lift Bus……………………………...560
Special Needs Bus Seating Charts………………………………………….561
Federal Laws That Apply To Special Needs Student
Management on School Buses……………………………………...562
States and Their Seat Belt Policy on the Special Needs Bus………….563
Local School District Policy on the Special Needs Bus………………...563
Seat Belt Committee and the IEP Committee……………………………..563
Seat Belt Procedures and the Director of Special Education………….564
Seat Belt Procedures and Special Needs Driver Teams…….………….564
Parents and the Special Needs Student Seat Belting Procedures……565
Students Using Seat Belts……………………………………………………565
Special Needs Student Bus Behavior and Their
Seating Assignments………………………………………………….566
Seating Assignments and Bus Environmental Controls………………..567
Special Needs Bus Seating Capacity……………………………………….567
Where Students Are Seated and with Whom—
Directly Affects Their Bus Behavior………………………………...568
EZ-On Students and Similar Securement Equipment
On the Special Needs Bus…………………………………………....568
Specialized Seat Belts on the Special Needs Bus………………………..569
Compartmentalization and Student Bus Behavior……………………….569
Three-Way Lap Shoulder Belts on the Special Needs Bus…………......570
Individually Designed Seats Restraints with Specialized
Padding or Body-Neck-Head Supports…………………………….571
Appropriate Touching on the Special Needs Bus………..………………572
The Driver Team as Greeters………………………………………………...572
Appropriate vs. Inappropriate Hugging……………………………………573
Driver Team Touching and Student Stairwell Assistance………………574
Driver Team Touching and Student Assistance in the Bus Aisle……..575
EZ-On Vests and Appropriate Touching…………………………………...575
Appropriate Touching During CSRS Use on the
Special Needs Bus……………………………………………………..576
Driver Team Appropriate Student Touching during
Wheelchair Securement……………………………………………….577
Appropriate Student Touching during First Aid
Or CPR Procedures…………………………………………………….578
Appropriate Touching Using Physical Restraint
During Student Crises………………………………………..………..578
Controlling Assaults or Fights on the Special Needs Bus……………...578
Inappropriate Student Restraint Avoidance
On the Special Needs Bus…………………………………………….579
Table 41: Avoiding Inappropriate Physical Restraints
or Procedures NOT TO BE USED on the Lift Bus
and Their Solutions…………………………………………………….580
Parent/School/Driver/Assistant Communication Links………………….582
Driver Team Responsibilities to Maintain
Appropriate Student Management on the Bus……………..……..585
Parent/School Communication Links—the Basics of
Managing Student Bus Behavior with the
Cooperation of Others…………………………………………………585
Communication Rules for Driver Teams and How They
Get Support from Others……………………………………………...586
Interrupted Communication between Driver Team
Members and Their Supporters………………………..………….…587
Taking Turns during Conversations with Others Who Are
Team Members But Don't Ride the Bus…………………………....588
Using Silence as a Communication Device and
Student Bus Behavior…………………………………………………589
Knowing Appropriate Topics of Conversation As A Means
Of Student Bus Behavior Management…………………………....590
Interjecting Humor at Appropriate Times As An Effective
Student Management Technique……………………………………590
Using Nonverbal Behavior to Manage Student
Bus Behavior……………………………………………………………591
Handling Criticism of How Driver Teams Manage
Student Bus Behavior…………………………………………………591
Parental Behavior Management at Home Pickup and Delivery………..596
The Blaming Process—The Destruction of
Relationships between People………………………………………597
Responses to Student Bus Behavior Problems—
Driver Teams in Denial or Finding and Implementing
A Solution……………………………………………………………….598
What Are the Most Common Parent Problems and
How Can the Driver Team Solve Those Problems?....................599
Driver Teams Unable To Contact Parents without
Valid Phone Numbers………………………………………………....600
Parents Not Having Their Child Ready before the AM Piclup………....603
Latchkey Children on the Special Needs Bus…………………………….604
Special Needs Latchkey Students—How Many Are There?..................604
The Special Needs Latchkey Student Test………………………………..605
What Do Latchkey Special Needs Students Need From
Their Driver Team during the AM Run?........................................605
What Do Latchkey Special Needs Students Need From
Their Driver Team during the PM Run?........................................608
What Do Latchkey Special Needs Students Need From
Their Driver Team When Siblings Are Involved?.........................610
What Do Latchkey Special Needs Students Need From
The Driver Team If They Have a Single Parent
As the Sole Provider?.....................................................................611
Special Needs Latchkey Students and Their Self-Care…………………614
Parents Not Accepting Driver Team Bus Write-Ups
Concerning Their Child…………………………………………........614
The Private Transportation Reimbursement Option………………........617
The Public Transit Alternative for Suspended
Special Needs Students……………………………………………....617
Taxi Service for Suspended Special Needs Students…………………..618
The Transport Option of Last Resort………………………………………618
The Chronically Late Parent for the AM Student Pickup……………….618
Students with Parents Who Are in a Custody Battle
Requiring Two Different Pickup and Drop Off Sites…………….620
The Chronically Absent Parent Not Home to Receive
Their Special Needs Student Rider………………………………..621
Form #6: The Release Authorization Form…………………………….....622
Form #7: The Notice of Non-Delivery Form……………………….……...623
Table 42: Student Release Authorization Strategies
For Driver Teams……………………………………………..,625
Chapter Seven: Medical and Other Emergencies on the Special Needs Bus
Providing Specific Health Needs or Emergency Medical Care
On the Special Needs Bus………………………………………...628
Medical Emergencies On the Special Needs Bus..…………………...629
Consent for Medical Treatment ………………………………………….629
Emergency Procedures for Students with Severe Seizures
Or Status Epilepticus………………………………………………630
When EMS Arrives at the Bus Location and Takes
Custody of the Student……………………………………………631
A Procedure That Can Be Used So That EMS Will Not Have
To Be Called…………………………………………………………633
Vagus Nerve Stimulators and the Special Needs Driver Team…….633
Students with Hydrocephalus……………………………………………634
Canes, Crutches or Walking Casts Users and Their
Emergency Bus Evacuation………………………………………635
Emergency Bus Evacuation or Staying on the Bus?.........................639
Phase One: Prevention—Avoiding the Decision to
Evacuate the Bus…………………………………………………….639
Driver Team Decision Making……………………………………………...640
Bus Evacuation Risk Factors outside the Bus
And Along the Route………………………………………………...640
Bus Evacuation Risk Factors within the Special Needs Bus………...642
Bus Evacuation Risk Factors When Rerouting
The Special Needs Bus……………………………………….……..642
Bus Evacuation Risk Factors during Severe Student
Behavioral Outbursts………………………………………………...643
Bus Evacuation Risk Factors for Students Using Wheelchairs
With or without Life Support Systems…………………………….643
Student Emergency Medical Information…………………………………645
Students with Do Not Resuscitate Orders on the
Special Needs Bus……………………………………………………645
Option One—Following School Board Policy
for All Employees……………………………………………………..646
Option Two---Following IEP Committee Written Directives
For Student DNROs…………………………………………………..648
Option Three—When Option One or Two DNROs Do Not
Exist or Are Not Immediately Available to Driver Teams………648
School Districts Refusing To Comply with DNROs……………..649
School Districts Who Insist on Their Employees To
Fully Comply with Student DNROs………………………...649
Students with Disabilities Who Have DNROs and Fully
Informed Driver Teams: The Best of All Options………..650
EMS Team Options for Students with DNROS…………………...651
The Emergency Room Attending Physicians and
Student DNROS…………………………………………………….….651
Backup or Emergency Bus Communication Systems………………….652
Phase Two—The Reactive Phase…………………………………………..653
Special Needs Bus Evacuations…………………………………………....653
The Full-Scale Special Needs Bus Evacuation Rehearsal……………..654
Special Needs Bus Evacuations Done without
Prior Planning…………………………………………………………..654
Evacuating the Special Needs Bus with Successful Results………….655
Special Needs Bus Evacuations That Were Unsuccessful…………….655
Mass Evacuation Training for Special Needs Driver Teams……..…….656
What Special Needs Driver Team Mass Evacuation
Training Is Not………………………………………………………….657
Who is Evacuated from the Lift Bus during Mass
Evacuation Training?.....................................................................657
Who Attends the Special Needs Driver Team Mass
Evacuation Training?.....................................................................658
Components of the Mass Evacuation Training
For Each Driver Team…………………………………………………659
The Physical Therapist's Orientation for Driver Team Safe
Student Lifting and Back Safety…………………………………….661
Lift Bus Pre-Trip Procedures Re-Training During
Mass Evacuation Training…………………………………………...662
Comprehensive Wheelchair Securement Re-Training………………….663
Child Safety Restraint System Securement Training
For Front- and Rear-Facing Convertible Seats…………………..664
Driver Team Re-Training for Students Using an EZ-On Vest………….665
Mass Evacuation with Six "Students"……………………………………..666
Conducting the All-Participant Follow-up Group Meeting……………..667
The Transportation Supervisor's Role Is to Identify
Personnel Who Will Not, or Cannot, Participate
In the Exercises………………………………………………………...668
Homeland Security on the Special Needs Bus…………………………...669
Identifying Security Threats and Incidents That Involve
School Transportation………………………………………………...669
Monitoring Suspicious Activities and Items……………………………....671
What to Look for That May Be A Security Threat………………………...672
Responding To A Security Incident………………………………………...672
Driver Teams Controlling Their Own Situation…………………………...673
Evacuating the Special Needs Bus…………………………………………673
Collecting Information………………………………………………………...674
Reporting Threats……………………………………………………………...675
Reporting School Bus Security Incidents…………………………………675
Identifying and Responding To Suspicious People……………………..676
Winter Driving on the Special Needs Bus…………………………………678
Winter Season Preparations on the Special Needs Bus………………..678
Winter School Loading Zone Safety Precautions………………………..679
Winter Special Needs Route Safety Precautions………………………...680
Curb Service Is Suspended and Door-to-Door Service
Maintained During Severe Winter Conditions…………………….681
Extended School Building Hours before Closing………………………..681
Blizzard Conditions……………………………………………………………682
Wind Chill and Frostbite on the Special Needs Bus………..……………683
Before the Storm Strikes……………………………………………………...683
If Stranded on a School Bus during a Blizzard…………………………...684
Winter Special Needs Bus Kit………………………………………………..684
Additional Winter Driving Precautions on the Special Needs Bus………………………………………………………………………...685
Hypothermia……………………………………………………………………..687
Summer Driving on the Special Needs Bus……………………………….688
Overheated Students…………………………………………………………..688
Student Personal Equipment on the Summer Special Needs Bus……690
Wheelchairs and the Problem of Mud………………………………………690
Making the Summer Bad Weather Call for Special Needs
Transportation…………………………………………………………..690
Emergency Weather Procedures and Special Needs Bus Service……..691
Emergency Weather Special Needs Bus Procedure Planning…………..691
Severe Thunderstorms……………………………………………………….....692
Lightening Safety………………………………………………………………...692
Flash Flooding and Floods……………………………………………………..693
High Wind Risks and the Special Needs Bus…………………………….....694
Hail and the Special Needs Bus…………………………………………….....695
Tornadoes…………………………………………………………………………696
Hurricane Safety……………………………………………………………….....698
Summer Preparations on the Special Needs Bus………………………….698
Special Needs Field Trips—Planning for Crises……………………………700
Types of Special Handling Often Requested on Field Trips………………701
Field Trips with the Driver Only and No Bus Assistant?...........................702
Time Windows for Special Needs Field Trips………………………………..703
Special Needs Field Trip Start-Up Times……………………………………..704
Special Needs Field Trip Delays……………………………………………….704
Special Needs Field Trip Ending Times………………………………………705
Field Trip Delays and Parental Pickups during the Field Trip……………705
Special Needs Field Trips and Driver Team Availability…………………..707
Form #8: Release Authorization Form………………………………………..706
Lift Bus Field Trips and Other Extracurricular Activities………………....707
Activity Field Trips for Special Needs Students…………………………....708
Field Trips and the Medically Fragile………………………………………....709
Emergency Procedures during Special Needs Field Trips………………..710
Chapter Eight: Transporting Infants and Preschoolers
with Disabilities
Introduction to Infant Safety Restraint Systems on the Special
Needs Bus………………………………………………………………….712
Why are Infants on Special Needs Buses?.................................................712
Row Seating Space Requirements for Infant Safety Seats…………….....713
Standard School Bus Seats vs. Seatbelt-Ready School Bus Seats……..714
The Infant-Only Seat……………………………………………………………...715
Who Is Responsible for Infants on Special Needs Buses?.......................715
Infant Seats that are Semi-Reclined…………………………………………...716
A School Bus Infant Seat Checklist…………………………………………...716
Infant Seat Installation Issues on the Special Needs Bus………………...718
Other Precautions Taken While Transporting Infants with Disabilities...719
Introduction to Child Safety Restraint Systems (CSRS)…………………..720
Damaged Child Safety Restraint Systems…………………………………...721
Child Safety Seat Maintenance…………………………………………………723
Child Safety Restraint System Cleaning Requirements…………………...723
Child Safety Restraint System Management…………………………….…..724
Driver Team Safety Checklist for Child Safety Seats……………………....725
Selected NHTSA Guidelines…………………………………………………....727
NHTSA Child Safety Restraint System Guidelines….……………………...727
The Standardized Child Passenger Safety Training Program…………....731
Parents of Preschoolers Coping Strategies………………………………....732
Special Needs Transportation Best Practice Glossary
A through Z………………………………………………………………….733-756
Index
A through Z………………………………………………………………….756-795
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