Bus Passenger Rules
The West County Transportation Agency has adopted rules and regulations in conjunction with your local school district to assist students in understanding their responsibilities while riding buses of the Agency. These rules will assure safe and proper travel to and from school and are to be observed while waiting at bus stops, riding the bus home and to school, or on field trips. The following list of student actions, while not being exhaustive, constitute violations of the established rules and regulations:
1. Abrasive body contact (slapping, hitting, poking, shoving, pulling hair, etc.)
2. Fighting on the bus or at a bus stop.
3. Using other than the student’s regularly designated stop.
4. Crossing the road without the driver’s escort or getting off the bus and crossing without permission.
5. Using profane language or obscene gestures.
6. Unauthorized exits (from emergency doors, windows, etc.)
7. Putting any part of the body out of the bus window at any time.
8. Any movement out of the seats while the bus is in motion.
9. Riding the bus after being denied the riding privilege.
10. Legs, feet, and objects obstructing the aisle or facing to the rear in the seats.
11. Creating excessive noise.
12. Any improper bus stop procedures. (Not lining up, rock throwing, playing in the street, any property damage at the bus stop, etc.)
13. Unauthorized opening, closing, or tampering of any kind with the bus doors, windows or exits.
14. Lighting of matches, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping, or smoking of any kind.
15. Throwing any objects in or out of the bus or throwing objects at the bus.
16. Any type of damage or defacing of the bus.
17. Littering of any kind.
18. Transporting live animals, reptiles, or insects in the bus.
19. Eating, drinking, or chewing tobacco or gum on the bus.
20. Disrespect to the driver.
21. Transporting any object the driver feels is unsafe.
22. Giving improper identification when requested by the driver
23. Tampering with the radio or bus controls.
24. Failure to obey the driver.
25. Failure to remain quiet at all railroad crossings.
26. Endangering the life or limb of other people.
27. Other unauthorized or unsafe actions.
Authority of the bus driver as explained in Section 14263 of Title 5 of the California Administrative Code states that:
a) Pupils transported in a school bus shall be under the authority of and responsible directly to the driver of the bus, and the driver shall be held responsible for the orderly conduct of the pupils while they are on the bus or being escorted across a street, highway, or road. Continued disorderly conduct or persistent refusal to submit to the authority of the driver shall be sufficient reason for a pupil to be denied transportation. A bus driver shall not require any pupil to leave the bus enroute between home and school or other destinations.