1. Introduction

North Lincolnshire Council is committed to providing safe travel to and from school for all pupils and students who use school transport.

This code of conduct for safe behaviour on school buses has been produced as a positive step towards achieving this aim. We want everyone to be aware of his or her own responsibility and to know the importance of implementing it.

The council transports approximately 5000 pupils and students to school and college each day. A summary of the council’s policies for home to school and college transport is included in the 'Admission to Schools Guide Information to Parents' each year and published on the website. The full policy is published in the booklets:

Home to School Transport Policy for Pupils of Statutory School Age
Home to School Transport Policy for Pupils with Special Educational Needs

You can get copies from the Education Transport Officer (01724 297218)

Transport may be by:

Contracted buses, minibuses, taxis, private hire cars
Fare paying registered public service buses
Rail

This Code of Conduct relates primarily to travel on buses and minibuses, but parts of the policy may also be relevant to other vehicles. It sets out the standard of service that the council expects from contractors of school transport and the ways in which the school, parents, pupils and students can work with us to provide a safe and reliable service.

2. The council’s commitment

We will:

Ensure that every pupil who is entitled to free transport gets a pass to travel on their designated transport
Deal with your queries and requests promptly. Passes will normally be issued within 5 working days of the council’s school transport team receiving the request
Provide contractors with up-to-date information of pupils and students authorised to travel on their buses
Pay properly completed claims from contractors within the period stipulated in the contract
Plan journeys to minimise journey times. Subject to providing a cost effective and efficient service
Investigate all incidents reported and complaints made thoroughly and impartially. We will respond to the complainant as soon as the investigation is complete
Monitor the safety and quality of school transport on a regular basis. Safety of school transport is our primary concern
Treat everyone equally and fairly according to the conditions of our policies and contracts

3. Advice for pupils and students

At the bus stop

Always arrive at the boarding point in good time and make sure you have your pass with you. You must show the pass to the driver each time that you board the vehicle. Failure to produce a pass may result in transport being refused. Your parents or guardians will have to make other transport arrangements at their own expense until a pass can be produced. Remember: no pass may mean no travel
Do not play about near the road while waiting for the bus or other transport. You should wait on the pavement, in a safe position well back from the road. You must behave sensibly without upsetting local residents and causing a danger to other pedestrians and traffic
Don’t go near the vehicle until it has stopped
Do not push to get on the bus
Make sure that you are getting on the bus to which your pass relates.

On the bus

Find a seat quickly without pushing. If the vehicle has seat belts fitted, wear it for your own safety
You must listen to the driver and do as he or she says. The driver’s job is to drive the bus safely, not to supervise young people on the vehicle. You must not distract the driver by shouting or causing a disturbance
Do not move about the bus except when it has stopped
You must not fool around when you are on the transport, as this is dangerous and could distract the driver. If you need to say something important wait until it is safe to do so
Report any incident or accident to the driver only when the vehicle is stopped.
You must not eat, or drink on the transport. Take any litter off the bus with you
Do not damage or leave graffiti on the vehicle, spit, or interfere with emergency doors, safety belt fastenings or window fittings. Your parents will be charged for any damage, which you have caused
Keep the gangway and emergency doors clear so that other people can leave the vehicle safely
If there is an accident or breakdown, stay calm and quiet and follow the driver’s instructions
You must give the driver your name if he asks you for it.

At your destination

You must not try to get off the bus until it has stopped
You must make sure that you have all your belongings, such as bags, coats and litter, as you leave the vehicle. If you have forgotten something you or the school should contact the company that operates the service
You must not try to get back on the vehicle after you have got off it, in case it moves off suddenly
Older pupils should help to see that younger pupils are well clear of the vehicle after they have got off the bus
You must not cross the road close behind or in front of a bus or any other vehicle. You must be able to see clearly both ways. Where possible, use a pedestrian crossing.

Remember – Be polite and courteous at all times. You are representing yourself, your family and your school. Don’t let them down! Bad language, particularly when it is aimed at the driver will not be tolerated

Unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated and action will be taken if you do not follow these guidelines. In serious cases, or following the issuing of warnings, the school, in consultation with the council, reserves the right to suspend free or concessionary transport. The responsibility for transporting you to school will then become your parent or guardian’s.

This guide is for your safety and that of other passengers. Please allow everyone to enjoy the journey

4. Advice for parents and guardians

Where necessary, and for all younger pupils, please ensure that children are accompanied to the bus stop or agreed pick-up point, they arrive in good time, and are supervised until the bus arrives
If your child is unaccompanied please ensure they follow a safe route to the bus stop and that they know where the safest crossing places are
It is your responsibility to ensure that your child has a pass with him or her each time they board the vehicle. Drivers are required to check passes, and failure to produce one may result in your child being refused transport. You will then have to make alternative arrangements, at your expense, to get your child to school until a pass can be produced
Your child has been allocated to a particular vehicle and it is important that they travel on this and not any other vehicle. This is to avoid overcrowding and ensure each child has a seat. It is important that the Council knows who is on the vehicle in case of accident or emergency
If your child has lost or damaged their pass contact the school transport team at the council to ask for a new one
If, unusually, your child wishes to bring a friend home with them, a special arrangement should be made through the School Transport Section to ensure that there is a space available for them for his journey and that they are covered for insurance purposes
Please make sure that your child is aware of the dangers of behaving in a disorderly way. Please ask them to act sensibly at the bus stop, for their own and others’ safety, and explain that they should show
Consideration for the people who live near the bus stop
Where necessary, ensure that your child is met when the transport returns from school. Remember that children often forget road safety as they get off the vehicle
Where transport is provided to or from your home address please be ready in good time to meet the vehicle and assist your child into, or out of, the vehicle
Make sure your child knows what to do if the bus or other transport is late or does not arrive
Help drivers to do their job of getting children to their destinations safely. Please ask your child to show the driver respect and follow any instructions he or she may give. The driver’s primary function is to transport children from home to school but he or she may not be able to do this if children are misbehaving on the vehicle
Please encourage your child to behave safely on the bus, remain seated at all times and to wear a seat belt when fitted.

Remember - you will be held responsible for any vandalism caused by your child, which will be treated as criminal damage.

Please notify the staff of the School Transport team immediately of any changes to your circumstances. If your child’s bus pass is no longer required, please return it to the council
Season tickets are valuable. Replacements may be charged for. Lost, stolen or damaged tickets should be reported immediately to the School Transport Unit who will advise you how to obtain a replacement
If you have any concerns about school transport provision you should contact either the head teacher or Education Transport Officer if it relates to pupil discipline, or the School Transport Team if it relates to operation of school transport.

In serious cases of misbehaviour, or following the issue of a series of warnings, the council reserves the right to suspend free or concessionary travel facilities. You will then be responsible for transporting your child to school.

5. Advice for schools

Schools play an important role in promoting good behaviour when pupils are waiting for and travelling on the school bus. They should:

Make sure that children understand the Council’s rules for safety on buses and other transport
Maintain an orderly and safe procedure for pupils waiting for and boarding the buses at the school
Ensure that children understand the consequences of misbehaviour on transport and at bus stops
Work with parents, drivers, transport operators, and council staff in cases of problem behaviour
Follow the procedures agreed between the Council and operators for reporting and taking action on behavioural problems
Work with the operator and the council to introduce ways of reducing behaviour problems and drawing up seating plans if needed
Provide adequate supervision at set down and pick-up points, and advise operators of any special parking arrangements at your school
Provide safe access to and from the bus park where available
Complete a risk assessment of the boarding and dismounting arrangements on school premises so that they are as safe as possible and any unnecessary hazards are avoided
Wherever possible, make sure that private cars do not obstruct bus stops outside schools and inform council staff of any safety concerns relating to boarding and dismounting arrangements outside school premises
Agree contingency plans with operators in case of bad weather or other emergencies. Tell operators about inset, or early finish, days
Should any school transport fail to arrive, contact the operator or the School Transport Unit. Keep children together whenever possible
Ensure that pupils understand that season tickets or passes, where issued, must be produced when requested by the operators, drivers, or council representatives
Ensure that bus passes are distributed promptly
Ask the children to respect the rights and property of others whilst they are waiting for and using school transport
Do not give non eligible pupils permission to use school transport until this has been authorised by the Council, as unauthorised passengers could invalidate insurance cover and cause safety and organisational problems
Do not change the buses pupils travel on without prior approval of the Council. This could result in buses being overloaded, invalidate the pupil’s bus pass and mean our and the contractors’ records are incorrect
Please tell the School Transport team about any improvements or changes you think should be made to your school’s transport arrangements. Your detailed knowledge will be a great help and enable them to provide a better service
Ensure that pupils are released promptly from class and encourage them to make their way to the transport departure point as quickly as possible. Delays can result in transport being missed
Report any failure on the part of transport operators to provide the contracted service punctually and efficiently to the School Transport Unit as soon as possible
Tell the Education Transport Unit of any changes to pupil circumstances, e.g. change of address, pupil moving away from the area, or leaving school.

Please note: Before suspending a child from school transport the school should consult the Education Transport Officer as unless this is done by the agreed procedure the school might be responsible for making alternative transport arrangements.

6. Advice for contractors

Please ensure that you are familiar with North Lincolnshire Council’s Conditions of Contract and specification for the services you are providing and the relevant information is passed on to your drivers
Make sure that you and your drivers have the procedures to be followed in an emergency, including the relevant contact telephone numbers readily available, in the vehicle and your office. You should remind drivers periodically of their duty to follow this guidance
Establish contingency plans for dealing with vehicle failures, staff unavailability and other emergencies
Ensure staff and vehicles meet both statutory obligations and any additional requirements set by North Lincolnshire Council
Report recurrent problems of pupil discipline, to the school and Education Transport Officer
Ensure that drivers check bus passes daily and complete checklists as requested by the Council to show pupils travelling without a pass
Make sure that a copy of all letters received concerning the operation of the service are sent to the School Transport Team together with a copy of your reply
Report any late running, breakdown or accident to the school and the School Transport Section where possible
Ensure that all services are operated according to the agreed route and schedule
Do not sub-contract any school transport service to another operator without the express permission of the School Transport Section. No two routes shall be combined without prior agreement from the School Transport Section
Ensure that all drivers are fit and well enough to drive and that the council has cleared their CRB disclosure. Report any incidents that may affect a driver’s criminal record to the Council as soon as they occur
Ensure that any drivers who have been injured in road traffic accidents are certified by a medical professional as being fit to resume driving duties before they return to work
In the event of an incident or accident involving any form of school transport, make sure that the school, and the council is informed immediately
Ensure that drivers receive the appropriate training
Work with the council and schools to promote the safety of pupils, including completion of risk assessment exercises of boarding and dismounting arrangements and participating in schemes to promote good behaviour.

7. Advice for drivers

General

The welfare of the pupils and other road users is of paramount importance
Do not drive a vehicle you consider to be unroadworthy or in contravention of PSV regulations or any other legislation, or licensing regulations. Report any faults to your employer immediately
Follow the scheduled route and use only designated pick-up and set down points. If it proves impossible to maintain the scheduled timetable notify your employer about the problem
Check pupils’ passes each time that they board the vehicle to ensure they are entitled to travel, using the council’s checklist if provided. Unless authorised to do so by the Council, do not refuse to carry a pupil who does not produce a pass – note the pupil on your pass monitoring sheet and if you have particular concerns report them to the school or your employer. Never allow any other unauthorised passengers to travel on your vehicle
If you suspect a pass is being used fraudulently, withdraw the pass and give it to your employer
Avoid unnecessary physical contact with pupils and never use force. Maintain a courteous and professionally objective relationship with your passengers. Inappropriate conversation topics and bad language must always be avoided. Do not become over familiar with pupils
Please maintain a smart appearance. Remember, you are representing your company
Report any incident of misbehaviour to the appropriate member of staff at the school and to your employer. If you threaten to report misbehaviour, then do so. Do not evict a child from the vehicle unless allowing them to remain on the vehicle would cause unacceptable health and safety risks to the other passengers
Check for lost property and internal damage before and after the journey, and hand any items found to your employer
Maintain a smart and clean appearance. Remember that you are representing your company and the council
Support and assist the monitoring of your transport route by officers of North Lincolnshire Council and co-operate with the duty member of staff at the school
Smoking is not permitted when you are carrying out duties relating to the school transport contract, whether or not you are on the vehicle.

Boarding and alighting

Approach each stop slowly and with care. Do not brake sharply. Wherever possible pick up and set down onto the pavement, not onto the carriageway. Always choose a safe place to stop
Hazard warning lights may be used when pupils are boarding and alighting, as circumstances and legislation dictate
Keep doors closed until you have brought the vehicle to a complete standstill. Do not allow children to open or close the doors of your vehicle
Check all passes. Always wait for several seconds before closing the door. Check that doors are properly closed, and that nothing is trapped in them, inside or out. Use nearside mirrors to check for latecomers trying to board before pulling away
Do not drive away until all pupils are seated and/or secured
When unloading make sure that all pupils are well clear of the vehicle before moving off
Discourage children from crossing in front of or immediately behind the vehicle. Tell them to wait until the vehicle has moved off
If pupils have to exit by the rear of a minibus, make sure they are supervised
If you have to reverse the vehicle activate the buzzer, if fitted. Only reverse before setting down, or after picking up pupils
Co-operate with school and authority staff over arrangements for parking, and the picking up and setting down of pupils within school grounds
Make sure no pupils are left on the vehicle at the end of the journey.

Safety in the vehicle

Where seat belts are fitted, advise pupils to use them
Make sure all luggage is safely stowed, and the gangway and emergency exits are not obstructed
Do not allow your vehicle to be loaded beyond its capacity. On closed contract vehicles every child must have their own seat
Follow the Highway Code at all times. Keep to speed limits
“School Transport” signs should always be used. Ensure they are in the appropriate positions, and only displayed when the vehicle is being used to transport pupils. Ensure the route number is visible at the front of the bus
Make sure you have your mobile phone with you on the vehicle, but don’t use it when you are driving
If CCTV is installed in your vehicle follow any instructions given to you by your employer about its operation.

In emergencies

In the event of breakdown or accident you must immediately inform your employer. You must not leave the vehicle unattended
In the event of fire or other hazard, evacuate the vehicle in a calm, orderly manner and take pupils to a safe distance from the vehicle
Ensure you have been given the telephone numbers of the people who you should contact in an emergency i.e. your employer, the School Transport Team, and the schools served. Always keep these in the vehicle
Ensure you know how to use the fire extinguisher and first aid kit, and any other safety equipment
Keep pupils informed of what is happening and the arrangements that have been made to continue the journey
Where injury or shock is caused to any of the pupils or to a 3^rd party, ensure priority is given to obtaining medical aid
If the vehicle is merely broken down, passengers should not be asked to leave the vehicle, unless they are at greater risk remaining on it.

8. CCTV

An increasing number of school buses have CCTV systems installed. The council works with contractors and schools to ensure that these are operated legally and in a way that enables us to obtain evidence about incidents reported and deal with them appropriately.

The council has a code of practice for the operation of CCTV on school buses and expects contractors to comply with it. Pupils travelling on buses with CCTV installed will be made aware of this.

9. Damage

The council has a procedure for dealing with claims for the repair of damage to school transport where this is considered to be more than normal wear and tear. Reports received in writing and supported by available evidence will be investigated and claims reimbursed if appropriate. All or part of the cost of repairing the damage may be reclaimed from the pupil(s) responsible.

10. Incident reporting

In order to deal with incidents of poor behaviour they need to be reported to us so that we can investigate them and take whatever action is needed. Incidents must be reported as soon as they occur.

If the incident is about a pupil’s behaviour please contact:

· The Education Transport Officer (01724 297218)

If the incident is about a driver or vehicle please contact:

· The School Transport team (01724 297216)

We may ask for your comments in writing and where the incident concerns a pupil will ask the school to help with the investigation.

As soon as we have completed our investigation, if we find one or a group of pupils is at fault, we will contact their parents or guardians to confirm what has happened and the action we are taking. Depending on the seriousness of the incident, and the number of previous incidents the pupil has been involved in the action may be:

Warning letter
Final warning letter
Suspension from school transport
Behaviour contracts setting out the standards the pupil must keep to when allowed back on the bus after a period of suspension
Permanent ban from school transport

In the event of a suspension or ban it will be the parent or guardian’s responsibility to take their child to and from school.

The contractor and school will be informed of the action taken so that they can ensure that any suspension or ban is upheld.

In cases or criminal behaviour the police will be informed.

Why not let us know of occasions where things go well?

Don’t just confine your contact with us to bad news! Tell us about drivers who provide a good service, pupils whose behaviour is exemplary or council staff who have been really helpful with a request or problem!

11. Replacement passes

We expect pupils and students to take good care of their bus passes. They are valuable items and without one you are not authorised to travel on the school bus and will have to pay if you use a registered public service bus.

We will issue replacement passes to anyone who has lost or damaged their bus pass but will make a small charge for this. Replacement passes can either be issued via the school or college or by phoning 01724 297216 or 01724 297218.

12. Change in circumstances

If you move house or want to use a different bus please tell us. If appropriate we will issue a new pass if appropriate. Please do not try to use the wrong pass for the bus you are boarding – the driver is entitled to refuse admission to unauthorised passengers.

13. Contacts

For information about the code of practice, home to school transport policy, eligibility for a bus pass and to report incidents of pupils’ poor behaviour: 01724 297218

For advice about transport provision, school transport contracts, and to report problems with buses, incidents involving the driver: 01724 297216

Code of conduct for safe behaviour on school buses