Transportation

School Bus Safety: Be Ready for the Ride

The Department of Public Safety and the State Patrol are excited to announce the release of our School Bus Safety: Be Ready for the Ride training video. This video can be used to supplement the annual school bus safety training requirements outlined in MN State Statute 123B.90 or as a general reminder to students.

Overview

During the winter months, our bus companies make extra efforts to ensure buses are running on time. They plug-in engine tank-heaters, start buses over the weekends and come in very early to make sure the buses will start and be ready to do their routes. Even with these efforts, situations occur that can delay our buses, including, but not limited to, the weather. Here are a few points that will help you and your child(ren) during the winter season.

• If a bus is running late – our bus companies do their best to alert the school and the Transportation department. Parents/guardians can now check where their student's regular bus is in real-time through the FirstView bus app. Download the FirstView app from your device’s app store to know when the bus will arrive. Email, push and/or text notifications can inform families of such information instantly. Learn more about The FirstView bus app.
  
  
• We recommend you have a personal plan with your children if a bus is running late. If it's extremely cold, place a time limit on how long they can be at the stop before coming back into the home. If possible, wait with them in a warm vehicle in a safe location by the stop. Once you see the bus coming, make sure they get out soon enough for them to be at the stop when the bus arrives. While it may be cold, we do not want students running to the bus as the bus is approaching.
  
  
• If the bus stop is located at a corner, have students wait parallel to the street so they do not stand in the street. If possible, snow blow an area at the corner (similar to how you might clear a space for a fire hydrant) so students are safely off the street. 

Thank you for all your efforts to make sure transportation to and from school is safe for all involved during the winter season.