EON-P1 - Student Conduct on School Buses - Regulations

As provided by the regulations of The Public Schools Act, the Principal of a school whose students are being transported in the school bus has disciplinary authority over the conduct of the students during the period in which they are in, entering, or alighting from a school bus.  Where a student in a school bus persists in conduct detrimental or hazardous to the welfare of the passengers, such conduct shall be reported by the Bus Driver to the Principal of the school and the Transportation Supervisor. [M.R. 465/88 (13)]

All regulations of the Division such as those pertaining to smoking/vaping, etc. shall be applicable to school buses and students.

In the case of students transported by a school bus between the school and the home, parents or guardians are responsible for the conduct of their children prior to the children entering and following their alighting from the school bus at the designated site of pickup.

The Principal shall take appropriate disciplinary action consistent with the requirements of The Public Schools Act, School Division policy and the practices of the school.

Appropriate student behaviour on a school bus is vital to the safety of students being transported.  The conduct of students on school buses shall be administered according to procedures which have been adopted by the Division to provide for the safety of transported students. 

Procedures governing Student Conduct on School Buses shall be distributed to all students and parents at the beginning of each school year.

A. Disciplinary Action for Transported Students

Inherent in these guidelines is the assumption that transportation is a privilege which a student receives subject to acceptable behaviour.  Should the behaviour of a transported student or group of students become unacceptable, contrary to policies of the Division, or such that the safety of others is jeopardized, the privilege of transportation may be withdrawn.

Guidelines

1.  

a.  The Principal shall have disciplinary authority over all students of the school in their conduct towards one another on their way to and from school, and when transportation is provided, the Principal shall have disciplinary authority over the conduct of the students while they are in the conveyance. [M.R. 465/88 - 13 (1)(2)]

b.  The Driver of a  school bus shall report to the Principal and Transportation Supervisor any misconduct of children while entering, leaving or being conveyed in a vehicle under his/ her charge.  Such instances of misbehaviour should not be allowed to accumulate until they become a crisis. [M.R. 465/88 - 13(3)]

Under these procedures, the Principal of transported students has the authority and obligation to take disciplinary action against unacceptable behaviour when he/she establishes that such action is warranted.

2.  Any course of action taken must be reasonable in nature and within the limitations of Division policy.

3.  Because the Principal must act, generally on the basis of reports from School Bus Drivers and the Transportation Supervisor, it is important that effective lines of communication be maintained.

4.  The Principal, upon receiving these reports, will take whatever action is deemed necessary and advise the Driver and the Transportation Supervisor of the action taken.  Parents will be advised.

5.  At times, there will be isolated instances where the situation requires the Transportation Supervisor to recommend to the Principal the withdrawal of transportation services from the student.  In these instances, the Transportation Supervisor shall advise the parents as soon as possible until the matter has been dealt with by the Principal of the school.  The Principal shall administer the suspensions in accordance with prescribed policy of the Division.

6.  The suspension of a student’s bus riding privileges does not exempt the student nor parents or guardians from the provisions of the Public Schools Act regarding the regular school attendance of the student.

In most instances, the problem should be resolved at this point.  In more persistent problems, additional communication (reports) between the school, the transportation department, and perhaps the Division Office will be necessary.  Discussions should be held between the Transportation Supervisor, the Driver and the Principal with regards to previous incidents of misbehaviour and the action taken.

If more than one school is involved, it is important that all the Principals concerned are aware of the problem and the complexity of it.

Guidelines to be followed by the School Bus Driver

1.  The school bus passengers will be informed at the commencement of each school year of the Driver’s expectations regarding behaviour and the procedures that will be followed in dealing with behaviour problems and handling discipline.

The following order of complaints about student misbehaviour on the bus will be respected.

2.  The Driver may discuss with the parent(s) minor behavioural problems.  The Transportation Supervisor will be informed of such discussions.  If the parent(s) must be contacted a second time, the Principal shall be informed as soon as possible.  Violations by students of the rules of conduct on school buses or any other student behaviour which in the opinion of the School Bus Driver, endangers the safe transportation of students on the school bus must be reported as misconduct on the appropriate divisional form by the Driver to the Principal. (See EON-E1)

3.  The Driver and the Principal will be guided by a three (3) step procedure for discipline handling:  discussion, warning and, finally, suspension.  The Principal shall be the final authority for variations in this procedure and for suspensions.

4.  At no time shall a Driver use physical force to discipline a student passenger.  Nor shall a Driver cause a student passenger to leave the school bus at other than his/her normal pickup/drop-off points.

5.  Monitoring student behaviour on the bus may be done by video-recording. Recording may be done with or without the knowledge of the student(s).  Video and their contents shall remain the property of the Division and will not be released to the public without the prior permission of the Secretary Treasurer’s department.

B. Student Behaviour Guidelines

1.  All students must be properly dressed for weather conditions and in complete readiness to board the bus when it arrives at each pickup point or school.  Students are expected to be at the assigned stop on time.  Students will avoid rushing or jostling on entering or leaving the bus.

2.  Students shall go directly to their seat as assigned by the Driver, sit straight, well to the back of the seat, remain seated throughout the trip and leave their seat only when the bus has reached its destination and comes to a complete stop.

3.  Students shall keep the aisle clear.

4.  Students shall avoid anything which might disturb the Driver or interfere with the driving task.  Students shall refrain from loud or boisterous talking or yelling.

5.  The school bus is an expensive piece of equipment.  Vandalism in any form will be severely dealt with.  (See EF-P0)

6.  Students shall not open the window without the Driver’s permission.  Hands, arms, head and feet must not be allowed outside bus windows and doors.

7.  Students shall not throw anything inside the bus or out of the windows.

8.  Students shall not touch the emergency door or exits or any part of the bus equipment, unless so directed.  Students will know the location and the use of emergency exits, the first aid kit and the fire extinguisher. 

9.  Eating and/or drinking on the bus may be allowed providing that there is no littering.

10.  Bus passengers are expected to be courteous and considerate to each other and to the Bus Driver at all times.

11.  Objects of a dangerous or objectionable nature will not be allowed on the bus.

12.  The use of tobacco or vaping products in any form is strictly prohibited.

13.  Students shall obey the directions and instructions of the School Bus Driver promptly; co-operation will ensure safety.

14.  The Bus Driver is directed to report students breaking these rules to the School Principal.  Bus riding privileges may be withdrawn by the Principal.

15.  No student may leave the bus on the way to and from the school except when permitted by the Bus Driver, or if written permission by the parent is handed to the School Bus Driver.

16.  Students must be prepared to board the bus immediately after school and remain there until delivered at the bus stop except when excused by the Bus Driver or by written permission of the parent.

THESE PROCEDURES ARE FOR STUDENTS' AND SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS’ SAFE, COMFORTABLE, AND ENJOYABLE RIDE TO AND FROM SCHOOL.

 Revised May 7, 2018

 Revised August 19, 2025