Embedded Files
Transportation & Safety Program Cycle
Transportation Accommodations
A GHC Staff and Partners must provide reasonable assistance, such as information about public transit availability and other transportation resources, to children's families to arrange transportation to and from program activities.
CHC does not provide transportation to and from services.
Transportation option information must be included in recruitment announcements.
GHC will make a reasonable effort to coordinate transportation resources with other human service agencies in its community to control costs and improve the quality and availability of transportation services
Pedestrian Safety
Training is required for all center-based and family home visiting program options annually within the first 30 days of the program year and as needed for new enrollees. All enrolled parents and children, of walking age and above, must receive training. Staff must receive annual safety training.
The training provided to children must be developmentally appropriate and an integral part of program experiences. The need for an adult to accompany a child while crossing the street must be emphasized in the training provided to parents and children.
Safety training for parents should occur at the first parent meeting/orientation.
Staff safety education training should occur at pre-service. d. Pedestrian safety training for children and parents must include:
Safety while crossing the street, including a. walking within the crosswalk
Obeying traffic signals
Looking both ways before crossing the street
Being mindful of the stroller position while waiting at a crosswalk
Make sure children walk on inside, not curbside
Exiting vehicles
Children should disembark/exit the vehicle on curbside
Emphasize the importance of escorting their children to the vehicle stop and the importance of reinforcing the training provided to children regarding vehicle safety.
Staff should submit pedestrian training certification, using the Pedestrian Certification Form, to their monitoring team, within the first 30 days of the program year, and then provide follow -up as needed for new enrollees.
HS/EHS funded programs should submit certification forms for all their sites, including partner sites who have PFA/PI. PFA/PI funded center-based programs should submit certifications directly to their monitoring team.
Bus Evaluation Drills
Every HS-funded program must conduct three bus evacuation drills per year. Every PFA-only funded program that intends on using bus transportation for field trips must conduct a bus evacuation drill prior to each bus-transportation field trip.
HS-funded programs, sites, and classrooms
Chicago Commons funds two stand-alone evacuation drills, and the third may be included in the field trip.
The first bus evacuation drill should occur at the beginning of the year, prior to the first field trip or within the first three months of program operation.
Two more should be offered in reasonable intervals after the first and before the end of the program year to account for newly enrolled families and children.
Reporting on bus evacuation drills: a. Documentation of all evacuation drills must be placed in Early Bird and CARES
HS-funded programs should submit Bus Evacuation Certification Forms for all their sites and homes, including partner sites that have PFA. PFA-only center-based programs should submit certifications directly to their monitoring team.
Bus evacuation drills should be developmentally appropriate for children and an integral part of program experiences. It should include
Safe riding practices.
Safety procedures for boarding and leaving the vehicle.
Safety procedures in crossing the street to and from the vehicle at stops.
Recognition of the danger zones around vehicles.
Emergency evacuation procedures.
The importance of escorting their children to the vehicle stop and the importance of reinforcing the training provided to children regarding vehicle safety
Bus Monitoring Training
During pre-service training, GHC leadership must provide bus monitoring training for staff that accompany children on field trips involving bus transportation. All programs must ensure that any person accompanying children on buses for field trips receives training prior to transportation, and at least annually.
Programs must conduct training for the upcoming year. HS/EHS: In August, all bus monitors must participate in transportation safety/evacuation training. Each month, programs should review the number of bus monitors trained.
Bus Monitor Training must include the following topics:
Child boarding and exiting procedures
How to use child restraint systems
Completing any required paperwork
How to respond to emergencies and emergency evacuation procedures
How to use special equipment
Child pick-up and release procedures
How to conduct pre-and post-trip vehicle checks
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid
Field Trips
Transportation for Field Trips – Pre-school-aged programs (HS and PFA) programs may need to provide transportation services for field trips. If they do, they must use Chicago Commons and DFSS-approved bus companies for preschool-aged children. Infants and Toddlers may not use transportation services for field trips.
Only DFSS and Chicago Commons -contracted bus companies are equipped and approved to provide services for preschool-aged children, age three and above. Infants and toddlers may not be transported. State law prevents the transportation of children under 18 months.
Because of the restraint equipment, buses can only seat 34 children.
HS-funded programs are required to conduct three bus evacuation drills per year, regardless of whether they plan on using bus transportation for field trips.
Chicago Commons funds bus -transportation for one field trip per year per HS classroom. If a program needs bus transportation for additional field trips, the program must cover expenses out of its budget.
The following steps need to be followed when scheduling a field trip requiring transportation, regardless of whether the program is HS or PFA funded.
Submit the completed Evacuation and Charter Service Request Form to DFSS /Chicago Commons transportation contact as stated at the bottom of the form a minimum of two weeks before the desired field trip. Make sure the agency and site have completed bus monitor training.
Make sure to indicate on the form whether this will be DFSS-funded field trip transportation or program-funded field trip transportation.
The bus company will confirm directly with the program for program-funded bus transportation.
HS partner sites must submit bus transportation requests to their delegate agencies (GHC), who in turn, should submit the request to DFSS/Chicago Commons.
Bus transportation confirmation will be sent directly to the partner/center-based sites.
Transportation Safety Checklist
Before taking children on bus-transported field trips, program staff must complete the Transportation Safety Checklist. The checklist outlines the items that need to be checked before a field trip
Transportation During Fieldtrips Safety during bus-transported field trips. All GHC programs and Partner Sites must ensure that:
1. Each child is seated in a child restraint system appropriate to the child’s age, height, and weight. 2. Baggage and other items transported in the passenger compartment are properly stored and secured and the aisles remain clear and the doors and emergency exits remain unobstructed at all times.
3. Up-to-date child rosters and lists of the adults each child is authorized to be released to, including alternates in case of emergency, are maintained and no child is left behind, either at the classroom or on the vehicle at the end of the route.
4. There is at least one bus monitor on board at all times, with additional bus monitors provided as necessary.
5. The bus aisles are kept clear at all times and emergency exits are unobstructed.
6. Staff, children, parents, and volunteers are seated and wearing appropriate restraints anytime the bus is in motion.
7. All accidents involving vehicles that transport children are reported in accordance with applicable state requirements.
8. Attendance must be taken in the classroom prior to boarding the bus.
9. A head count must be conducted after boarding and upon return to the site to ensure that all children have been accounted for.
10. Bus monitors and drivers must do a visual check, including under bus seats, to ensure that all passengers have exited the vehicle.
11. A working cell phone must be available on all field trips.
GHC and Partner sites must complete the Field Trip Checklist Form prior to leaving for a field trip.
Post-field trip —After the trip, programs should complete, scan, and submit to their monitoring team the following completed forms:
Trip Verification Form Field Trip Checklist Evacuation Form, if applicable
Transportation for Children with Disabilities
Those children who have a diagnosed disability when their IEP specifically requires or recommends transportation services a. Each GHC center-based program must specify any special transportation requirements for a child with a disability when preparing the child’s IEP or IFSP and ensure that, in all cases, special transportation requirements in a child’s IEP or IFSP are followed, including:
Special pick-up and drop-off requirements.
Special seating requirements.
Special equipment needs.
Any special assistance that may be required.
Any special training for bus drivers and monitors.
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