8660 - TRANSPORTING STUDENTS BY PRIVATE VEHICLES

The School Board of Polk County

Bylaws & Policies

Unless a specific policy has been amended and the date the policy was revised is noted at the bottom of that policy, the bylaws and policies of The School Board of Polk County were adopted on November 12, 2013 and were in effect beginning November 12, 2013.

8660 - TRANSPORTING STUDENTS BY PRIVATE VEHICLES

The School Board shall use school buses, as defined in Florida statutes, for all regular transportation of students, pre-kindergarten through grade 12.

For purposes of this policy, "regular transportation" or "regular use" means transportation to and from school or school-related activities which are part of a scheduled series or sequence of events to the same location.

Board personnel shall not make arrangements for or authorize students to transport other students to any school-related activity.

Regular transportation of students in motor vehicles other than school buses may occur only under the following conditions:

A. when transportation is for a physically handicapped or isolated student and the Board has entered into a written agreement for the transportation of the student;

B. when the transportation is part of a comprehensive contract for a specialized educational program between the Board and a service provider for instruction, transportation, and other services;

C. when the transportation is provided through a public transit system;

D. when the transportation of students is necessary or practical in a Board owned or commercially leased vehicle not to exceed seven (7) students in designated seating positions as outlined in Florida statutes and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) for Passenger Cars.

Except as provided above, the transportation of students in private vehicles may be authorized by the principal on a case-by-case basis only under the following conditions:

A. When a student is ill or injured and must be taken home or to a medical treatment facility under non-emergency circumstances and

1. the school has been unable to contact the student's parent or guardian, or such parent, guardian, or responsible adult designated by the parent or guardian is not available to provide the transportation; and

2. proper adult supervision of the student is available at the location to which the student is being transported; and

3. the transportation is approved by the school principal or designee; and

4. if the school had been unable to contact the parent or guardian prior to the transportation, the school continues to attempt to contact the parent or guardian until the school is able to notify the parent or guardian of the transportation and the circumstances.

B. When the transportation is in connection with a school function or event in which the school has undertaken to participate and

1. the function is a single event which is not part of a scheduled series or sequence of events to the same location; such as, but not limited to, a field trip, recreational outing, a competitive or cooperative event, or an event connected to an educational program; and

2. transportation is not available, as a practical matter, using a school bus or Board-owned vehicle; and

3. each student's parent or guardian is notified in writing about the transportation arrangement and gives written consent before a student is transported in a private vehicle.

When Board employees are required to use their own vehicle to perform duties of employment and such duties include the occasional transportation of students.

Any private vehicle used to transport students under this policy shall be currently registered in the State of Florida, be insured for personal injury protection and property damage liability in at least the minimum amounts required by law, and be in good working order.

For purposes of this policy, acceptable vehicles meeting F.S. 1006.22 criteria are only those that are classified by the manufacturer under the following Federal definitions:

	A.	School Bus - meeting all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Florida specifications applicable to school buses.
	B.	Passenger Car - any wheelbase; includes, in part, sedans, coupes, hatchbacks and wagons.
	C.	Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle - includes: minivans and larger sport utility vehicles, excludes: MPVs such as the ones listed previously (commonly known as "sport utility vehicles") that have a wheelbase of 110 inches or less. These short wheelbase, utility vehicle MPVs are required, federally, to contain a rollover warning label under 49 C.F.R. 575.105, affixed to either side of the driver's sun visor, and may not be owned or operated by school districts or charter schools for student transportation under F.S. 1006.22.

A Board employee, parent, or other adult wishing to transport students in a private vehicle will request approval by submitting his/her driver's license, vehicle registration, and insurance ID card along with the completed Form 8660 F1 to the principal in a reasonable amount of time before the planned travel. The principal will follow the established procedure to determine whether approval of the request to transport students in a private vehicle is appropriate.

Student transportation in private vehicles may only be authorized for trips within the State of Florida. When transportation is authorized in a private vehicle, students may only be required to use the occupant crash protection system provided by the vehicle manufacturer. A student who is transported to an activity in a private vehicle approved under this policy shall return from the activity in the same vehicle, unless the student is released to his/her parent.

Board employees will be covered by the Board's liability program when they are transporting students as part of their assigned or related duties. Benefits due from private vehicle insurance will be primary, except for workers' compensation, in accordance with State law.

Parents or other adults are not covered by the Board's liability program when they are transporting students and, therefore, must have adequate insurance during the time that the vehicle is being used to transport students.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this policy, in an emergency situation that constitutes an imminent threat to student health or safety, school personnel may take whatever action is necessary under the circumstances to protect students.

F.S. 1006.22