Business and Noninstructional Operations
Administrative Regulation No. 3541.1 
Regulation reviewed:  April 5, 2012

TRANSPORTATION FOR SCHOOL-RELATED TRIPS

The district may provide transportation for students, employees, and other individuals for field trips and other school-related trips approved according to Board policy and administrative regulation.

(cf. 3540 - Transportation)

(cf. 3541 - Transportation Routes and Services)

The Superintendent or designee shall determine the most appropriate and cost-effective mode of transportation for each approved trip. He/she may authorize the use of district vehicles, contract to provide transportation, or arrange transportation by the use of other vehicles.

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the district or contract has sufficient liability insurance for transportation on school-related trips.

When district transportation is provided, students may be released from using district transportation only with the advance written permission of their parents/guardians.

School-related organizations requesting transportation shall be fully responsible for the costs of their trips unless funding has been approved by the Governing Board.

Transportation by Private Vehicle

The Superintendent or designee may authorize the transportation of students by private vehicle when the vehicle is driven by an adult age 21 or older who possesses a valid California driver's license or, if he/she is a nonresident on active military duty in California, possesses a valid license from his/her state of residence. To be approved, a driver shall have a good driving record and possess at least the minimum insurance required by law. Any person providing transportation to district students in a private vehicle shall register with the district for such purposes.

Drivers shall receive safety and emergency instructions, which shall be kept in their vehicle.

All student passengers shall submit permission slips signed by their parents/guardians. Teachers shall ensure that each driver has a copy of the permission slip for each student riding in his/her vehicle.

The number of passengers, including the driver, shall not exceed the capacity for which the vehicle was designed. Trucks may not transport more persons than can safely sit in the passenger compartment. The driver shall ensure that the manufacturer's recommendations for his/her vehicle are followed regarding the seating of children in seats equipped with airbags.

The driver or any other person shall not smoke or have in his/her immediate possession a lighted pipe, cigar, or cigarette containing tobacco or any other plant when there is a minor in the motor vehicle, whether the motor vehicle is in motion or at rest. (Health and Safety Code 118948)

All drivers shall wear safety belts and shall ensure that all passengers are properly secured in seat belts or child passenger restraint systems in accordance with law. In addition, drivers shall ensure that: (Vehicle Code 27315, 27360, 27360.5, 27363)

Passenger Restraint Systems

A child who is under age 8 shall be properly secured in a rear seat in an appropriate child passenger restraint system meeting federal safety standards, except under any of the following circumstances:

         1.            The child is four feet nine inches or taller, in which case a safety belt may be used.

         2.            Use of a child passenger restraint system would be impractical by reason of physical unfitness, medical condition, or size and appropriate special needs child passenger restraint system is not available.

         3.            There is no rear seat, the rear seats are side-facing jump seats or rear-facing seats, the child passenger restraint system cannot be installed properly in the rear seat, all rear seats are already occupied by children under age 8 years, or medical reasons necessitate that the child not ride in the rear seat.

         4.            The child is otherwise exempted by law.

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

35330 Excursions and field trips

35332 Transportation by air

39830 School bus

39830.1 School pupil activity bus

39860 Transportation to special activities by district

44808 Liability when students not on school property

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE

118947-118949 Prohibition against smoking in motor vehicle with minor

VEHICLE CODE

12814.6 Limitations of provisional driver's license

27315 Mandatory use of seat belts in private passenger vehicles

27360-27360.5 Child passenger restraint systems

27363 Child passenger restraint systems, exemptions