Rider Responsibility

The transportation of children in the district is a shared responsibility between the parents and the school. Families are responsible for their children to and from the designated bus stop, as well as safety while waiting for school transportation. Appropriate behavior and issuing consequences at a bus stop is shared by the parent and the district. The district is responsible for the safe transportation of the children once they have boarded the bus.

School bus rules are created for the safety and welfare of all riders. The district asks parents to emphasize the importance of obeying bus safety rules with their children. If a student repeatedly defies the rules, putting others safety at risk, they may be denied the privilege of riding the bus. Parental support for behaving appropriately is essential.

Bus routes are on a strict time schedule to accommodate multiple routes. Students should be at the designated stop five minutes earlier than pickup time. Please try not to interrupt the schedule; talking directly with the driver while he or she is in route is discouraged. Bus-related concerns or problems can be addressed by writing a note to the driver or by phoning the Transportation Office at (614) 751-7581 and asking for a supervisor.

Why does it take so long at bus stops? Please take a minute to review this information from the Ohio Department of Education, Office of Pupil Transportation.

Did you know?

• Communication with parents and community members is a priority. If a concern should arise, supervisors at the Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools (GJPS) bus compound are the first point of contact. They will record the concern and investigate. Additionally, any action taken is logged and follow-up contact is made with those who have reported a concern. All concerns are documented.
• GJPS has 55 regular routes and 55 regular drivers. Each route has two and/or three runs. An example would be a high school run, then middle school and elementary run, or a combination of these. The GJPS bus fleet totals 66 buses.
• Bus drivers are hired from a substitute bus driver’s list. All drivers are required to have a background check, drug and alcohol tests, secure a commercial driver’s license, and take a state department school bus course. GJPS bus drivers are trained by a fully certified trainer, and must pass a state of Ohio bus driver’s test. A component of the training includes supervising the welfare of students. The completion of training takes approximately 2 months.
• All GJPS bus drivers must be re-certified every six years. They are evaluated on an ongoing basis by a supervisor who is required to ride the bus for evaluation.
• It is the goal of the Transportation Department to deliver outstanding service in a fiscally responsible manner.
• Currently, 50 GJPS buses have security cameras installed.
• Safety is a critical priority in the Transportation Department. All GJPS buses are inspected by the Ohio State Highway Patrol every summer prior to the start of school. As well, spot checks are conducted two to three times a year by the state highway patrol without the district’s prior knowledge. Additional safety measures by GJPS Transportation Department include the employment of two bus mechanics and a mechanics helper; a daily pre-trip inspection by each bus driver of their bus before it leaves the bus compound; and random drug tests administered three times a year without prior knowledge. GJPS bus drivers are issued a handbook by the district providing them with information of their rights and responsibilities in the every day performance of their job.