Transport Guidelines

Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul International School has an efficient and reliable transport system with
numerous buses and bus stops planned as close to the child’s house as possible.

Students are expected to maintain proper decorum on the bus. The following are the BUS RULES.
Students should:

1. We consider the school bus to be an extension of the campus, so all school rules will apply on the
   bus.
2. Keep noise levels low
3. There will be a caretaker in each bus. Teachers also use the bus services and provide extra
   supervision on the buses.
4. Students should be ready and waiting at their stops 5 minutes before pick-up time.
5. Bus routes are very tightly scheduled in order to get the children and teachers to school on time.
   The buses WILL NOT wait for latecomers, either at the stop in the morning or at school in the
   afternoon.
6. Each bus is equipped with a GPS for parents to monitor the vehicle’s location and arrival. The
   Mobile App for this can be downloaded from Google Play or App Store based on the kind of
   mobile you have. The name of the app is ‘MiFleet’or TGG. Details on how to use the app have been
   attached with this mail.
7. Inform the driver or teacher if your child is not attending school (this will prevent the bus driver
   from waiting at the stop).
8. Check if the bus is running late (return trip). Often there is a traffic jam for as long as 15 minutes,
   and it is not possible to inform every parent. Parents are welcome to call the bus driver/teacher on
   the bus or track bus progress through the Bus App.
9. Students are not allowed to travel on a bus route other than their designated one. You will
   appreciate the need to implement this in order to ensure student safety.
10. Changes in bus routes will not be entertained unless there is a shift of residence.
11. Any change in pick up/drop point or mode of transport by the students, even for a day, should be
    notified to the school authorities in writing by parent / authorized guardian.
12. Bus timings/routes may periodically change to help students reach quicker/ accommodate new
    students.
13. The buses cannot provide door-to-door service, as students should not spend an inordinate time
    commuting to and from school. Pick up and drop points are located as close to main roads as
    possible.
14. Students are expected to maintain proper decorum on the bus. Students should:
    • Remain seated.
    • Keep noise levels low.
    • Do not stick your hands or head out of the window.
    • Do not be rude to people on the road.
    • Not eat food on the bus.
    • Not throw things out of the bus.
15. If a student fails to observe these rules, penalties including exclusion from the bus service, will
    apply.
16. The bus personnel/teacher in charge is responsible for maintaining discipline in the buses. Any
    serious offence will be reported to the School Management.

TRANSPORTATION POLICY

The school provides transportation for the convenience and the safety of students. The school
operates its own buses on specific routes, depending on the number of students on the route.
Though we try our best, it may not always be possible to drop students at their doorstep or to
accommodate requests for changes. Once a route has been finalized no changes/diversions
will be entertained, and parents are requested to co-operate. If any student is found violating
the code of conduct for the bus, the bus facility may be withdrawn. The onus of deciding the
gravity of the situation is on the teacher in charge of the bus.
The transportation policies and procedures for parents are given below:

• The list of stops is prepared to keep in view the convenience and safety of all the commuters.
• Therefore, buses will not stop according to individual convenience.
• Parents are required to pick up the child from the designated stop. In case the parent/guardian/caretaker is not there to receive the child with the I-card, the driver is instructed to bring back the child to the school.
• In case of a change in route or destination, please inform the school transport authorities in writing to facilitate efficient planning. Please inform us in advance because drivers are not authorized or permitted to make these decisions. Please avoid calling drivers directly as the mobile phones given to them are for emergencies only and they are not permitted to use them while driving.
• Students in Class V or above will be allowed to enter their homes or compounds without being met by a parent/guardian/caretaker ONLY IF a signed authorization letter is on file with the school.
• Students will be held responsible for any damage caused to the bus by their negligence or vandalism and a fine will be incurred.
• On receiving a complaint against a student causing in-discipline or being disobedient to the bus staff, his/her bus facility is liable to be withdrawn.
• Parents should drop their children outside the bus and should not board the school bus.
• Parents are requested not to complain to the bus driver, conductor or security guard but to report the matter to the transport in charge/section educator in writing.
• Please ensure that you understand the transport rules and encourage your child to follow them to enable the smooth running and safety of the transport system.

BUS RULES FOR STUDENTS

• All the students using the school bus are expected to be at the bus stop at least five minutes before the arrival time of the bus.
• Buses will not wait for latecomers.
• Children should stay away from the main road until the bus arrives.
• No student should come near the entry door of the bus until it comes to a complete halt.
• All students should occupy the vacant seats immediately after boarding the bus.
• The front door of the bus is the only authorized entrance and exit.
• Students are to occupy only one seat in the bus.
• Talk in a quiet voice to the person next to you.
• Sit with your bottom on the seat, your back against the seat, and your feet on the floor.
• It’s mandatory to wear seat belt.
• Keep your head, hands, arms, and all other objects to yourself and in the bus.
• Do not litter on the bus, damage or destroy property.
• The driver bhaiyyas are authorized to stop buses at the designated stops only, unless otherwise directed by the teacher in the bus.
• Be courteous to the staff on the bus and follow instructions. Always obey and respect the bus monitor/ conductor and the driver.
• Students should board and exit the bus in an orderly and safe manner.
• Students should not leave their seat/stand without permission from the driver.
• Students should not get on or off the bus while it is in motion.
• Students should not lean out of the window and should keep all body parts inside.
• Usage of cell phones or any other electronic gadgets is not allowed.
• Students and other staff members will be respectful and listen to the didis and bhaiyyas in the bus.
• No student should disturb or harass any other student, teacher, didi or bhaiyya in the bus.
• When disembarking from the vehicle, ensure that you are carrying all your belongings and look out carefully for the road traffic.
• Objects or eatables of any kind must not be discarded inside or thrown out of the bus.
• Students will not indulge in any form of physical or verbal abuse.
• Students should treat the bus and other private property with care.
• Students should not play games within the bus that cause physical harm to other students.
• Do not disturb others, especially the driver travelling in the school transport. Inappropriate behaviour can cause accidents.
• Students should not distract or interfere with the bus driver. Inappropriate distractions can cause accidents.
• No student will tamper with bus controls or emergency equipment.
• Students should not use unassigned bus or unassigned bus stop without permission.
• Any damage caused to the vehicle will be charged to the person responsible or when not owned up divided equally amongst passengers. This is your transport and for your comfort. Take care of it.
• Parents are requested not to complain to the bus driver/guard in case of a problem but report the matter to the Transport In Charge/Section Educator in written.
• To pick up the child at the bus stop, it is mandatory that the I-card is presented to the bus guard.

BUS DISCIPLINE PROCEDURE FOR STUDENTS:

• Level One – First or minor offense, verbal warning by bus Helper.
• Level Two – Second or more serious offense, written warning by transportation manager; Class Teacher notified, form sent home for parent signature or parents are called; recorded in ERP system.
• Level Three -Program leader contacts parents; student loses transportation privileges for one week (5 days), student placed on Behavior Probation.

SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE:

• Student loses bus privileges for the rest of the year, subject to additional discipline as appropriate.
• When students misbehave on the bus, they put themselves and others at risk of serious injury. As a result, we take repeated offenses very seriously and will assign consequences accordingly. It is imperative that students respect and obey the bus coordinator and the driver.

GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS USING PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION:

• The vehicle must be in good condition.
• Sitting capacity should not exceed the number of seats available in the cab.
• The authorized driver has adequate driving experience.
• The vehicle is not LPG operated.
• It is advisable that parents carry out due police verification of the cab driver and the road-worthiness of the vehicle. Details of the vehicle and driver’s license number are to be provided to the school for our records.
• The telephone numbers of co-parents are kept by each parent using that vehicle.
• The telephone numbers of driver and cab details to be provided to the transport manager as well as the concerned class teacher.

DISPERSAL OF THE CHILDREN USING PERSONAL OR PRIVATE TRANSPORT

Students who come to school on their own should arrive at the school before the bell rings. No student is allowed to come to school in a self-driven scooter/motorcycle/car. The school gates will close at 7.45 am.

Please note that no request seeking permission to allow the child to go to friends/relatives houses shall be entertained.