Transporting Materials on the Bus

Each year we receive questions regarding what is and is not allowed on the bus by students.  Bus drivers must follow state laws regarding what can be transported on a school bus and must also maintain clear aisles and escape routes in the event an evacuation occurs.  Parents, please make certain that your child follows the following general guidelines regarding what can and cannot be transported on the bus. 

Appropriate Student Cargo

Every year the question is asked, "What can my child bring to school on the bus?"  Generally the question is asked in regard to whether or not a project, band instrument or piece of athletic equipment can be brought onto the bus.  Bus drivers have been given the following guidelines regarding what is to be considered appropriate cargo: 

  Appropriate Items:

1. Small musical instruments such as flutes, clarinets, or piccolos that can be held on the lap.
2. Medium sized instruments that would fit between the feet and under the seat or not protruding above the height of the seat bottom such as a trumpet or small saxophone.
3. Books, lunch boxes, book bags, brief cases, or backpacks that will fit on the student's lap or between their feet with the same restrictions as instruments.
4. Athletic equipment bags that would not be larger than a book bag or back pack.
5. A project or display that would fit on the student's lap such as a shoebox or between their feet such as a rolled-up poster board.

Inappropriate Items:

• Large musical instruments such as a trombone, French horn, large saxophone, tuba, bass, viola, or any drum.
• Book bags that are configured as rolling luggage.
• Athletic equipment larger than a standard book bag or containing equipment such as a helmet, shoulder pads, bats, or other equipment that may provide an obstacle or barrier during a bus evacuation.
• A project or display that uses rock, brick, gravel, wood, plywood, or other similar materials that would not fit on the student's lap or between their legs or under the bus seat.

Parents should check with drivers regarding specific items that they may have a question about a minimum of 3 days prior to the date needed to transport the item.  The safety of the student riders is our primary concern.  Drivers will use common sense when allowing or prohibiting items from the bus.  Sometimes it may be based on student numbers and/or the specific item(s) involved.