Rule 3301-83-13 | School bus routes and stops.
(A) Designation of school bus stops
(1) It is the responsibility of the superintendent or designee to determine the location of all school bus stops to be approved annually by the districts' board of education. Authority to designate or relocate subsequent school bus stops may be delegated by the board of education to the superintendent or designee. Bus stops and a time schedule will be adopted and put in force by the board not earlier than thirty days prior to and not later than thirty days after the beginning of the school term.
(2) Districts will comply with section 3327.016 of the Revised Code for eligible student riders who are enrolled in a community or chartered nonpublic school.
(B) School bus stop location
Policies and procedures will be developed by administrators and transportation personnel to ensure school bus stop locations are designated in safe locations and will include the following:
(1) Pupils in grades kindergarten through eight may walk up to not more than one-half mile to a designated bus stop.
(2) School bus stop locations will provide for the maximum safety of pupils giving consideration to distance from residence, traffic volume, physical characteristics, residences of persons on the state registry of sex offenders and child-victim offenders established under section 2950.13 of the Revised Code, and visibility and weather conditions.
(3) School bus stops will be established on the residence side of all four-lane highways and on the residence side of other roadways posing potential hazards to students as determined by school bus owners.
(4) School bus stops will be located at a distance from the crest of a hill or curve to allow motorists traveling at the posted speed to stop within the sight distance. If the line of sight is less than five hundred feet in either direction, a request will be submitted to the appropriate authority to install an approved "school bus stop ahead" sign at least five hundred feet in advance of the school bus stop.
(5) Each pupil will be assigned to use a specific school bus stop except in unusual circumstances as approved by the school bus owner or designee.
(6) Each pupil will be assigned a designated place of safety on the residence side of the roadway on which the vehicle is scheduled to stop. The driver will account for each pupil at the designated place of safety before leaving. Pupils are not to proceed to their residence until the school bus has departed.
(7) The school bus driver will use the established route and make stops only at points designated by the school vehicle owner or the administrator who is authorized to designate such stops. School districts and community schools offering pupil transportation will have a documented routing plan in place for all established routes.
(8) The school bus driver will operate the bus on the time schedule for the established route and wait for pupils if ahead of schedule.
(9) The superintendent or designee is to communicate changes to bus stop locations and drop off/pick up times to parents or guardians of pupils impacted by the changes as soon as practicable in order to ensure pupil safety and timely transportation to school.
(C) School bus stop procedures
School bus drivers are subject to school bus stop and safety procedures set forth in section 4511.75 of the Revised Code and rule 3301-83-12 of the Administrative Code.
(D) Each bus will have a detailed route sheet on board which will include the following:
(1) Direction to designated stops;
(2) Time schedule;
(3) Designated stop;
(4) Driver-designated place of safety;
(5) Number of riders at each stop location and residence side; and
(6) List identifying road hazards.
(E) If practical, each route will have a responsible student designated to assist a substitute bus driver with each route.
(F) School districts will conduct safety audits of their bus routes, bus stops, and school pick-up/drop off sites on school property, not less than annually, to reduce safety risks and mitigate the severity of school bus accidents. It is recommended that district bus drivers' input be considered in conducting audits. Safety audits include an examination of:
(1) Left turns, to determine whether route adjustments can be made to avoid crossing oncoming lanes of traffic;
(2) Structural components of bus routes that can impact bus safety such as high speed limits, traffic congestion, areas of low visibility, and areas with steep drop-offs adjacent to the roadway;
(3) School bus stops, to minimize school bus stops that necessitate students crossing a roadway;
(4) The efficiency of individual bus routes.
Last updated July 1, 2025 at 8:23 AM
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