Board hears draft rules for non-bus student transport; committee asked to craft board policy

District staff and transportation leaders presented a draft policy framework for transporting students in school-owned vehicles other than full-size school buses, and board members asked the policy committee to convert the draft into formal board policy.

Presentation highlights A staff presenter reviewed recommended minimum standards for district-owned passenger vehicles used for extracurricular or small-group transport. Key recommendations included: - Limit vehicle capacity to nine occupants, including the driver. - Require working seat belts for every occupant and a mounted seat-belt cutter in the vehicle. - Equip vehicles with a first-aid kit and fire extinguisher and maintain a vehicle maintenance log. - Pull motor-vehicle records (MVRs) on approved drivers and require an on-file medical clearance statement for anyone who will routinely transport students. - Prohibit cell-phone use while operating district vehicles and require drivers to follow posted speed limits and reduce speed in inclement weather. - Install cameras compatible with district systems so transportation staff can review incidents and maintain consistent video records.

Insurance and legal notes Staff reported Tennessee Risk Management (the district’s insurer) advised that coverage “follows the vehicle” and that district-owned vehicles are covered under the district’s policy; the presenter said the insurer reported no separate proof-of-insurance requirement for employees driving district vehicles. Presenters also noted that federal and state safety guidance preclude the routine use of 15-passenger vans for student transport and that many districts instead use small activity-style buses or nine-passenger vehicles with the safety equipment described above.

Current operational practice The district currently operates two nine-passenger Suburban vehicles for career and technical education and extracurricular trips. Administrators said those vehicles are scheduled through the high school office, keys are controlled centrally, and the maintenance team keeps logs. The district said CTE programs have priority for those vehicles but other approved extracurricular programs may request them. Administrators also said current local practice includes an MVR review and a 10-point MVR ceiling over three years as the local threshold for approval; the board asked that these operational procedures be translated into a formal board policy.

Board direction Board members asked staff to bring a formal policy with specific approval criteria, maintenance and inspection standards, camera and data-retention rules, driver MVR thresholds, and incident-response procedures to the policy committee for drafting and full-board consideration.

Ending: The board directed the policy committee to draft policy language that will standardize vehicle use, driver approval, required equipment and recordkeeping.