Background

Educational trips are an enhancement of the programming provided to students.  Schools may plan trips outside of the school facility  in order to provide students with the opportunity to attend events and participate in activities that are not available at the school. These activities can be curricular or extracurricular in nature.

If a school trip requires transportation services, schools must ensure that the appropriate conveyance methods are selected and approved as it relates to the context of the activity, and the availability of division transportation infrastructure and resources.

School Buses

Horizon School Division provides transportation services to the system by deploying a fleet of school buses used for regular route travel, extracurricular trips, and backup spares.  In addition to the fleet owned and operated by the division, a contractor is also used to provide transportation using school buses throughout the division.  School buses are licensed and approved only for travel inside of the Province of Saskatchewan. 

Charter Buses

Schools that are requesting bus transportation for out of province travel will require a charter bus, as Horizon School Division’s school bus fleet is not permitted for travel outside of the Province of Saskatchewan.  

In addition to out of province travel, charter buses are generally appropriate options for schools when:

1.  A Division supplied school bus and driver cannot be provided;

2.  The school has a preference for a charter bus; and

3.  Travel includes equipment that cannot be accommodated by a school bus;

Procedures

1.  The teacher will inform the principal of the date, destination, and nature of the school trip requiring transportation services.

2.  Any requests for trips involving the use of a chartered bus shall ensure that:

2.1.  The charter company is licensed, and insured to operate in the province of Saskatchewan, as well as any and all locations being contemplated for travel.

2.2.  The bus units being chartered include seat belts which have been approved in accordance with Transport Canada safety standards and regulations, as well as federal and provincial laws.

2.3.  Seat belts shall be used at all times in accordance with all applicable provincial and federal laws.

2.4.  Sufficient funding is available in order to fund the cost of the charter.

2.4.1.  Billing shall be at actual costs for trips involving chartered buses and must be budgeted for accordingly.

2.5.  Principals are to contact the Director of Education with any questions surrounding the use of chartered buses.

2.6.  Bus Rosters must be completed for all trips using a charter bus. These rosters are to be kept on file for three years in accordance with AP 185 - Records Retention and Disposal.

3.  Any requests for trips using a school bus must ensure that:

3.1.  A request is made either by the teacher or by the approving principal to Transportation Services, at least 14 days prior to the date of travel.

3.2.  All requests for transportation services must be completed using the Division’s transportation information system.

3.3.  Upon completion of the trip request, approval by the school principal, and subject to availability of resources,  Transportation Services will provide the school with a travel proposal based on the nature of the request including:

3.3.1.  The required number of school buses based on the number of people being transported;

3.3.2.  The appropriate number of drivers to accomodate the request outside of regular route operations. Regular route travel will take precedence over extracurricular travel in order to support school operations; and

3.3.4.  A cost estimate based on the estimated duration, and distance of travel including any subsidies provided on a division wide basis. Extracurricular travel is subsidized by the division using a per KM rate as determined by the Board of Education, or actual cost of travel, depending on which is lower in cost.

3.4.  In the event that Transportation Services cannot accommodate the request, the principal shall be notified immediately as to the reasons for denial and provided options for accommodation where available and appropriate.

3.5.  Upon receiving confirmation of the trip from Transportation Services, the principal shall ensure that the bus roster form is completed, uploaded, and attached to the associated approved trip in the transportation information system. Copies of the bus roster must be kept on file for three years in accordance with AP 185 - Records Retention and Disposal.

Reference:  Sections 85, 87, 194, 195, 196, 197, Education Act
Highway Traffic Act