Transportation Questions and Answers for Utica Students and Parents

Parents, it is important to introduce new school bus riders to bus safety rules and refresh older students to prevent tragic accidents during the 2013-14 school year. 

The new school year starts Sept. 3 and there will be additional traffic on the road, especially near schools in the mornings and afternoons during drop-off and pick-up times.

Here are some important points regarding transportation in Utica Community Schools. For more information, visit uticak12.org.

1. Who is eligible to ride the bus? Any student who resides more than 1.5 miles from their school is eligible to ride the school bus. School-of-choice and in-district transfer students do not qualify for bus service.

2. What items are not allowed on the bus? Glass of any kind, animals, helium balloons, skateboards. Food and beverages may not be consumed while on the bus. Smoking is not allowed.

3. What is required to become an UCS bus driver? Before being hired, each new driver trainee must pass a Department of Transportation (D.O.T.) physical and drug screen, a state police background check including fingerprinting and also a driver's license check.

4. What kind of training do bus drivers receive? New driver trainees receive approximately 120 hours of training with a school bus trainer over a three-week period. Trainees drive a minimum of 250 miles.

5. When driving in my car, what should I do when I come to a stopped bus? 

• When the yellow overhead lights are flashing, prepare to stop
• When the red overhead lights are flashing, stop no closer than 20 feet from the bus
• When the red overhead lights are turned off, proceed
• When a bus is completely off the road and the yellow hazard warning lights at the middle portion of the back of the bus are flashing, proceed with caution

By all means, please watch out for children!