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Administrative Practices

AP T5 - Student Transportation

Legislative References: School Act, Section 83 (1)a
Policy Reference:5.10 Student Transportation
Collective Agreement References: None
Date:September 11, 2025

Definitions

Standard means priority student rider 
Courtesy means non-priority rider 
Counterflow means when standard ridership is less than 50 per cent of vessel capacity for a given section of a route 

Processes

1.  

Bus Operations

1.1.
The transportation department will establish and maintain a Transportation Operations Manual for the purpose of:
1.1.1.  
student bus registration
1.1.2.  
determining standard and courtesy bus ridership
1.2.
Provisions should be made for driver training on an annual basis in addition to driver training for all new drivers entering the system. 
1.3.A student safety orientation will be conducted at the commencement of each school year. 
1.4.The Secretary Treasurer or designate will:
1.4.1.  
ensure that up to date passenger lists are maintained;
1.4.2.  
review all bus routes each year during the summer break and revise as necessary; 
1.4.3.advise the Board of significant changes to the Student Transportation Operations Manual. 

2.

Bus Routes

2.1.
Bus routes may be established, continued, or extended on any island in the District where the following general conditions can be met:
2.1.1.  
Road conditions are determined to be safe for vehicles and for buses by the Secretary Treasurer. 
2.1.2.  
Roads are wide enough to allow buses to safely pass other large vehicles. 
2.1.3.Roadways have satisfactorily paved or gravel surfaces. 
2.1.4.Adequate visibility of other vehicles is available; in particular at all stops and turn arounds. 
2.2.
Bus routes may be:
2.2.1.  
established provided satisfactory schedules can be maintained and there is an adequate number of students (usually 15) to use the service;
2.2.2.  
extended provided that satisfactory schedules can be maintained and that there are a significant number of students (approximately four students per extra kilometer travelled) to use the service.

3.

Transportation Assistance

3.1.
For catchment students who reside beyond the walk limits set to the school or to the nearest bus stop, the District may, in lieu of providing school bus service, provide transportation assistance. Transportation assistance may be provided based on the distance traveled to and from school or the nearest bus stop whichever is the less and the return trip to the family home. Walk limit restrictions will not apply for determining transportation assistance for students with special accessibility requirements.
3.2.
Parents may apply for transportation assistance using the forms available at each school. 
3.3.The principal will confirm the registration of the student(s) named and forward the request to the Secretary Treasurer to approve the distance claimed. 
3.4.The rates for transportation assistance are based on:
3.4.1.  
Roads: $0.40/km plus $0.10/any additional children (not per child) to a maximum family limit of $15.00/day; and 
3.4.2.  
Water: the allowance for transportation over water is 150% of the roads rate to a maximum of $22.50/day. 
3.5.Transportation claims must be received within thirty (30) days of claim date to be honoured. Claims older than thirty (30) days will be paid at the discretion of the Secretary Treasurer.
3.6.By claiming transportation assistance parents:
3.6.1.
undertake to arrange transportation of their children from the home to the school by means of motor vehicle or other equivalent means; 
3.6.2.
accept full responsibility for safe transportation and insurance coverage rests with the vehicle owner; 
3.6.3.agree that transportation allowances will apply only when the primary purpose is transportation of such students. 

4.

Student Water Taxi

4.1.
The primary purpose of the district student water taxi system is to support catchment area attendance by providing standard ridership service to:
4.1.1.
grade 10 to 12 students from Mayne, Galiano, Pender and Saturna Islands to attend Gulf Islands Secondary School (GISS).
4.1.2.
grade 8 to 12 students from Mayne and Galiano Islands and grade 6 to 12 students from Saturna Island to attend Pender Island Elementary Secondary School (PIESS).
4.1.3.students from Pender, Mayne, Saturna, and Galiano Islands who require Inclusive Education services on Salt Spring Island as indicated in their Individual Education Plan.
4.1.4.grade 6 to 9 students from Pender, Mayne, Saturna and Galiano Islands who are registered in French Immersion within their designated catchment area.
4.1.5.students from Pender, Mayne, Saturna and Galiano Islands who are registered and attending the Gulf Island School of Performing Arts at GISS.
4.2.
The secondary purpose of the district student water taxi system for which standard water taxi passes will be issued (on routes designed for the transportation needs identified in 4.1) is to provide access to specific programs of choice:
4.2.1.
grade 10 to 12 students to attend Saturna Ecological Education Center. 
4.2.2.
grade 8 to 12 Salt Spring Island students to attend PIESS. 
4.3.Standard ridership will not be extended beyond vessel capacity. Should the number of standard riders exceed vessel capacity in any given year, student access will be prioritized in the order listed above (sections 4.1 and 4.2) and an existing standard pass may be revoked.
4.4.Provision of standard ridership will be determined by the student’s primary residence as registered in the school’s electronic student information system.
4.5.Courtesy water taxi transportation services may be extended, based on available space, in the following order:
4.5.1.
priority student whose standard pass was revoked due to over-capacity (as per 4.3)
4.5.2.
approved student field trips
4.5.3.staff
4.5.4.trustees
4.5.5.parents for the purpose of school/district activities
4.5.6.student social passes 
4.5.7.others in their role as regulated health care professional and/or local government 
4.6.Courtesy access may be extended beyond those identified in 4.5 during counterflow periods only. Riders less than twelve years of age must be accompanied by an adult. 
4.7.Social passes may be provided to students who reside on Pender, Saturna, Mayne or Galiano Islands and hold a valid standard or courtesy water taxi pass, so that they may travel to another Gulf Island for a social purpose. (see AP T2 Student Social Passes).
4.8.A fee may be charged for counterflow access not related to school/district activities and to others in a regulated health care profession and/or local government (4.5.7.) for courtesy ridership not related to school/district activities. No fee will be charged for student social passes.
4.9.Access to courtesy ridership cannot be guaranteed on any given day or route until after the needs of standard riders have been met.
4.10.Student courtesy riders, travelling on student social passes, in the evening to another island other than their home island for social purposes, are advised that there may not be sufficient seating on the morning run to ensure their return to their home island. If there is not sufficient room on the water taxi on the requested date of travel based on the order set out in 4.5 transportation will be denied up to the point of departure.
4.11.Should the water taxi be cancelled due to inclement weather, a secondary student may be permitted to attend school on their home island only for the purpose of writing scheduled Provincial assessments. 

Appended to this Administrative Practice:

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GULF ISLANDS SCHOOL DISTRICT 64