School Transportation Documents

School transportation related information and help documents devoted to specific topics.

Bus and Vehicle Documents

12 & 15 Passenger Rated Vans Information (PDF) Informational document regarding the prohibition of 12 and or 15 passenger rated vans for student transportation under state and federal law. The difference between a van and a bus.

14 Passenger Non-CDL Bus Document (PDF) Informational document regarding CDL and other requirements for activity and school buses with a passenger rating of 14 or less plus the driver.

Second Stage Manufacturer Letter (PDF) Information and requirements of converting a van to a rated capacity of 10 while on a Manufacture's Statement of Origin. 

Used School Bus Document (PDF) Information and help document regarding buying and selling used school buses in Kansas along with information on the 25-year rule.

Bus Driver Hiring and Driving Hours Documents

Bus Driver Hiring Informational Guide (PDF) Informational guide, checklist and help document for hiring new activity/school bus drivers.

Bus Driver Hour Guidance Document (PDF) School Transportation Officials and School Administrators should be aware of driving hours when sending their School/Activity Bus or School Passenger Vehicle Drivers on field and activity trips. The purpose of this help document is to provide guidance and information regarding driving hours.

Crash Data Documents

Crash Data Reports (external link) NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) website with for national school transportation related traffic crash data.

Kansas Department of Transportation school transportation data for Kansas available upon request from the School Transportation Safety Unit.

Crisis Planning for Transportation

Kansas law states, " Each governing body shall adopt procedures to be followed by school transportation providers if confronted with an emergency situation when on the road". The KSDE School Transportation Safety Unit has a template available upon request to help the district meet this legal mandate.

 The U.S. Department of Education Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center (external link) website provides information and resources about emergency management to help, school districts developing, implementing, and evaluating emergency plans.

Crisis Planning

Kansas law states, " Each governing body shall adopt procedures to be followed by school transportation providers if confronted with an emergency situation when on the road". The KSDE School Transportation Safety Unit has a template available upon request to help the district meet this legal mandate.

Transportation Crisis can occur without warning and vary in their level of risk and severity. During any crisis situation bus drivers must be able to focus on all of the interrelated pieces of a particular crisis. While each situation will be different and could have many parts, the driver will need to stay focused on their responsibility and work towards providing a safe environment for all students and passengers regardless of their involvement in the emergency.

The School Transportation Safety Unit has a Microsoft word template available upon request. This template, provided as a guide, will help you determine the courses of action that will best address the threat or hazard you are facing. These procedures apply to student activity trips and regular school bus routes. The word document format will allow you to customize it to your own needs.

U.S. Department of Education Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center (external link) provides information and resources about emergency management to help individual schools, school districts.

Illegal Passing of Stopped School Buses

While school buses remain incredibly safe, we all know that students who ride buses are most vulnerable when they are outside the bus in the “danger zone.” Kansas assists the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) in coordinating a national survey to determine the prevalence of illegal passing of school buses. That data will help improve safety countermeasures at the state and national level.

Kansas One Day Survey Results (PDF) Document containing the one-day count where participating Kansas school districts report illegal passing violations of stopped school bus.

National Stop Arm Violation Count (external link) Link to NASDPTS (National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services website with the national survey results.

Stop Arm Poster (PDF) Poster 11 x 17 with graphics indicating when vehicles are required to stop under Kansas law for a school bus displaying an activated stop arm and flashing red lights.

Stop on Red, Kids Ahead is a campaign launched by the Kansas State Department of Education to bring awareness to the Kansas school bus stop arm law. The Stop on Red, Kids Ahead bumper stickers for Kansas school buses are available from the School Transportation Safety Unit upon request.

School Bus Safety Presentation

School bus safety presentation (PDF) safety presentation material designed for young school bus riders.

School Bus Seatbelt and Child Safety Restraint Information

Kansas currently does not require seatbelts in school buses. New School Buses manufactured with a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of under 10,000 pounds are required to be manufactured with seatbelts.

If a school district elects to equip a new school bus with seat belts the seat belts shall be lap/shoulder belts. Lap belts shall not be installed on school buses except in conjunction with a child safety restraint system.

If a school bus is equipped with lap/shoulder belts, Kansas does not require them to be worn. This would need to be addressed in individual school district policy. 

Guideline for the Safe Transportation of Pre-school Age Children in School Buses (PDF) Guidelines from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Child Safety Restraint Training Videos (external link) NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) offers six training videos for school bus drivers and school bus monitors to learn how to properly install, and place a child in, three types of a child safety restraint systems (rear-facing, forward-facing, and safety vest). 

Special Education, IEP Transportation, Pre-K Transportation Information

IEP Information, Questions & Answers (PDF) Information document including questions and answers from Transportation Involvement in the IEP Workshop presented by Bert Moore, Director of Special and Title Services, Kansas State Department of Education during the 2021 Annual KSPTA Transportation Safety Conference 

Service Animals (PDF) ADA question and answer document and other information regarding service animals  

Special Education Resources (link) IEP and other resources from the KSDE Special Education and Title Services 

Special Needs and IEP Transportation Guidance (PDF) A list of items and issues which may or may not need to be discussed when transportation is part of an IEP

Guideline for the Safe Transportation of Pre-School Age Children in School Buses (PDF) Guidelines and recommendations from the National Highway Safety Administration on transporting Pre-K students.

Transportation File Retention and Audit Guidance Document

File Retention for School Transportation (PDF) Transportation records have varying mandated retention requirements. This help document will provide a quick reference for these requirements. Note files may be paper or digital or combination of both. Please consult this document prior to destroying any transportation record. 

Transportation Safety Audit Guidance (PDF) Help document to assist school transportation departments, school bus contractors & KSDE auditors prepare for transportation audit.

Transportation Network Companies (TNC)

Transportation Network Companies Information Document (PDF) Help document for Kansas school districts who may contract with a transportation network company to transport eight persons or fewer to and from school or school-related activities, where appropriate, as the contract with the transportation network company may establish

The board of education of a school district that contracts for school transportation services pursuant to this section shall:

  • Provide notice to the parent or guardian of a student that such student will be riding with a transportation network company
  • Provide an annual disclaimer to the parent or guardian of a student that may be transported by a transportation network company that the school district uses transportation network company services for school transportation purposes and that the relationship between the school district and the transportation network company is governed by a contract and not the rules and regulations of the state board of education
  • Permit the parent or guardian of a student to not allow such student to ride with a transportation network company
  • Maintain insurance coverage or endorsement for students transported by a transportation network company that covers the students as though the students were in the care, custody and control of the school district even when being transported by a transportation network company.

For more information, contact:

Keith Dreiling, State Director
(785) 296-4567
(785) 296-6659 - fax

Mitch Mellick, Transportation Specialist
(785) 296-4545