GUIDELINES
Grasslands School Division promotes the use of school buses whenever possible but permits the use of private vehicles for student transportation when other means are not available, or it is deemed to be in the best interest of the students and supervisory personnel.
PROCEDURES
Where the use of a school bus is not feasible, application to use private vehicles for transportation must be made to the principal.
The principal is authorized to approve the use of vehicles other than Grasslands buses for the transportation of students to participate in Board approved activities.
The principal shall ensure that FORM-TR-001 – Volunteer Automobile Driver Authorization has been obtained and signed by the driver, stating that the driver has an unrestricted driver's licence and is authorized to drive in Alberta. The owner of the vehicle must declare that the vehicle is insured by a valid automobile insurance policy, as required by Alberta law, with a minimum limit of $2 million liability.
The principal shall ensure that an acceptable driver's abstract, dated within the last year, and a copy of the driver's licence are on file at the school. The school file checklist on FORM-TR-001 records that this has been done.
The principal must inform parents and students of their responsibilities in the matter of liability insurance, if parents and students decide to use unauthorized transportation to school activities. A student must have written permission from a parent in order to drive himself/herself to or from a school event. Under no circumstances is it permitted for a student to transport other students to or from a school event.
Grasslands School Division authorizes the use of the bus driver's private vehicle and any other necessary volunteer vehicles needed due to emergency situations such as breakdown or weather conditions.