School buses ready to roll

With the start of school only 2 days away, the schools and the buses are getting ready for a new year. School bus routes have been set, based on criteria determined by the Board of Education. I spoke with Michael Milardo, Transportation Manager for the Middletown Public Schools, about bus transportation in the coming year.

Milardo said that the only change to the Board's policy this year is that what is considered the "Walking Range" for High School students has been reduced from 2.0 miles to 1.5 miles. The walking range for middle school remains at 1.5 miles, and the walking range for elementary school remains 1.0 miles. This reduction in walking range makes Middletown more generous in busing than the state-wide average.

Some streets are considered too dangerous for students to walk on, and thus each house will have its own bus stop. Milardo said that he and the District business manager make the initial determination of which streets are too dangerous for children to walk on. Parents can appeal their decision to the Transportation subcommittee of the Board of Education, and then to the State if they feel that the Board is not following their own guidelines.

In the middle of August, all households with children taking the bus to school should have received in the mail a postcard with school bus information. Households within walking distance, and households whose children were not registered with a school at that time, would not have received a postcard. Milardo said that if parents have any questions about their child's bus, they should phone his office (638-1417). The Board of Education has a link to an interactive map for bus information here (this didn't work for me, I think because my connection was too slow).

Milardo emphasized that all children should be at their bus stop 10 minutes prior to their scheduled pickup time, according to the DATTCO contract, buses can operate as much as 10 minutes early or 10 minutes late.

Two major construction projects are likely to impact school bus arrival times this fall. The first is the Buckeye Pipeline project, which is putting a fuel pipe from the Miller and Bridge district, down DeKoven Drive and River Road, and out Bow Lane. Milardo said all buses going along these streets may experience delays. The other is the repaving of Washington Street, Milardo said, "that debacle will be a mess." This project will cause extensive delays in the morning along Washington Street, and on cross streets such as Mill and Boston.

The following safety suggestions relevant to getting on and off the bus are culled from an email sent by Edward Badamo, Fire Chief, South Fire District.

Walking to the Bus Stop

• Always walk on the sidewalk to the bus stop, never run. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left facing traffic.
• Go to the bus stop about ten minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. While at the bus stop, wait quietly in a safe place well away from the road. Do not run and play while waiting.

Getting On and Off the Bus

• Enter the bus in line with younger students in front. Hold the handrail while going up and down the stairs
• When entering the bus, go directly to a seat. Remain seated and face forward during the entire ride.

Exiting the Bus

• If you leave something on the bus, never return to the bus to get it. The driver may not see you come back and she may begin moving the bus. Make sure that drawstrings and other loose objects are secure before getting off the bus so that the do not get caught on the handrail or the door.
• Respect the "Danger Zone" which surrounds all sides of the bus. The "Danger Zone" is ten feet wide on all sides of the bus.
• Always remain 10 steps away from the bus to be out of the "Danger Zone" and where the driver can see you.
• Always cross the street in from of the bus. Never go behind the bus. If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver before you attempt to pick it up, so they will know where you are.