General Information

The Transportation Department transports over 10,000 students safely, efficiently and economically over a 98-square mile school attendance area each day.

There are 166 vehicles in the fleet:
• 100 transit (32 dedicated CNG fuel)
• 66 special-needs buses (42 of which are lift buses)
  
  
• Three sedans are used for special needs schools. Additionally, the Special Education department uses six sedan, two vans, and two lift-equipped vans each day for community service programs.
  
  
• Each high school has four vans on site.

The department's 250 employees operate one of the most modern and well-equipped fleets in the nation and staff a full service, computer-equipped garage, as well as provide safe crossing sites at over 88 locations throughout the district.

In addition to traveling 2.15 million safe miles annually, the Transportation Department is active in environmental programs. We have special programs for disposing of waste oil, antifreeze, solvents, freon, batteries and tires. The state of Arizona awarded the Transportation Department $295,450 for continuing the Alternative Fuels Program for the 341-vehicle fleet. The transportation professionals take pride in their part of educating our children.

School Bus Passenger Safety and Seat Belts

Commonly, people believe that school children are not protected during a crash because school buses do not have seat belts. In fact, school buses are designed with a clever occupant protection system that fits both a kindergarten student and a high school senior, without the need for seat belts. This occupant protection system is called compartmentalization: the seats are strong, closely spaced together, high backed, well padded, and are designed to absorb energy during a crash. Compartmentalization works best in frontal and rear impact scenarios.

School buses are one of the safest forms of transportation on the road today. An average of only seven passengers are fatally injured each year as, nationally, school buses carry over 23.5 million children daily. The Safety Board continues to investigate school bus crashes to ensure that this safety record continues (see link below).

In 1999, the National Safety Board conducted a study on Bus Crashworthiness Issues. The conclusions of this study focus on several main issues:

• Occupants in the seating compartment but not in the area of intrusion were less likely to be seriously injured.
  
• Seatbelts do not prevent injuries in all crash situations and can actually increase injuries with the current school bus seat design.
  
• An occupant crash protection system should be developed that would protect school bus passengers in most accident scenarios.
  

As a result of this study, the Safety Board issued recommendations to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop and then require adherence to performance standards for interior occupant protection systems that will protect children in all crash scenarios, including side impacts and rollovers. NHTSA continues to research this topic and has not yet issued a requirement for the redesign of school bus interiors.

 More Information: National Transportation Safety Board

School Bus Discipline

The safety of students is of primary concern. Students causing disruptions by violating the rules of the bus risk the welfare of other students and possibly the community at large. All students are expected to abide by the bus rules and to show respect for the driver of the bus. Students breaking the rules will be subject to disciplinary action and may suffer the loss of bus riding privileges. Video Monitoring Systems are placed on some transit buses.

High school students must display their bus identification in order to ride the bus.

NOTE: Students attending a school through Open Enrollment are not eligible for district transportation to and from the school.

Bus Rules (PDF)

Awards and Grants

The Paradise Valley School District Transportation Department was recently awarded the Clean Air Champion award from the Governor's office for it's contributions in the use of clean vehicle fuels and was also recognized by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality as a pilot school district in the School Bus Idling Reduction Program.

The Transportation Department has also received the Clean Cities Coalition grant for their role in reducing diesel emissions through an anti-idling program and operating the fleet on ultra low sulfur diesel and particulate filter, and EPA and State of Arizona grants for alternative fuel projects.

Bus Information

At the elementary school level, pupils in grades one through six living more than one mile from school are eligible to ride the school bus. Kindergarten students living more than one-half mile are eligible for transportation. At the middle and high school levels, students must live more than one and one-half miles from school to be eligible for transportation. To find a bus stop, click the button below to access this service.

Field Trips

Parent-signed permission slips are required for student participation on field trips.