EEAH-R – Student Transportation in School District-Owned Small Vehicles

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General
  1. District owned, leased or rented small vehicles, other than school buses, used to transport students, cannot be driven by anyone who does not meet the CDE requirements (listed below) for an activity trip small vehicle operator.
  2. These regulations are meant to protect student passengers on school-sponsored activities while under the supervision of activity trip operator/sponsors. These regulations apply to all activities regardless of the number of student passengers or type of District vehicle owned, leased or rented.
Definitions For purposes of this regulation, the following definitions apply:
  1. Activity Trip Small Vehicle Operator - Any individual who transports students in a District vehicle, other than a school bus, and who holds a valid activity trip small vehicle operator permit.
  2. Activity Trip Small Vehicle Operator Permit - Authorization to drive permit given to an individual upon successful completion of driver training and all required elements. This permit must be renewed annually by September 30th.
  3. MVR - Motor Vehicle Record. An official record maintained by the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles containing an individual's license renewals and any recorded traffic violations. This record determines insurability by the school district insurance pool, thus authorizing an individual to drive a District vehicle.
  4. CSDSIP - Colorado School Districts Self -Insurance Pool. This is the third party insurance organization that reviews an individual's MVR to determine driver insurability.
  5. District-Owned Small Vehicle - Any District-owned small vehicle, other than a school bus, including but not limited to, vans or automobiles holding 15 passengers or less, used to transport students.
Activity Trip Small Vehicle Operator Responsibilities
  1. Activity trip small vehicle operators may be teachers, coaches, other District employees or other persons authorized by the building principal or designee to transport students in small vehicles (defined as 15 passengers or less in the Colorado Code of Regulations 301-25.2251-R-5.06).
  2. All drivers of District owned, leased, or rented small vehicles must meet the motor vehicle guidelines of the District's insurance carrier, CSDSIP. Individuals that have traffic violations, accidents or combinations thereof exceeding guidelines will not be able to transport students or drive any vehicle on District-related business, since they would not be insurable.
    1. Activity Trip Small Vehicle Operator Qualifications. Activity trip small vehicle operators shall meet or exceed the following requirements before transporting students:
      1. Possess a valid Colorado driver's license.
      2. Be a minimum of 21 years of age.
      3. Supply the District a current motor vehicle record on a semi-annual basis.
      4. Receive pre-service training by the District's transportation department on the type of vehicle to be assigned.
      5. Complete American Red Cross CPR training annually, and a First Aid course every three years.
      6. Pass the CDE small vehicle written test annually as administered by the District's transportation department.
      7. Meet qualification standards of the District's transportation department and the District's insurance carrier.
      8. Take mountain driving and adverse weather driving written tests.
      9. Be issued an Activity Trip Small Vehicle Operator Card which shall be signed annually by the District transportation department, indicating all activity trip small vehicle operator requirements are current.
      10. The District will maintain documentation of an individual's activity operator small vehicle requirements. ​
    2. Behind the Wheel Requirements
      1. Activity trip small vehicle operators involved in an accident, however minor, must notify the transportation department from the scene of the accident.
      2. Activity trip small vehicle operators must notify the transportation department within two business days of receiving a traffic ticket/citation for any moving violation.
      3. Activity trip small vehicle operators are not to exceed the vehicle manufacturer's rated capacity for number of passengers.
      4. All passengers and the driver are required to use seat belts in vehicles so equipped.
      5. Pursuant to District policy, there is no smoking allowed in any District vehicle.
      6. The Activity Trip Small Vehicle Operator Card must be signed annually by September 30th of each year by the transportation department to be valid.
      7. The activity trip small vehicle operator is to complete daily logs and turn in weekly, along with an end of the month mileage report.
      8. The activity trip small vehicle operator is required to make arrangements for vehicle servicing during school breaks. ​
      9. The activity trip small vehicle operator is not to fuel the vehicle while students are on board.
Building Principal Responsibilities The building principal or designee is responsible to maintain a list of school employees who are required to have an Activity Trip Small Vehicle Operator's Permit to transport students in small vehicles.
  1. The building principal or designee is responsible for ensuring that any activity trip small vehicle operator's certification is current and that all activity operator requirements have been met prior to any vehicle being rented or a District vehicle being used to transport students. If any of this information is unable to be verified, the administrator must not let the individual transport students.
  2. The building principal or designee, as well as individuals or groups planning to use vehicles to transport students, will need to plan ahead to ensure that driver's of the District-owned small vehicles have obtained the required training and small vehicle permit well in advance of the planned activity.
Transportation Director Responsibilities
  1. The transportation director or designee will establish an activity trip small vehicle operator training schedule and provide required training. The training schedule will be provided to each site administrator and will be scheduled to occur a minimum of once per quarter during the conventional school year.
  2. The transportation director or designee will request motor vehicle records for identified activity trip small vehicle operators twice a year. Upon receipt, the MVR's will be reviewed and compared to CSDSIP insurance standards to determine insurability. Any records deemed questionable will be sent directly to the insurance pool to determine insurability.
  3. The records for District activity trip small vehicle operator permits will be maintained and monitored by the transportation department.
Legal References: CCR 301-25 (Colorado Standards Governing School Transportation Vehicles)
CCR 301-26 (Colorado Rules for the Operation, Maintenance, and Inspection of School Transportation Vehicles)
Adoption Date: August 18, 2003
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