Parent Teacher Magazine Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools September 2014 | Page 21

Back to school: Transportation awareness will make for a smooth transition Important information to help bus riders and carpooling School began Monday, Aug. 25. Buses on the road and parents driving their children to school can create added traffic on the roads and sidewalks, where children wait for buses. Here are some important tips for families about bus riding and carpool rules to help ease the transition into the new year. Bus information: Families should have already received bus stop pick-up and drop-off times in the mail. Make sure you review your bus stop location and time – some bus stops may have changed. Once families receive their students’ bus schedules, it is important to review it with their child(ren). We encourage parents to walk to and from the assigned bus stop, particularly with younger children. Please inform and update any address change at your child’s school immediately. Transportation must have the current address to ensure safe and accurate bus stop assignments for eligible students. If your child will require a pick up or drop off at an alternate address that is not your home, you must apply for that service each year by filling out the alternate stop form. Take time to review the Transportation section of the 20142015 Student/Parent handbook for additional important information. If you have a question about transportation, call 980-343-6715. Carpooling information: Each school has specific traffic patterns for parents driving their children to school. Please familiarize yourself with your school’s pattern. Be aware of other cars in the carpool lane. Watch for directions from staff about where and when to move up. Have your child get out on the school side of the car. Never have your child go around the car. DID YOU KNOW??? • Nationally school buses travel approximately 4.3 billion miles per year. With a fatality rate of 0.02 per 100,000,000 passenger miles, school buses are the safest form of ground transportation in the U.S. • For the beginning of the 2014-15 school year, CMS Transportation has distributed bus schedules for an estimated 125,800 students to and from school daily, on 1,020 school buses. CMS buses will stop at approximately 24,000 bus stops. CMS Transportation will travel approximately 105,000 miles each day within 546 square miles in Mecklenburg County. • CMS has the largest public school transportation operation in the North Carolina. • CMS Transportation is ranked the 10th largest student transportation operations in the nation. • School buses must stop at all railroad crossings. • School buses can not turn right on red. • The maximum speed limit for yellow school buses is 45 mph, or in accordance with the posted speed limit. Constantly varied, high intensity, functional movements. one week free trail what are you waiting for??? make the change * fitness * health * Community Call today to reserve your spot! [email protected] www.crossfitstallings.com 704-507-3196 3332 smith farm road stallings, nc Parent Teacher Magazine • Sept/Oct 2014 • 19