743.1 Guideline: Pay-to-Ride Services
743.1 Guideline: Pay-to-Ride Services
I. INTRODUCTION
The purpose of these administrative guidelines is to assist in the implementation of Board Policy 743: Pay-To-Ride Service.
II. ELIGIBLE STUDENTS
All public students in grades 6-12 residing less than two miles from school who are not eligible for regular to and from school or hazardous transportation service are eligible for pay-to-ride service when available.
III. DETERMINATION OF SPACE AVAILABLE
A. The determination of available space shall be those non-obligated seats aboard buses servicing the immediate area, not exceeding the following limits per bus:
77 PASSENGER BUS CAPACITY 89 PASSENGER BUS CAPACITY
Grades K-5: 72 students 89 students
Grades 6-8: 66 students 76 students
Grades 9-12: 54 students 61 students
B. Eligible regular transported students shall take priority over pay-to-ride students when considering available space.
C. Issuance of seating for pay-to-ride students will be determined on a first come, first serve basis. All applications will be stamped with the date and time received.
D. Buses may be added to service pay-to-ride students when there are at least forty qualified students in a concentrated area.
IV. CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS
Applicants must submit the fee with the completed contract to be considered for the pay-to-ride service.
A. Determination of fees
1. Services are to be paid in advance on an annual basis.
2. The pay-to-ride rate shall be $300 per student for the school year with services beginning the first day of school.
3. A minimum fee of $165 per student will be charged for pay-to-ride service beginning no later than the first week of November through spring recess. The annual fee must be paid in full before service will commence.
4. Pay-to-ride rates will be adjusted based on the student’s eligibility to receive free or reduced price meals according to federal child nutrition programs income eligibility guidelines. The complete rate schedule is as follows:
Full Year
|
Regular |
|
Reduced Lunch |
|
Free Lunch |
||||||
|
Min/Max |
Standard |
Early Bird |
|
Min/Max |
Standard |
Early Bird |
|
Min/Max |
Standard |
Early Bird |
|
$66/$600 |
$300 |
$275 |
|
$50/$450 |
$225 |
$210 |
|
$36/$324 |
$162 |
$150 |
Winter
|
Regular |
|
Reduced Lunch |
|
Free Lunch |
||||||
|
Min/Max |
Standard |
Early Bird |
|
Min/Max |
Standard |
Early Bird |
|
Min/Max |
Standard |
Early Bird |
|
$66/$300 |
$165 |
$150 |
|
$50/$250 |
$125 |
$110 |
|
$36/$180 |
$90 |
$80 |
4. Contracts are not transferable by the parent/guardian.
5. A family fee cap is applicable. The family must pay the full fee for each of the first two students from the same family. No additional fee will be assessed for registering more than two students from the same family. The family can apply this “first-two-full-pay” rule to either whole year transportation or to winter only transportation.
6. Early bird pricing will be available to all students and/or families who have submitted the pay-to-ride contract before the early bird deadline. The early bird deadline will be established annually, at the discretion of the District.
B. Cancellation of contract
1. Cancellation of the service may be effected by the District upon five (5) days written notice for any of the following reasons:
a. The district may cancel service resulting from a student's lack of bus safety/discipline or a subsequent determination of time and space available.
b. If the student limit per bus is exceeded, the pay-to-ride service will be canceled until such time that space is again determined to be available.
c. Services may be canceled due to NSF (non-sufficient funds) checks.
d. When a determination is made that service must be discontinued for a student out of a group of pay-to-ride students because of time and space availability, the criteria for retention will be as follows:
(1) The date and time stamp on original application.
(2) The contract of greater length.
(3) The student walking the greater distance as measured by the transportation office.
2. Contracts canceled by the District due to disciplinary reasons shall not be considered renewable during the same fiscal year.
C. Reimbursement for discontinued contracts
1. If the District cancels services due to lack of space, it will prorate reimbursement based on the number of days the contract has been in effect.
2. The District will prorate reimbursement for students terminating their contract during the year, based on the number of days the contract has been in effect.
3. The District will not reimburse the parent/guardian for those days the student is absent, suspended from transportation service or for emergency school closings, etc.
4. Reimbursements will be processed annually.
D. The transportation office will process pay-to-ride contracts with services no later than the first week of October.
V. DESIGNATION OF BUS STOP
A. As a general rule, existing bus stops will be used by pay-to-ride students to access a ride to school.
B. The maximum walk distance to access the bus stop shall be up to three quarters of a mile.
C. The pay-to-ride student will be issued a bus pass and will be required to show the pass daily to the bus driver when boarding.
Legal References:
Minn. Stat. § 123B.36 (Authorized Fees)
Minn. Stat. § 123B.37 (Prohibited Fees)
Minn. Stat. § 123B.49 (Extra Curricular Transportation)
Minn. Stat. § 123B.86 (Equal Treatment)
Minn. Stat. § 123B.88 (Transportation)
Minn. Stat. § 123B.92 (Transportation Aid & Entitlement)
Cross References:
Board Policy 653 (Field Trips
Board Policy 541 (Student Behavior)
Board Policy 742 (Transportation)
Board Policy 744 (Co-curricular and Athletic Transportation)
Dated: April 21, 1997
Reviewed: February 20, 2007; April 19, 2010; May 2, 2011; May 7, 2012; February 19, 2013; March 2, 2015
Revised: November 6, 2001; March 18, 2002; November 3, 2003; March 1, 2004; May 1, 2006; April 21, 2008; April 20, 2009; March 3, 2014; June 12, 2017; March 6, 2023