School bus

A school bus is a bus that is used specifically for the transport of students between their home and the school. While coverage are available in some countries, eg the United States and Canada, school buses and are used by the majority of students, they operate in Germany, especially in rural and sparsely populated regions. School buses may only be used by students of the school, which stops at the school bus. Another form of organization represents the integration of school buses in the generally accessible scheduled service

School buses in the individual countries

Germany

In Germany, the school buses usually go to the first two and the last two school hours.

School buses, although it certainly comes to serious accidents, statistically the safest form of transport for children and young people.

Under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act, paragraph 3 shall apply in built buses and coaches for a maximum speed of 50 km / h outside a maximum speed of 80 km / h or with special permission 100 km / h If there are more passengers than seats in the bus, only 60 km / h can be ridden. A special speed control for school buses do not exist. Contrary to popular belief, is also in Brandenburg only the above-quoted provision of § 3 para 3 Highway Code. Since this is federal law on this provision, no State has the power to change this statutory provision. A change of the Road Traffic Act to the effect that extra-urban school buses can take for granted exclusively sedentary children, only 60 km / h (§ 3 para 3 No 2 letter b Highway Code ), could only be carried out by the Federal Ministry of Transport with the consent of the Bundesrat. A ride on the school bus is usually a fee, the costs can be covered by the school from a certain driving distance. The school buses are organized by municipalities or districts by the county.

In Germany also city buses and intercity buses are used mainly as school bus; partially take this outside of school hours in regular service. School transport but is operated by minibuses (5-8 passengers) or taxis.

School buses and vehicles that are particularly used for student transportation, must be marked in accordance with § 33 BOKraft on front and back with a shield in Appendix 4 BOKraft in Germany; on the front page also sufficient identification in the destination signs box with the symbol specified in Annex 4 and an additional plate in the color of the image subsoil with the words " school bus ". The effect of the shield must not be affected by other markings or signs.

Section 20 Road Traffic Regulations writes drivers before general that on buses regular services on trams and at designated school buses that stop at bus stops, in the oncoming traffic, may be passed only with caution.

When stopping a designated school bus stops on the hazard warning lights are always switched on buses for public transport at a fixed necessity or at designated stops. Is the hazard warning lights of a bus turned on, § 20 Highway Code other vehicle operators stricter prudential principles ago. Buses or school buses gekennzeichnte approaching a bus stop, and have turned on the hazard lights must not be overtaken. On buses or designated school buses, which then stick to stops and continue to have turned on the hazard lights, should be used with walking speed and be passed only at a distance such that a hazard to passengers is excluded. Step rate also applies to two-way traffic on the same road, but not if, for example, separate strips or barriers means the lanes of the road. Passengers must not be hindered. If necessary, the driver must wait. Buses regular services and school buses is to enable the shutdown of designated stops. If necessary, other vehicles must wait.

A fine and points on their driving in Flensburg face if you violate this caution rules.

Even outside of designated stops should drivers expect at stopping school buses with emerging school children and adapt according to § 3 ( 2 ) Highway Code, the speed of their vehicle so and be ready to brake, that a threat to school children is excluded from the outset.

United States

In the United States, which are characterized by low population density and often inadequate public transport, school buses for public school students are the universal means of transport. This applies to all grade levels, ie, from kindergarten to 12th grade. Are operated school buses by independent local companies, but working closely with the schools. The buses will be used in addition to the transportation of children to school and from school to home for activities organized by the school, such as field trips, theater visits and the like. Some of the buses can be hired for school foreign trips.

The use of the school bus is free. In the 1970s and 1980s were in the U.S. have laws aimed at lifting the de facto racial segregation in schools and tried to force a mixing of white and African American students. School buses were used at this time in order to get the students out of their neighborhoods and ethnically mostly uniform - often against the resistance of families - to bring ethnically mixed schools. As in the 1990s created more modern approaches to the elimination of racial segregation, desegregation busing it was abolished.

Today, the use of the school bus is voluntary; for some families it is more practical, the kids drive their own cars to school; others live in the immediate vicinity of their school and have to use the bus, therefore no claim. Transport logistics in the U.S. is simplified by the fact that the school day for all students in a school always starts at the same time and ends. Disease-related instruction losses are absorbed by teacher - equivalent forces. As a result, the proportion of students who use the school bus, very high; it is about 54%. Students are ( rare from their parents ) picked up on a fixed schedule of specific breakpoints and there also dropped off. To relieve the driver from the supervision of the young passengers, driving adult supervisors when necessary ( monitors ) with; in buses, in which disabled children to ride every day, they are often used on a regular basis.

In the U.S. today there are approximately 440,000 school buses in service, the daily transport 25 million children. Although various models are commonly used, the design of buses is uniformly yellow, and apply to the behavior towards school buses very strict special traffic rules. On stopping school buses, from which students get on or off, a special warning lights are switched on. Once this is the case, but no other road users with their vehicle on the school bus no closer than 100 feet drive up (about 30 m) and not go past it, not even at a walking pace and not in the opposite direction; The latter is true even in many states, if the lanes are physically separated. Violations of these rules are punished with high fines, penalties and in some states even with the withdrawal of the license.

Not entitled to the use of the yellow school buses have students from private schools. Some private schools offer their students about its own bus service. Private Schools, Day Care Centers and similar facilities can charge rent the buses for school trips, however.

Signs Gallery

Obsolete version of the warning

More outdated version

Together with the additional characters " School Bus " ( stating the actual time of day use) on a common white support surface, a stop is marked only for school buses