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Head Start programs are not required to provide transportation services. However, when they do provide those services, they must comply with key regulations.Explore these resources to support programs in the safe and efficient movement of children from one point to another. Find materials on transportation services, coordination options, vehicles, child safety restraints, and other requirements. Learn how to develop transportation systems that are consistent with service area needs and comply with state and federal regulations.
It is never safe for a child to be in or around a vehicle without adult supervision. During the warmer months of the year, unattended children left in cars are more likely to suffer heat-related illnesses. Children also may suffer injury when playing alone around parked vehicles. Program staff and parents can use this resource to learn more about car safety practices that keep young children healthy.
Families depend on programs to keep their children safe at all times. This includes when they travel to and from the program by bus. This sample sign-in sheet has a written attendance log that staff and family members can sign every time a child gets on and off the bus. There is also a space on the sheet for a photo of each child. The photos help staff with name-to-face recognition, so they always release the right child to an authorized adult. These simple injury prevention strategies can help staff account for all children who ride the bus.
Outsourcing is a successful strategy for solving a variety of transportation problems. This article offers ideas that program managers and transportation coordinators can use to evaluate their cost of transportation. For example, the article suggests that partnering with a private school bus company whose expertise is pupil transportation allows the program staff to concentrate on their primary function of educating children.
When considering new vehicle purchases, program directors should understand the four basic types of buses available. Manufacturers can configure each of the four types as either a traditional school bus or as an allowable alternate vehicle (AAV). This tip sheet provides a brief description of each type.