Policy

Policy 10313 - Volunteer Drivers

1. SCOPE

1.1.	This policy addresses curricular and extra-curricular transportation of students where specific volunteer drivers, including staff, are organized, directed and supervised by the school district.
1.2.	School District No. 36 (Surrey) is responsible for supervision of students during instructional time and must control any related transportation.
1.3.	Outside of the scope of this policy is: transportation to or from the student’s home, group transportation via commercial carriers and emergency medical transportation.

2. PHILOSOPHY

2.1.	The Surrey Board of Education considers that volunteer drivers can make a valuable contribution to student learning by enabling curricular and extra- curricular student field studies.
2.2.	The board recognizes that automotive travel is generally the highest risk of severe injury activity that schools undertake and believes that safety must be the paramount consideration in student transportation.

3. INTENT

3.1.

It is the intent of the board to minimize risk to students being transported by volunteer drivers.

3.2.

Volunteer drivers and vehicles may be utilized within the law.

3.3.

Volunteer drivers will normally only be utilized on trips of one day duration or less.

3.4.

Selection of volunteer drivers is intended to achieve safe transport by giving consideration to factors including:

a)	Volunteer suitability for the task.
b)	Driver licensing appropriate to the vehicle; and
c)	Vehicle licensing, insurance and mechanical fitness.

3.5.

Students and drivers with Learner (“L”) drivers’ licenses are strictly prohibited from transporting students during field studies.

3.6.

Use of Novice (“N”) drivers to transport students is not precluded, but is discouraged, as there are legal restrictions on their ability to transport passengers, and they are less experienced drivers. Parents of students being transported by Novice (“N”) drivers must be made aware of this when consenting to the participation of their child in the field study. Parents of a Novice (“N”) driver transporting other students must authorize this role.
The legal restrictions for Novice (“N”) drivers are as follows:

a)	“N” sign must be displayed at the back of the car.
b)	Zero alcohol or drugs, including cannabis, in the driver’s blood while driving.
c)	No hand-held or hands-free electronic devices.
d)	Limit of one (1) passenger. *

* To transport additional passengers, a supervisor aged 25 or older with a valid driver’s license (class 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5) must accompany the driver. (Note: The restriction of one (1) passenger does not apply if the additional passengers are immediate family members of the driver.)

3.7.

Orientation of volunteer drivers is to cover both the specific travel and general procedures relating to transporting students.

3.8.

Documentation is to be retained on volunteer drivers, vehicles and students transported in accordance with standards established by district administration.

3.9.

Insurance on the vehicle driven by the volunteer is the responsibility of the owner. The school district carries Excess Third Party Legal Liability Insurance to supplement the vehicle owner’s insurance.

3.10.

Societies which provide student transportation services are independent contractors responsible for the appropriate maintenance, licensing, insurance and operation of the bus by a driver appropriately licensed and operating according to law.

Revised:	2020-03-11 2005-06-30 2002-05-30
Approved:	1998-03-26
X-Ref:	Policy #8901 Policy #10310 Form #11150.9 Form #11150.7 Form #11150.8