I. Designation of Bus Routes. The School Board shall delegate to the Superintendent the authority to designate the route to be traveled regularly by each school bus. Each such route shall meet the following requirements:

A. The route shall be planned, scheduled, and adjusted to the capacity of the bus to serve students whose homes are beyond a reasonable walking distance from the school center to which they are assigned, except as otherwise provided by Florida Statutes and State Board of Education rules. The routing and scheduling of buses shall be planned to eliminate the necessity for students to stand while the bus is in motion. In emergency situations where the number of transported students in a bus exceeds the rated seating capacity, the bus shall proceed at such a reduced rate of speed to maximize students’ safety.

B. Designated school bus routes shall be restricted to those areas where road conditions, bridge capacities, and the number of transported students allow such service to be economically feasible and practicable.

C. A route shall not be extended for the purpose of accommodating students whose homes are within a reasonable walking distance by a shorter or more economical route which is available to serve the students.

D. School bus routes shall, insofar as possible, be restricted to main routes and county-maintained roads.

E. A suitable turning area shall be available for any route requiring a bus to be turned around.

F. Only one (1) bus shall be assigned students on any given route unless the school schedules necessitate a dual assignment of buses.

G. Student loading and unloading stops shall be established within 1.5 miles of an eligible rider's home.

H. The location of each bus stop will conform to the requirements of Florida Statutes.

II. Spur Routes. A spur route shall exist only when an extremely hazardous condition is present, requiring the bus to deviate from the main trunk.

III. Change in Routes. School bus drivers shall not discontinue stops, begin new stops, or otherwise change a route without prior approval of the Superintendent or designee.

IV. Other Provisions. Students who are approved to attend a district school which is not located in their assigned attendance area shall be ineligible for transportation provided by the School Board except as otherwise permitted by the School Board rule.