PSS tightens bus riding regs

The Public School System will be appealing directly to parents of schoolchildren to help keep school buses clean and orderly by impressing upon their children the need to respect public property.

Associate commissioner David M. Borja said during the special board meeting last Wednesday that letters will be given out to parents next week, informing them of the PSS’ bus rider policy and rules. The letters will be distributed through the school principals.

Borja said it is a public law that mandates free education and transportation to schools for children between 6 and 16 year old but when a child damages government property (such as school buses), the children and the parents or guardians would be held responsible for its repair. This point will be made clear in the letter.

“It is the responsibility of the parents to educate their child/children about caring for and respecting government property,” reads a part of the letter’s draft.

Borja said yesterday that the letter is actually not new to parents; they are just re-emphasizing the policies due to the unremitting vandalism being perpetrated by some children on the interior of school buses.

The letter further states that parents must remind their children about the consequences if they damage government property.

“Public education is not free, it really isn’t,” Borja stressed, adding that parents must be reminded that the one who pays for school properties and their children’s education are the taxpayers.

If children are caught damaging or vandalizing the bus’ interior-seat, glass, among others, they would be banned from taking the bus until their parents have completely paid in full the amount for the damage and the repair of the buses.

“If the child is disrespectful or inattentive toward the bus driver, the child will not be allowed on the bus until his/her parents have met with the school principal, and bus driver. The child will also be asked to write an apology letter to the bus driver.”

Children will be assigned seats and it will be enforced, said Borja. The new arrangement would have older students sitting to the front of the buses and they must comply with the Bus Rider Policy and Rules, he said. If the children violate the policy and rules, they would be subjected to discipline under the PSS student discipline code.

Borja said bus drivers are not exempted from this policy. Bus drivers who fail to enforce these rules may be subjected to disciplinary actions, including suspension or dismissal.

He said he would meet with the bus drivers on Monday morning to reinforce these rules and remind them of their responsibilities as PSS employees, as an adult, and as a member of the CNMI community.

NEW BUSES AND VANS

The school system has now received the new 10-capacity vans it had ordered, said Borja. Of the 22 passenger vans bidded out since last year, 21 have been delivered to Saipan.

Borja said the vans are now at the bus depot in Lower Base.

In the first bidding, seven of the eight ordered have been received. Four vans are assigned to schools on Saipan while two will be delivered to Rota and one van to Tinian.

All 14 vans from the second bidding are also now with PSS. Borja said 12 of them would be assigned to Saipan schools while Rota and Tinian will get one van each.

Borja said these vans would be delivered to their proper assignments as soon as minor processes such as plate number licensing and other necessary documents are completed.

Borja said eight 66-capacity regular buses are due in September. Six buses will go to Saipan schools while Rota and Tinian will get one regular bus each.

The suppliers for these buses are Triple J Motors and MidPac Micronesia, said Borja. Triple J would be providing Blue Birds buses while MidPac would be providing Thomas Built buses.