Transportation Department

Dispatch Office

(925) 825-7440 Ext. 3710

Welcome to Mt. Diablo Unified School District's Transportation Services

At the heart of our mission lies the commitment to the safe transport of our students. With dedication as our compass, we prioritize the well-being of every child entrusted to our care. For over a decade, our dedication to safety has garnered us consecutive Satisfactory ratings from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) during Terminal Inspections, a testament to the attention to detail embraced by our team.

Services We Provide

With a fleet of 113 buses, each route covers a vast 150-square-mile radius daily, ensuring the safe and efficient transportation of over 1,690 students across both General and Special Education departments. Our commitment extends to serving students attending forty-nine public and non-public school sites and centers within our service area, prioritizing their safety and well-being on every journey.

Key Information

Routes and Mileage

Our 113 buses, including 19 electric and 26 compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, cover over 1.5 million miles annually.

Specific School Routes

School bus transportation and route scheduling for Mt. Diablo and Olympic High School students residing in Bay Point.
El Dorado Middle School students living in the previous Glenbrook Middle School area in Concord.

Who We Transport

We primarily provide service to students who receive specialized services through the Special Education Department, facilitating trips to and from 49 school sites and centers daily.

Athletic and Field Trips

Annually, we manage over 350 athletic trips and 1,500 field trips, contributing to a well-rounded educational experience.

Personnel

Our trained staff, including seventy-three dedicated school bus drivers, plays a crucial role in the daily operations of our transportation system.

Safety

Our State Certified Instructors meticulously follow the school bus driver training protocols outlined by the California Department of Education. Our department ensures adherence to all regulations set forth by the CHP and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), guaranteeing high standards of safety and professionalism.

Maintenance and Safety: Our responsibility extends beyond transportation.

We prioritize safety through regular training programs for our drivers.
School bus safety and evacuation programs for all K-5 grade students.
Mechanical service technicians maintain a fleet of 381 district-owned vehicles.
Fuel dispensing and monitoring at the bus yard.

Work With Us Wednesdays!

The Transportation Department has job openings for School Bus Driver and Special Education Transportation Assistant positions. To apply for the job openings, fill out an application on the Human Resources Employment Opportunities page.

Do you need help with your application for MDUSD's Transportation Department? Do you have questions about our paid training program? Our department will be available on Wednesdays* to assist applicants who want to work with us in Transportation. Our team can answer questions, and you can fill out the Transportation Department's applications online. We understand you may not be able to scan documents at home. Our team can help you upload your resume, two reference checks, and a letter of recommendation. We can assist with that and more! Come to the Transportation Office, 1490 Gasoline Alley, Concord, CA 94520, from 8:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. to talk with us.

*The Transportation office will not be available for "Work With Us Wednesdays" during school breaks/recesses, holidays, and these dates in the 2024-2025 school year: August 7, 2024, October 9, 2024, December 25, 2024, January 1, 2025, and April 9, 2025.

ACTIVITY TRIP REQUEST INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION

All trip requests must be entered into TransTraks.

TransTraks Instruction Guide and link to trip request form:

TransTraks Instructions Guide - new information
Field Trip Portal triprequest.transtraks.com
General Trip Information
Internal Site Form
Trip Destination Cost List
Trip Destination Cost List - Athletics

Trip Information

For field trip assistance and questions, contact Kay Winkles at winklesk@mdusd.org or (925) 825-7440, ext. 3722.

To request a staff login for TransTraks, email Julie Carpenter at carpenterj@mdusd.org.

School site staff, enter all Field and Activity trips in TransTraks.

Important things to consider when entering your trips:

1. Our school bus staff and buses strive to accommodate your trip requests.

2. It is imperative for school sites to communicate all off-site movement of students with the Transportation Department.

3. When scheduling a trip, designated school site staff members should promptly enter trip information into TransTraks to check availability. We recommend providing at least two months' notice but no less than two weeks. Trip dates in the Spring may fill up quickly, so early entry is encouraged. Please refer to the Transportation Department’s Blackout date list to ensure availability. Charter buses may be available on blackout dates at a higher cost.

All trips are subject to availability.
Trip requests must include the name and phone number of the trip’s lead contact, responsible for and present on the trip, capable of addressing inquiries from drivers and our Transportation scheduler.

4. Determine the expected return time to your school. When inputting the departure time for the return trip, consider the approximate drive time on Google Maps and add an additional ten minutes for compliance with speed regulations. Our drivers adhere to a maximum speed of 55 mph per DOT regulations and prioritize student safety. Adjustments to site departure may be necessary. Please refrain from estimating a 30-minute trip time from locations such as San Francisco, Marin, and Sausalito.

Accuracy in entering start and end times for activity trips and athletic events on TransTraks is crucial. Realistic and precise departure and return times for events like football games must be provided on the TransTraks trip schedule. School bus drivers are required to adhere to federal regulations governing school bus drivers' hours of service, as outlined by Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). School bus drivers in California, like commercial drivers in other states, are subject to federal regulations governing their hours of service. These regulations are designed to ensure the safety of passengers, especially school children, by limiting the amount of time a driver can spend behind the wheel and mandating rest breaks. Some of the key regulations include:
- Maximum Driving Hours: In California, school bus drivers are generally limited to driving a maximum of 10 hours after being off-duty for 8 or more consecutive hours. This is in accordance with federal regulations.
- Maximum On-Duty Hours: School bus drivers may not be on duty (including driving and non-driving work) for more than 15 hours following 8 consecutive hours off-duty. This is intended to prevent drivers from becoming fatigued.
- Rest Breaks: Drivers must take a break of at least 30 minutes after driving for 4 hours. During this break, they are not allowed to perform any on-duty tasks.
- Weekly Limit: School bus drivers cannot drive more than 60 hours in a 7-day period or 70 hours in an 8-day period. This limit can be reset by taking at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty.
- 10-Hour Break: After reaching the maximum daily driving limit of 10 hours, school bus drivers are required to take at least 10 consecutive hours off-duty before resuming work.

It's important to note that these regulations are subject to change, and it's essential for school bus drivers to stay up to date with the latest rules and regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). These regulations are in place to ensure the safety of both the drivers and the passengers, especially schoolchildren, who are being transported on school buses. Violations of these regulations can result in penalties and fines.

5. Our primary obligation for activity buses is to students residing in the Bay Point area attending Mt. Diablo and Olympic High Schools. Trips cannot commence before 8:30 a.m. and must return to the school sites by 2:45 p.m. (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Friday), and 1:45 p.m. on Wednesdays. a. In the event of conflicts with afternoon take-home times from MDHS, adjustments or charter bus options may be offered, subject to availability and potential additional costs, or we may need to cancel the trip.

6. Transportation coordinates school or charter buses for trips. Only the Transportation Department is authorized to coordinate trips with charter companies. School sites cannot independently arrange chartered transportation due to safety and liability concerns. Our department ensures compliance with Department of Transportation, Federal, and State standards for transporting MDUSD students.

It is essential to review the cancellation policy of the selected charter company.

7. All trips must have approved coaches, teachers, and/or chaperones. A minimum ratio of one adult chaperone (21 years or older) for every 15 students in grades 6-12 (10 students to one adult for grades PK-5) is required. The Superintendent or designee may mandate a certificated staff member as a chaperone. Chaperones must have successfully undergone the DOJ/FBI fingerprint process for any field trip or activity.

8. Cancellations: School bus trips must be canceled at least twenty-four hours before the scheduled trip time to avoid a minimum charge of $360.00 per bus. Charter companies may have varying cancellation policies; please refer to your quote for details.

Transportation Department's Blackout dates.

Blackout dates indicate when all available school buses and drivers are already booked for the day. Additional blackout dates are updated throughout the school year as days become booked. Charter buses may be available on blackout dates at a higher cost, for which the school site/program is responsible.

TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT'S TRIP BLACKOUT DATES

Trip blackout dates signify days when all available school buses and drivers are already scheduled, leaving no room for additional bookings. The provided list will be regularly updated as necessary to reflect any newly added blackout dates.

After the school site staff member receives notification that the date of the trip is on a blackout date, the best option is to change the date of your trip, if that is feasible. While certain blackout dates may still offer the option of charter buses, it's important to note that the cost for these alternatives is significantly higher compared to the standard rates for school buses. In such cases, the responsibility for covering the cost lies with the school site or program. The trip blackout notification ensures transparency in financial considerations, allowing for informed decision-making when charter buses are the only available option on blackout dates.

Transportation Department Trip Blackout Dates

MDUSD TRANSPORTATION SAFETY PLAN

SAFE SEATING & BUS CAPACITY

According to 13 CCR 1217: “…the number of passengers shall not exceed the number of safe and adequate seating spaces…” MDUSD has set the following guidelines to assist schools/departments in maintaining safe seating on district school buses when planning trips:

Pre-kinder to 3rd grade: Three passengers per seat, 76 per bus, up to 90% of the maximum seating capacity (rounded down to the nearest whole number). Adult chaperones may limit the seating capacity as adults can only be two (2) per seat.

4th grade to Adult: Two passengers per seat. The maximum passenger load is 52 in big buses.

In no event will the driver allow more passengers and equipment to exceed the safe seating and the maximum weight rating of the vehicle he or she is in charge of. The driver has the authority and discretion to reduce or limit passengers and equipment to maintain safe control of the vehicle.

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