All trip requests must be entered into TransTraks.
TransTraks Instruction Guide and link to trip request form:
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, please enter all Field and Activity trips in TransTraks.
Important things to consider when entering your trips:
1. We try accommodating your trip requests with our school bus staff and buses.
2. School sites should communicate all off-site movement of students with Transportation.
3. If your school is scheduling a trip, designated school site staff members should enter the trip information into TransTraks as soon as possible to check availability, and we will make the arrangements. We recommend giving at least two months or more notice but no less than two weeks’. Trip dates in Spring can fill up quickly, so we encourage sites to enter those dates earlier in the year.
a. All trips are dependent on availability.
b. Trip requests must include the contact name and phone number of the person responsible for and present on the trip. The contact person should be able to answer questions from drivers and our Transportation scheduler.
4. Determine the time you will be arriving back at your school. When entering your departure time for your trip back to the school site, remember to look on Google Maps for approximate drive time and add an extra ten minutes due to speed regulations. Keep in mind that our bus drivers will not travel faster than 55 mph per DOT regulations and the safety of the students. This may require your site to adjust your site departure. Please do not enter 30 minutes trip time from places like San Francisco, Marin, and Sausalito.
5. Our first obligation for the big (activity) buses is to the students that live in the Bay Point area going to and from Mt. Diablo and Olympic High Schools. Trips cannot leave earlier than 8:30 a.m. and cannot return to the school sites later than 2:45 p.m. (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Friday), and 1:45 p.m. on Wednesdays.
a. If your trip conflicts with the MDHS afternoon take-home time, we will call you to see if you can shift your times or accept a charter bus (higher cost) for your trip. If those choices do not work, we may cancel the trip.
6. Transportation arranges school buses or charter buses for your trips. The Transportation Department is the only authorized contact for the charter companies. School sites cannot arrange chartered transportation of students with outside companies due to student safety concerns and liability. Our department has contracts with authorized charters, and we require that Department of Transportation, Federal and State standards are met to transport MDUSD students.
7. All trips must have approved coaches, teachers, and/or chaperones. There needs to be one adult chaperone, age 21 years or older, for every 15 students in grades 6-12 (10 students to one adult for grades PK-5). The Superintendent or designee may require that at least one certificated staff member serves as a chaperone. Chaperones shall have successfully passed the DOJ/FBI fingerprint process for any field trip or activity.
8. Cancellations: School bus trips must be cancelled twenty-four hours or more before the scheduled trip time, or the school site will be charged a minimum of $300.00 per bus. Be advised that charter companies have different cancellation policies. Refer to your quote for cancellation charges.
