IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ORDERING FIELD, ATHLETIC, AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION TRIPS

Trips for Private and Outside Organizations
Field and athletic transportation service using District buses or transportation contracts is available only to District schools and departments. The funding source may be an outside organization, however the transportation must be to students or staff on a District sponsored activity.

The District does not possess Minnesota Charter Carrier Authority so District owned buses may not be chartered to outside organizations or individuals. The District also may not sell contracted services, such as transportation under District contracts, to individuals or outside organizations, such as youth or church groups.

All trips for any Saint Paul Public School activity must be ordered through the Field Trip Office.
Trips for all District schools, activities, and departments must be ordered through the Field Trip Office, regardless of what fund or organization is funding the trip expense. School bus contractors and motor coach carriers are not authorized to accept a trip for a District or school sponsored activity directly from any individual, school or department.

When to Order Trips
Order Field, Athletic, and Community Education trip buses as far in advance as possible. This is especially important when requesting buses for extended trips and/or requests for motor coaches. We have our best opportinity to obtain buses at the best rate possible when we order bus service with adequate advance notice.

How to Order Trips
Field, athletic, and Community Education trips can be ordered by completing and submitting a Field Trip Order Form which is available from the Field Trip Office or in the downloadable forms section of this site. Trips may also be ordered by calling the Field Trip Office at 651-696-9628.

Field Trip Order Form

Multiple Field Trip Order Form

Payment for Trips
In accordance with the requirements of the Uniform Financial Accounting Regulations (UFARS) the Transportation Department cannot accept field trip orders on an "accounts payable" or "COD" basis. Schools and departments must provide a valid budget number at the time that the field, athletic, or Community Education trip order is placed with the Field Trip Office. If a budget number is not given with the field trip order the Transportation Department will charge the expense to the school's intra-school budget number. The school or department must notify the Field Trip Office if they want the trip charged to a different budget number.

The school or department must have authorization from the budget administrator responsible for the budget code. The budget administrator will receive a confirmation report of the order and a Field Trip expense report following completion of the trip. The expense report is sent after the Transportation Department audits the invoice for service and details the actual cost for the bus service.

If the trip is being funded by an outside source, such as a parent or corporate sponsor, the school or department must supply a valid budget number to cover the cost of the trip in the event that payment is not promptly received by Transportation Accounting.

Time of Day Trip Will Run
Field trip service that will begin at 9:10 a.m. or later and will be finished by 2:05 p.m. will in most instances have bus service available. Buses that are used for field trip service are generally the same buses that are used for District route service.

There are a limited number of contractor buses that are available for field, athletic, and Community Education service during prime route time, i.e. 6:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 2:05 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.. These buses are shared with other school districts, as well as nonpublic schools, charter schools, and private contracts. It is understood that afternoon kindergarten and early education groups have no choice but to take field trips in the afternoon.

Many popular destinations such as the Minnesota Zoo, Science Museum, Children's Museum, Minneapolis Institute of Art, etc. have openings and encourage groups to visit during route service times. Thsi is because all school districts, including Saint Paul, have a very limited number of buses available for field trips during the peak times of the day.

Information needed for Field Trip Orders

The date and day of the trip. If an overnight trip, the date of the return trip.
The number of K-6, middle, or high school students and the number of adults. This estimate must be accurate because by law the capacity of the school bus must be adjusted by the individual size of the passenger and the Field Trip Office will order buses based upon the grade level of students and number of adult passengers. A School bus cannot transport an overload and the Field Trip Office may not be able to supply another bus if the number of passengers exceeds legal capacity.
If any of the students on the field trip utilize a wheelchair or other adaptive device.
The exact pick-up time and the exact return time. Do not order buses early. Field trips are run in multiple trip sequences and buses cannot wait an extended period at pickup and drop-off locations and school bus drivers are not required to enter school buildings or trip destinations and search for late groups. Groups which are not ready to depart at the scheduled time may be left until the next bus becomes available, which could be several hours until morning or afternoon route are completed. In situations where a bus is pulled because a group is not ready to depart at the ordered time the school or department budget will be charged for the costs of the additional trip.
The exact pick-up location and all destinations, including short stops for fast food.
The exact pick-up point at the point of origin and the exact drop-off point(s). In many instances a different bus and driver will do the return trip and the information the driver will have may be from the field trip order. If the drop-off location at the destination is changed the return driver may not be able to locate your group.
If the group will be bringing any objects that cannot be transported in a school bus such as large band instruments or skis and ski poles. A trailer will be required if prohibited objects are to be transported.
The budget code to which the trip is to be charged.
The teacher or person in charge of the trip
The name of the group or activity, such a "Boys JV Soccer" or "A Band".
Any special arrangements or additional information needed to plan the trip.

Changes in Destinations and Additional Stops
If a group desires to make changes in the destination(s), or add additional stops such as a fast food restrauant, the school or department ordering the trip must contact the Field Trip Office as far in advance as possible. In no circumstances can a group make changes directly with a driver.

Many field, athletic, and Community Education Trips run in combination with District route service, field trip service for Saint Paul and other school districts, service for nonpublic and charter schools, and private customers. If a group makes unauthorized changes in destination with the driver taking them to a location they risk being stranded if the change does not reach the driver doing the return trip. Conversely adding an unauthorized stop places the driver in a difficult position and may result in the bus being late for a subsequent route or trip for another school or customer.

Cancellation of Orders
In the event that a group has to cancel a field, athletic, and Community Education trip it is very important that the group leader, or person who ordered the trip, contact the Field Trip Office as soon as possible.

Field, athletic, and Community Education trip orders for school buses that are cancelled one hour and fifteen minutes or more prior to the scheduled pick-up time at the designated point of origin are not subject to a cancellation charge. School bus trips which are cancelled less than one hour and fifteen minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time, or which are cancelled when the bus arrives at the pick-up location, are subject to a cancellation charge.

Motor coach trips are outside the transportation contracts between the School District and our contractors. In most instances motor coach service is performed by charter carriers who do not have a school bus transportation contract with the District. Cancellation policies and fees vary for motor coach carriers and are handled on a per case basis. Contact the Field Trip Office with questions concerning motor coach cancellation policies and fees.

Problems or Concerns With Service
Groups must notify the Field Trip Office as soon as possible about any problems or concerns with service. Any adjustments in charges for school bus trips are based upon what occurred, the impact on the group and their field trip experience, and the terms of the contract for transportation services between the District and the school bus contractor(s). Adjustments for problems that occur on charter coach trips may be subject to limitation by federal and state common carrier regulations.

Field Trip Rates
Due to the number of field, athletic, and Community Education trips operated by the Saint Paul Public Schools a single contractor cannot handle all field and athletic trip work. Because the lowest bidder cannot supply sufficient equipment and drivers,a nd because the availability of equipment for field trip use will vary by time of day and day of the week, the District accepts the rates bid by our contractors and assigns work based upon bid rates and availability of equipment.

The Field Trip Office can provide an approximate cost for field, athletic, and community education trips. Round trip costs are based upon distance traveled and a three hour minimum with additional service charged in one-half hour increments. One way trips are based upon one and one-half hours of service with additional time charged in one-half hour increments.

It is important to order trips early because during occasional peak periods, such as the ned of the school year, the District is unable to place all field, athletic, and Community Education trips with our contract carriers. During these periods trips may be placed with non-contract school bus companies at a cost which may be significantly higher that our contract rates. Trips are placed in the order they are received.

Trips requiring specialized equipment, such as motor coaches, are placed based upon comparative quotes from three or more motor carriers.

Contact the Field Trip Office for additional information.

School Bus Capacity
Minnesota Statute 169.447, School bus and Head Start bus safety states that: The number of pupils or other authorized passengers transported in a school bus or Head Start bus must not be more than the number of pupils or passengers that can be fully seated. Seating capacity must be adjusted according to each passenger's individual physical size, but not more than the manufacturers' rated seating capacity.

The general guidelines for the capacity of a standard 72 passenger school bus are:
Grades Pre-K - 6 = 72 passengers
Grades 7 - 8 = 56 passengers
High School and adults = 48 passengers

Situations involving the transportation of students in car seats or other adaptive devices reduces the capacity of the school bus. Please contact the Field Trip Office for information.

Special Routes to Destinations
The school bus driver generally knows the safest and fastest route from a pick-up point to a destination. There are certain streets and roadways on which a school bus cannot travel due to weight restrictions, overhead clearance, roadway surface, the width of the street, and other factors. If a teacher or athletic coach has a preferred route for the school bus driver to follow it is important that they discuss this route with the Field Trip Office prior to the date of the trip.

Standing or moving about while the bus is in motion.
Minnesota Statute 169.447 states :No person shall stand in the school bus or Head Start bus when the bus is in motion.

No person may stand or move about the school bus while the bus is in motion, including teachers, coaches, and teacher aides. The school bus driver cannot legally move the school bus with any person standing and are instructed to request assistance from Transportation Safety, Transportation Police, or on duty squads if a person refuses to remain seated while the bus is in motion

Buses remaining with groups
Field trip buses may not normally remain with groups and the bus and driver that transports a group to a destination may not be the same one that brings the group back to school. If there is a reason why the bus must remain with the group this must be stated on the Field Trip Order Form. During peak order periods of the school year it may not be possible to have a bus remain with a group due to the high volume of trips being covered.

Adult Vs Student Trips

It is very important that the Field Trip Office know the purpose and exact composition of each trip, i.e. student vs adult. School bus service, as defined in Minnesota Statutes, means transportation provided to students, as defined in the Compulsory Attendace Act, to and from school, or on school related activities, by a school or a school district or by someone under an agreement with a school or school district. School buses performing school related service are exempt from common carrier laws, do not have to display charter bus plates, and do not have to operate under carrier authority issued by the Minnesota Transportation Regulation Board.

Trips transporting predomintely parents or staff, such as parent events, PTSA activities, or staff retreats are not school bus service and must be performed by a motor carrier with carrier authority from the Minnesota Transportation Regulation Board. Buses utilized on non student service must display BY (charter bus) plates and display CHARTER or SPECIAL signs covering the SCHOOL BUS markings on the bus.