All 26 school bus drivers from last spring will be returning to their respective routes next week for the Batesville Community School Corp., according to Ed Krause, director of transportation.
“Regardless of whether you are a fan or foe of daylight-saving time, it has dramatically increased the number of days that students board buses in darkness,” he points out. “Some parents have understandably expressed safety concerns regarding this situation, particularly when their children have to walk to a bus stop and wait for the bus in darkness. There are, however, some steps parents can take to make this trip safer.”
If possible, see that an adult escorts younger children to the bus stop. Besides making the walk safer, an adult presence at a stop can also improve student behavior there. Neighborhood parents can organize and take turns with these duties. If your work schedule does not allow such an arrangement, you can still take the time to walk with your children on the route that they will take to the stop. Discuss with them the proper way to reach the stop safely and how to behave once there. Emphasize that they must remain off the roadway until the bus stops completely. Be aware that in some cases drivers may insist that the children move toward the bus only after the driver signals them that it is safe to do so. Finally, remember that most children, especially younger ones, will need to be instructed on safety procedures more than once before the message sinks in.
A national child abuse campaign several years ago stated that children should “Be Seen, Not Hurt.” That slogan can also be applied to students heading to the bus stop. “Visibility is the name of the game,” Krause notes. When shopping for book bags, jackets and athletic shoes, for example, try to purchase brands that contain reflective material. Reflective items can greatly increase a child’s visibility to drivers in the early morning hours. Small flashlights or flashers, such as those used by joggers and cyclists, can also be used to alert drivers to the presence of pedestrians as they walk to a bus stop. Please note that these items must be turned off upon entering the bus.
For a variety of reasons, some parents choose to drive their children to school. “Please place safety at the top of your priority list – safety for everyone, not just your family. People are often in a hurry in the morning and sometimes place convenience ahead of safety in order to gain a little time,” he urges. For example, at Batesville Middle School, parents are encouraged to drop students off while headed south on Mulberry Street, creating a safer curbside drop-off instead of making a northbound drop-off, which requires a child to cross a busy street to reach school. Is this always convenient? Probably not, but safety should always trump convenience.
Each BCSC school, as well as St. Louis School, has certain areas designated for parents to drop off and pick up students. These locations were selected in order to avoid the hazardous situation of mixing private vehicles with school buses during the process of loading and unloading.
Population growth and changes in individual family circumstances are only two of the many factors that require a continuous evaluation of the district’s transportation needs. Over the summer the transportation staff reviews enrollment data in an attempt to balance ridership for the fall. Child care arrangements, however, can complicate route planning as many children are picked up or dropped off at locations other than home. Some students ride a different bus in the morning than in the afternoon and these arrangements often change on a daily basis.
According to the transportation director, the escalating price of gasoline and diesel fuel may also affect the number of bus riders this fall as parents decide to place their children on the bus rather than driving them to school as they have done in the past. High school students may find their parents less willing to provide cars for them, forcing them to ride the bus. The extent to which these variables may influence bus ridership is impossible to determine until school begins.
Unforeseen circumstances may result in an overcrowded bus or two at the start of the school year. This is an undesirable situation for everyone involved. If overcrowding occurs, parents can be assured it will be dealt with as soon as possible.
Each route will provide home to school and back bus service to Batesville High School, Batesville Middle School, Batesville Intermediate School, Batesville Primary School and St. Louis School. Bus numbers coincide with route numbers.
In addition, the corporation operates two bus routes, 19 and 19-A, for students with special needs. These routes serve the entire school district, so individual route descriptions are not listed. Drivers are David Westerfeld, 934-2966, and Jay Pfeiffer, 933-0332, respectively.
Kindergartners will be riding the school bus one way – to school for the morning classes or home from the afternoon classes. There has been a system devised to help children identify their buses during the first few weeks of school. Next to the number on the right front of each bus will be a figure that the kindergartners will be able to recognize: 1, bird; 2, butterfly; 3, cow; 4, pig; 5, bear; 6, cat; 7, lion; 8, elephant; 9, monkey; 10, dog; 11, rabbit; 12, swan; 13, duck; 14, deer; 15, turtle; 16, fish; 17, camel; 18, horse; 20, seal; 21, squirrel; 22, rooster; 23, whale; 24, snail; and 25, eagle.
During the first week of school, drivers will be distributing Bus Discipline Policy forms to all riders. The first page contains the driver’s name, route number and home telephone number, with the bus discipline policy directly underneath. Please keep this information in a handy location for future reference. Parents are encouraged to review the policy with each of their children.
The second page must be completed, signed by the parent and returned to the driver. If a child does not bring home a form within the first week of school, persons may contact the Transportation Office at 934-2194 to obtain a copy.
New families are advised to carefully read the route descriptions to determine which bus a child should ride. At the end of each, the driver’s name and contact telephone number are listed. This information is also available on the BCSC Web site (www.batesville.k12.in.us/bcsc/).
Sixteen contracted school bus routes feed into the schools from residences outside of Batesville:
ROUTE 2 begins on 1250N at SR 229 and services residences on 1250N, 1200N, SR 229, 75W/100W, 1050N, 100E, 50E, the Timbers, and picks up students bound for BIS and BMS who board the bus at SLS. Driver: Rhonda McQueen, 765-698-2407.
ROUTE 3 begins on 1300N at 50W and services residences on 1300N, 200W, 250W, 1150N, 225W, 1050N, 200W, 1200N, 100W, 50W, 1400N, South Mulberry Street, Volz Street, South Park Avenue, Central Avenue between South Park Avenue and SR229 and picks up students bound for BIS and BMS who board the bus at SLS. Driver: Thais Cook, 934-5376.
ROUTE 4 begins at Mid Road and Underpass Road and services residences on Underpass Road, 1400N, 50W, Delaware Road north of 1300N, Pohlman Street, South Park Avenue, Legion Street, Bates Street, South Park Acres and picks up students bound for BIS and BMS who board the bus at SLS. Driver: Ed Flick, 933-0446.
ROUTE 5 begins on Pocket Road South at SR 46 and services residences on Pocket Road South, Last Road, Franklin-Decatur County Line Road, Mid Road, Underpass Road, Westbrook Drive, Hunters Lane, Woodlawn Drive and Huntersville Road. Driver: David Runyon, 765-698-3815.
ROUTE 7 begins on Enochsburg Road at N. Hamburg Road and services residences on Wissel Road, Ziegler Road, Enochsburg Road, Bessler Road, Three Mile Road, Vote Road and Hamburg Road; Oldenburg streets of Averdick, Sycamore (SR229), Water and Pearl, plus the Werner addition. Driver: Connie Luers, 934-3323.
ROUTE 8 services residences on Huntersville Road, Pocket Road, Frontage Road, Enochsburg Road (to Suttman Road), Decatur-Franklin County Line Road, Straw Road, Haskamp Road, West Hamburg Road (Fork Road) and North Hamburg Road to corporation line. Driver: George Litzinger, 934-2096.
ROUTE 9 services residences on Bullfork Road, Hamburg Road, N. Hamburg Road, Ferkinhoff Road, Senft Road, Shady Road and SR 229 between Oldenburg and Batesville. Driver: Gary Litzinger, 934-3249.
ROUTE 10 begins on Rail Fence Road at Hilltop Road and services residences on Hilltop Road, Rail Fence Road, Stockpile Road, Haverkos Road, Hamburg Road, Huntersville Road, Pocket Road, and SR 229 between Pocket Road and Batesville. Driver: Julie Litzinger, 934-2096.
ROUTE 11 services residences on Harvey’s Branch Road, Forest Road, Lamping Road, Joe Road, SR 229 between Lamping Road and Oldenburg, Tony Road from SR229 to Pipe Creek bridge plus these Oldenburg streets: Vine, Washington (north of SR 229), Pearl and Sycamore. Driver: Eddie Obermeyer, 934-3417.
ROUTE 12 services residences on Harvey’s Branch Road north of Lamping Road. Also, Abshear Road, Beacon Road, Whistle Creek Road, Peters Road, Walnut Fork Road east of SR229 from Peppertown, SR229 from north corporation line to Lamping Road, Sawmill Road from Oldenburg to Shrine Road, Shrine Road from Sawmill Road to Pocket Road, Pocket Road between Shrine Road and SR229, including Rock Creek and Pines subdivisions. Driver: Rick Flodder, 934-4605.
ROUTE 13 begins at St. Mary’s Road and Sunman Road. It services residences on St. Mary’s Road from there to the north corporation line, Russell Road, Pipe Creek Road, Walnut Fork Road and Hickory Road. It also services residences along Arlington Drive north of Curtis Court to Pocket Road. Route 13 will also make stops in Quail Meadows subdivision along Pheasant Run Drive and Bobwhite Boulevard. Driver: David McQueen, 765-698-2407.
ROUTE 14 services residences on Sunman Road, Pine Road, St. Mary’s Road, Simmermeyer Road, Moorman Road, Tony Road (to Pipe Creek bridge) and Heppner Road, and Werner Addition and Water Street in Oldenburg. Driver: Gerri Schwegman, 812-623-3923.
ROUTE 15 services residences on Pine Road west of Sunman Road, Lovers Road, Sawmill Road, Pony Farm/County Line Road, CR 1600N, Morris Road, Loop Road and Conservation Club Road. Driver: Angie Shane, 934-6079.
ROUTE 16 services SR 46 east of Morris, CR 600E, CR 1500N (Lammers Pike) between 600E and Merkel Road, Merkel Road, Pony Farm Road, Sawmill Road, Shrine Road (south of Pocket Road), Six Pine Ranch Road and these streets in Quail Meadows subdivision: Whippoorwill Drive, Meadowlark Lane and the eastern portion of Pheasant Run Drive. Driver: Linda Gutzwiller, 934-4804.
ROUTE 17 services residences on 1400N, 500E, 1200N, 400E, 1300N, 450E, Morris, 525E at SR 46 and 475E at SR 46. Driver: Norman Gutzwiller, 934-4804.
ROUTE 23 provides service to residences on Delaware Road south of 1300N, 1300N, 1250N, 200E, 1150N (except Four Seasons subdivision residents, who ride Bus 22), 1100N, Legion Road and Bischoff Road. Driver: Louis Giesting, 934-4864.
In addition to the 16 contracted routes, there are eight that are operated with BCSC buses and corporation-employed drivers. These routes cover the streets in Batesville or are able to loop back into town while in route:
ROUTE 1 provides service to residences in the area of Western Avenue, Prairie Avenue, Central Avenue east of Park Avenue, Myrtle Street, Albers Street, Depot Street south of Pearl Street, Eastern Avenue south of Pearl Street, Herman Street, South Street, Beech Grove Avenue and Alvina Street. Driver: Cindy Long, 934-5113.
ROUTE 6 provides service to Tekulve Road east of SR 46, including Village in the Woods apartments, Township Line Road including Pine Grove Addition and the YMCA. Bus 6 also serves residences along SR129 South from Bischoff Road to CR1150N. Driver: Dan Westerfeld, 934-2379.
ROUTE 18 services residences on SR 46 West, South Pocket Road (off SR 46), Arbor Lakes Estates, Columbus Avenue from SR 46 to Locust Avenue, Lake of the Woods Estates, and Hunters Glen. Driver: Larry Bergman, 934-4103.
ROUTE 20 provides service to residences in the areas of Tekulve Road between SR 46 and Eastern Avenue, Boehringer Street, Fitch Avenue, John Street, Western Avenue, Eastern Avenue, Country Club Drive, Depot Street (north of Pearl Street), Hillenbrand Avenue, North Park Avenue, South Street, Catherine Street and Indiana Avenue. Driver: Kim Powell, 933-1013.
ROUTE 21 provides service to North Main Street and the area of town west of Main Street, including Mitchell Avenue, Columbus Avenue, Elm Street, West Pearl Street, Smith Street and Hillcrest Avenue. This route also services residences along Arlington Drive, including Canterbury Apartments, from SR229 north to and including Curtis Court. Driver: Rita Fledderman, 934-3515.
ROUTE 22 provides service to Hillindale Commons on Winding Way, White Oak, Red Maple, Callery Pear and Oakmont; on White Oak at Red Oak and Hawthorne. It also covers SR 129 from SR 46 to Bischoff Road, Four Seasons subdivision on CR1150N and Coonhunters Road. Driver: Ann Lecher, 934-4312.
ROUTE 24 provides service to residences on Lammers Pike, Dirks Road, Village Road, 450E (also known as Merkel Road) between Lammers Pike and SR46, and makes these stops in Morris: Washington Street, the first street to the left off Washington, Hardebeck apartments, Church Road and Mill Street. It also covers SR 46 between Morris and SR 229, including Hoosier Heights and Hillcrest Estates subdivisions. Driver: Deb Crain, 812-527-2447.
ROUTE 25 serves Huntersville Road between SR 46 and Cedar Lane, Locust Avenue, Columbus Avenue from Huntersville Road to Locust Avenue, EGS Boulevard, Valley Drive, West Pearl Street west of Mulberry Street, Second Street, Hoene Avenue, Cedar Lane, 3rd, 4th, 5th and Sycamore Streets. Bus 25 also serves residences on South Mulberry from West Pearl Street to SR229 (South Main) and South Main Street from Mulberry Street to Maplewood. Driver: Diana Hackworth, 934-6091.
