School bus stops and routes – general guidance

Information in this section is likely to have greater application for rural bus stops; in urban areas, school bus stops should generally be built as standard bus stops.

Guidelines for information on school bus routes and stops

The Ministry of Education agents are responsible for checking routes used by school buses. The guideline describes:

• appropriate visibility requirements;
• the desirability of good pull-in areas for the buses;
• the need to avoid hazards students may face getting to and from the stop;
• space for the students at the stop; and
• the need for places where vehicles, used by parents or other care givers who may drive the students to or from the bus stop, can stop.

The agents are encouraged to discuss the routes and bus stops with the bus drivers and operators when existing or proposed stops are assessed for risk and, where stops do not adequately meet the guidelines, seek alternative locations. Where alternatives cannot be found or there is a possibility some minor work might remove the problem, it is recommended the road controlling authority be approached.

Table 16‑1: Signs for school bus stops and routes (road and vehicle mounted)

Sign code	Example	Description/use
W16-6 School bus symbol W16-6.1 School bus route, or W16-6.2 School bus turns		A W16-6 sign combination consists of a ‘Children alighting from bus’ symbol displayed on a standard diamond sign plate and a supplementary sign W16-6.1 School bus route or W16-6.2 School bus turns. W16-6, W16-6.1 and W16-6.2 signs may be warranted on roads in rural areas where in the opinion of the RCA, roadway conditions and the presence of school buses could create a hazard, in particular where the road is narrow and winding and the buses stop to allow children to board and alight. The signs should not be installed in urban areas. The W16-6 and W16-6.2 School bus turns combination should be installed at the terminal points of a school bus route. For sign location, see note 1.
W17-1.1 School bus – ‘school bus’		Vehicle mounted sign. For sign location, see notes 2 and 3.
W17-1.2 School bus – ‘school’		Vehicle mounted sign. For sign location, see notes 2 and 3.
W17-1.3 School bus – ‘symbolic children’ plus flashing lights		Vehicle mounted sign – ‘Symbolic children’ plus flashing lights. Flashing lights must be yellow for signs mounted at the rear of the bus or may be yellow or white for signs mounted at the front of the bus. For sign location, see notes 2 and 3.
W17-1.4 School bus – ‘symbolic children’		Vehicle mounted sign – ‘Symbolic children’. For sign location, see notes 2 and 3.

Table 16‑1 note:

1. Signs should be installed at each end of a section of a school bus route where signing is warranted and may be installed near important intersections within that length. The sign should be located where approaching drivers have an uninterrupted view of it over a distance of at least 120m.
2. The sign must be mounted:
   • at the rear, with its lower edge not less than 1.5m from the ground in the centre-line, or to the right of the centre-line, of the school bus when it is facing forward; and
   • at the front, so as to be visible to road users approaching the vehicle from the front and on the opposite side of the roadway.
3. Vehicle mounted school bus signs must not be installed on the inside of the bus windscreens as this effects approaching drivers visibility of the sign and the signs reflectivity.