Starting as early as mid-January, Metro officials may limit bus access for students who misbehave in ways that don't currently result in penalties — such as vandalism, throwing objects, horseplay, and loud or vulgar language.

Unruly students with unlimited bus passes could receive a limited pass that would only cover travel to and from school. Currently, those passes allow students to ride buses throughout the city at any time.

Though Metro now has cameras on all of its buses, students, particularly those in middle school, are still misbehaving, school district security coordinator Luis Yudice said. Some students are bullied to the point that they arm themselves with knives or join gangs for protection, he said.

"It's a very frightening, terrifying experience for many kids to get on these buses," Yudice said.

So far in 2010, driver-reported incidents on school bus routes are up 19 percent from the same time last year, according to Metro.

Out of 545 reported incidents on Metro buses so far this year, 34 percent (188) took place on school routes, even though those account for less than 10 percent of all bus rides in the city. There have been 35 reports of fighting on school bus routes through the end of October, up from 15 through the same 10 months last year.

Who has authority?

There are four bus routes in the city dedicated to transporting students only, but students can also use their passes on any Metro route.

The school district issues free passes to low-income students, about 4,400 each semester. Students who don't qualify for free passes can purchase passes from Metro for $150 each semester. About 1,200 were sold this fall.

Student behavior on buses has been difficult to police because buses aren't school property, so the district can't impose its own sanctions, such as suspensions or expulsion. It can suspend a free pass it has issued, but has no authority to do so when a student has purchased one.

Meanwhile, the district doesn't grant Metro access to the names of students, making it harder for the agency to revoke the free bus passes distributed by the district to low-income students. Metro has suspended the use of passes for students who carry on weapons, drugs or alcohol, though it hasn't done so for lesser forms of misbehavior, spokesman Mick Rusch said.

In the last two years, a system has been developed in which Metro officials report incidents involving students to the schools, which obtain surveillance videos from Metro and share the videos with parents. The idea is for parents to affect their children's behavior.

But because the schools don't always have the leverage to get students to participate, the district is working with Metro to develop sanctions that Metro would be able to enforce, Yudice said.

Correcting behavior

Some middle schools have already begun implementing a program that introduces students to bus drivers and shows them bus safety videos. Hamilton Middle School Principal Hank Schmelz said the approach has been successful so far, particularly when the same driver is assigned to a route every day and gets to know the students.

"The more you can humanize the people, the more people will empathize and won't give the person a hard time," he said.

The surveillance videos, which were added to all Metro buses over the past three years, have made a big difference, Schmelz said. The school has suspended some bus passes, he added, but that isn't necessarily the best way to correct a student's behavior.

"The best way to discipline a child is to work closely with a family," Schmelz said. "Once the family can see what did happen, even if they were to believe the child, but then they can see it, they become a strong ally of the school and the bus company."
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