20-10-126. Establishment of transportation service areas. (1) The territory of a transportation service area is the territory of a school district unless the county transportation committee approves alternative boundaries after determining that the adjustments will improve pupil safety, transportation efficiency, or the cost-effectiveness of the pupil transportation system of the county.
(2) (a) Except as provided in subsection (2)(b), a district may not extend a bus route to transport pupils from outside its transportation service area unless the district has a written agreement with the district that the county transportation committee has assigned to transport the pupils.
(b) A district may extend a bus route across another transportation service area if the district determines that it is necessary in order to provide transportation to pupils in the district's own transportation service area. Under this subsection (2)(b), a district may not transport pupils from outside its transportation service area.
(3) When the trustees of two or more districts enter into a written agreement to authorize transportation services among transportation service areas, a copy of the agreement must be submitted to the county superintendent and approved by the county transportation committee. Upon approval by the committee, the transportation agreements are valid for the current school year.
(4) The trustees of any district who object to a particular bus route or transportation service area to which the district has been assigned may request a transfer to another bus route or transportation service area. The county transportation committee may transfer the territory of the district to an adjacent transportation service area or approved bus route with the consent of the district providing transportation in the adjacent transportation service area.
(5) The trustees of any district who object to a bus route operated by another district may bring that route to the attention of the county transportation committee. If the committee agrees that the district is operating a portion of its route as an unapproved route outside of its district boundaries, the committee shall file with the district a written warning concerning the unapproved route, and if the district, in spite of the warning, continues to operate the route, the committee may withdraw its approval of the entire route.
(6) If the qualified electors of the district object to the decision of the county transportation committee and the adjacent district is willing to provide school bus service, 20% of the qualified electors, as prescribed in 20-20-301, may petition the trustees to conduct an election on the proposition that the territory of the district be transferred for pupil transportation purposes to the adjacent transportation service area. If a satisfactory petition is presented to the trustees, the trustees shall call an election on the proposition in accordance with 20-20-201 for the next ensuing regular school election day. The election must be conducted in accordance with the school election laws. If a majority of those voting at the election approve the transfer, the transfer is effective on July 1 of the ensuing school fiscal year.
(7) Unless a transfer of territory from one transportation service area or approved bus route to another area or bus route is approved by the superintendent of public instruction and the county transportation committee, the state transportation reimbursement is limited to the reimbursement amount for pupil transportation to the nearest operating public elementary school or public high school, whichever is appropriate for the affected pupils.
History: En. Sec. 8, Ch. 298, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 427, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 508, L. 2005.
Structure Montana Code Annotated
Chapter 10. Transportation and Food Services
Part 1. School Buses and Transportation
20-10-102. School bus requirements
20-10-103. School bus driver qualifications
20-10-104. Penalty for violating law or rules
20-10-105. Determination of residence
20-10-106. Determination of mileage distances
20-10-108. Two-way radio operation
20-10-109. Liability insurance for school bus
20-10-110. School bus purchase -- contract -- bids
20-10-111. Duties of board of public education
20-10-112. Duties of superintendent of public instruction
20-10-113. through 20-10-120 reserved
20-10-122. Discretionary provision of transportation and payment for this transportation
20-10-123. Provision of transportation for nonpublic school children
20-10-124. Private party contract for transportation -- individual transportation contract
20-10-125. Bid letting for contract bus -- payments under transportation contract
20-10-126. Establishment of transportation service areas
20-10-129. Transportation for special activities
20-10-131. County transportation committee membership
20-10-132. Duties of county transportation committee
20-10-133. through 20-10-140 reserved
20-10-141. Schedule of maximum reimbursement by mileage rates
20-10-142. Schedule of maximum reimbursement for individual transportation
20-10-143. Budgeting for transportation and transmittal of transportation contracts
20-10-145. State transportation reimbursement
20-10-146. County transportation reimbursement
20-10-147. Bus depreciation reserve fund
20-10-148. Cost-effectiveness analysis required before purchase of small school bus