Montana § 20-10-124 - Private Party Contract For Transportation -- Individual Transportation Contract

§ 20-10-124. Private Party Contract For Transportation -- Individual Transportation Contract

Private party contract for transportation -- individual transportation contract. (1) When the trustees contract with any private party to provide transportation to eligible transportees, the private party shall comply with the regulations of the board of public education for the standards of equipment, operation and safety of the school bus, and qualifications of the driver. The trustees may require added safeguards by supplementing the board of public education policies in the contract with additional requirements for bus specifications, age of drivers, liability insurance, operating speed, or any other contractual condition considered necessary by the trustees. (2) Any school bus transportation by a private party or individual transportation that is furnished by a district must be under contract, and district, county, or state money may not be paid for transportation services to any person or firm who does not hold a legal contract with the district. Transportation contracts for the ensuing year must be completed by the fourth Monday of June, except when an eligible transportee establishes residence in the district after the fourth Monday of June and a contingency amount is included in the regular transportation budget or an emergency transportation budget is adopted. (3) Transportation contracts between a district and a private party for the provision of school bus transportation must: (a) be completed in triplicate, with one copy for the county superintendent, one copy for the private party, and one copy for the district; (b) conform to the transportation law, policies of the board of public education, and rules of the superintendent of public instruction; and (c) be signed by the presiding officer of the trustees and the private party. (4) A transportation contract between a parent or guardian of an eligible transportee and a district for the provision of individual transportation is subject to the following requirements: (a) it must be completed in quadruplicate, with one copy for the parent or guardian, one copy for the district, one copy for the county superintendent, and one copy for the superintendent of public instruction; (b) it must be completed on forms promulgated by the superintendent of public instruction; (c) the parent or guardian shall sign an affidavit attesting to the place of residence of the child or children; and (d) it must be signed by the presiding officer of the trustees and the parent or guardian of the eligible transportees.