D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 29, r. 29-378
Each Child Development Facility that owns, operates or maintains one or more motor vehicles used for transporting children shall comply with all applicable federal and District of Columbia laws and regulations governing the maintenance and operation of motor vehicles and the transportation of children.
Each Facility that enters into a contract with another entity for the provision of transportation services shall obtain a signed attestation from the contractor entity that the transportation service complies with the requirements of this section and with all other applicable laws and regulations pertaining to the provision of transportation services.
Each Facility shall establish and implement policies and procedures intended to ensure the safe transportation of children, including policies and procedures for the training and monitoring of all staff responsible for the transportation of enrolled children.
The Facility's transportation policies and procedures shall address alternative transportation means to be employed if the Facility's primary vehicle breaks down or is otherwise unavailable for use.
Before any child may be transported while under the care of the Facility, the Facility shall obtain written and signed permission from the child's parent(s) or guardian(s).
Each Facility that owns, operates or maintains one or more motor vehicles used for transporting children shall label each such vehicle with the name and phone number of the Facility.
Each Facility that owns, operates or maintains one or more motor vehicles used for transporting children shall maintain proof of current motor vehicle insurance coverage for each such vehicle, both on the Facility premises and inside the vehicle.
Each Facility that owns, operates or maintains one or more motor vehicles used for transporting children shall ensure that only licensed drivers who are covered by the Facility's insurance policy operate any such vehicle when transporting enrolled children.
Each Facility shall immediately notify the Director of any traffic accident involving children being transported while under the care of the Facility. The Facility shall also submit a written report to the Director, on a form approved by him or her, within twenty-four (24) hours of the accident, and shall include a copy of the police report regarding the accident, if available. Facilities that participate in the Child Care Subsidy Program shall also notify the Department of Human Services, as required by subsections 322.1(f) and 322.2 of this Chapter.
Each Facility that owns, operates or maintains one or more motor vehicles used for transporting children shall ensure that each such vehicle is maintained in a clean and mechanically safe condition, as verified by a current inspection sticker from the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles or the equivalent agency in another state and by the Facility's own maintenance records.
Each Child Development Facility that owns, operates or maintains one or more motor vehicles used for transporting children shall maintain inspection and repair records for each such vehicle on file for at least twelve (12) months from the date of each inspection or repair. A person or entity that operates multiple Child Development Facilities may maintain all such records in a single administrative office.
The Facility shall ensure that no staff member who has been convicted of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs (DUI), or the equivalent, within the previous three (3) years, transports by motor vehicle any children enrolled at the Facility. The Facility shall also adopt and implement a policy prohibiting any other person, including a parent, guardian, and/or volunteer, who has been convicted of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs (DUI), or the equivalent, within the previous three (3) years, from transporting by motor vehicle children enrolled at the facility, and shall advise all parents, guardians, and volunteers of this policy in writing.
If the primary driver identified by a Facility becomes unavailable, the Facility shall identify and utilize a substitute driver who meets the requirements of this section.
The Facility shall ensure that no driver smokes, wears headphones, uses a cellular phone or wears earphones while transporting enrolled children.
The Facility shall ensure that each child transported in a personal motor vehicle while under the care of the Facility is properly restrained in an approved child safety restraint system and/or a seat belt, as required by applicable District of Columbia laws and regulations. The Facility shall also ensure that: each child under three (3) years of age is properly restrained in a child restraint seat; each child under eight (8) years of age is properly seated in an installed infant, convertible (toddler) or booster child safety seat, according to the manufacturer's instructions; and each booster seat is used with both lap and shoulder belts.
The Facility shall ensure that no child or staff member stands or sits on the floor of a vehicle while the vehicle is in motion, and that no child is held on another person's lap while the vehicle is in motion.
The Facility shall ensure that all vehicle doors remain locked at all times except when staff and/or children are boarding or departing the vehicle.
The Facility shall ensure that no child is left unattended in a vehicle at any time.
The Facility shall maintain a safe vehicle loading and unloading area for children on or adjacent to the Facility premises.
The Facility shall ensure that identification is securely attached to the person of each child participating on a field trip, and that the identification contains the Facility name, address, telephone number, and emergency contact telephone number if applicable.
The Facility shall ensure that the following items are present in each vehicle when transporting children on field trips or other routine trips:
The Facility shall ensure that at least one staff member trained and currently certified in First Aid and CPR for children is present in each vehicle when children are being transported.
When a child with special needs is being transported in a wheelchair while under the care of a Child Development Facility, the Facility shall comply with the following additional safety requirements:
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 29, r. 29-378