DIRECTORATE OF LOGISTICS
TRANSPORTATION DIVISION
PERSONNEL MOVEMENTS SECTION
15 Aug 11
SUBJECT: TRANSPORTING INFANTS ON CHARTER BUSES
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PURPOSE: To
provide information to Units requiring movement of personnel on
commercial charter buses.
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REFERENCE:
Defense Transportation Regulation,
DOD 4500.9-R Part I, Passenger Movement
Military Surface
Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) Military Bus Program
Approved Passenger Carriers
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FACTS: There is nothing in the
DOD Regulation that states that dependents of DOD Personnel can not
be transported on commercial charter buses. It does however only
refer to movement of DOD personnel.
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The General Provisions
Part II of the Military Bus Agreement (effective 1 Oct 1997) entered
into by the Military Traffic Management Command on behalf of the
Department of Defense and the Motor Coach (Bus), Van & Limo Carrier
states under the Scope of Agreement: The Surface
Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) is the executive agent
for surface transportation within the Continental United States.
The Military Bus Agreement maintained by SDDC establishes the terms,
conditions and safety standards which the carrier will meet when
providing bus transportation for Department of Defense passengers. This agreement applies to the movement of DOD passengers, baggage and impedimenta between points within
the Continental United States (CONUS), or as otherwise agreed by
both parties, and will remain in effect until terminated in writing
by the carrier or canceled in whole or in part by SDDC.
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Part II-13.Safety & quality Assurance: The carrier is obligated to
comply with generally accepted standards for motor coach operation
and maintenance practices. As a minimum, the Carrier shall comply
with all provisions of applicable statutes and agreements which may
affect safety, and with all Department of Transportation and State
regulations, directives, orders, rules and standards.
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Part IV- 10. Passengers: Passengers will become the responsibility of
the Carrier at load time/boarding time as shown on the Rate and
Service Proposal or as agreed between the Transportation Office (TO)
and the carrier. The Carrier’s responsibility will terminate when
passengers, baggage, and impedimenta are off loaded at destination.
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Information on the Request for
Group Movements can be obtained from the Fort Bragg web site:
https://airborne.bragg.army.mil/ito/ Click Official Travel, then Group Moves Installation Request Form.
Requests should include the following information:
- Unit/Organization name
- Exercise name or purpose
of trip
- Pick up address (Include
Building number) and street address
- Delivery Address (Include
Building number) and street address
- If meal tickets are
requested, any excess baggage, and if bus is to remain with unit.
- Requested move dates, mode
of travel.
- Point of Contact;
telephone number, fax number and email address
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Upon receipt of the request, the
Transportation Office, Group Movement Section will contact at least
three commercial charter bus companies for estimates and will select
the lowest cost charter bus company.
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The TO, Personnel Movement Section
will inform the requesting unit of lowest cost estimate and the Unit/organization must
provide funding. A memorandum containing fund-cite along
with a manifest stating exact number of PAX to be moved must be
submitted to the Transportation Office, Personnel Movement Section,
Upon receipt of obligated funds, the Transportation Office will
order the charter bus.
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Move dates may be coordinated
directly between Unit/Organization and the Group Movement Specialist once funds
have been obligated and ITT SBG Form TR 90-20 has been received by
the Transportation Office/Personnel Movement Section the bus will be
reserved for the unit. Any changes to the original request must
then be made in writing by requesting unit at least 72 hours prior
to travel. On cancellations a substantial fee (as high as the full
cost of the travel) may be imposed by the carrier once it has been
accepted and scheduled by the carrier.
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Once move has been completed an
invoice for payment will be submitted by the Commercial Charter Bus
Company to the TO and a GTR SF Form 1169 will be typed for payment
and sent to the bus company with the invoice. The bus company will
then submit GTR to the appropriate DFAS for payment.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Commercial motor coaches are not equipped with seat belts and
according to the NC Child Passenger Safety Law – General Statue
20-137.1 Summary of Law states “that there is an exemption on
vehicles not required to have belts “such as cars made before 1968
and SUVS, and vans made before 1972”, and “LARGE BUSES.” Web
link:
http://www.buckleupnc.org/law_cps.cfm
Legal requirements can be considered
to be “minimum standards” for motor vehicles occupants. What
is allowed under the law is not necessarily what is recommended and
provided the best protection for a child or adult.
NC Child Passenger Safety Law - G.S. 20-137.1
Differences between what is legal and what is recommended.
Legal requirements can be considered to be "minimum standards" for
motor vehicle occupants. What is allowed under the law is not
necessarily what is recommended to provide the best protection for a
child or adult. For instance, switching a child to a safety belt at
80 pounds is legal in North Carolina, but safety belts still do not
fit many children even at 80 pounds. Belt-positioning booster seats
are recommended for children until safety belts fit well as
described below.
Recommendations are that for best protection:
A child less than one year of age, OR less than 20 pounds, should
ride in a rear-facing infant-only or convertible safety seat. Many
convertible seats are rated to at least 30 pounds rear-facing so
that almost all children can be kept facing to the rear as long as
possible.
Children at least one year old AND who weigh at least 20 pounds
should ride in a front-facing seat with a full harness or
harness-shield until it is outgrown, usually at about 40 pounds.
Several models may be used with their harnesses to weights heavier
than 40 pounds.
Children should switch to a belt-positioning booster seat when the
full harness seat is outgrown and should continue riding in the
booster seat until the safety belt fits correctly without the
booster seat. Belt-positioning boosters are designed to make the
lap/shoulder belt fit correctly on the child and should be used
until the child is really big enough for a safety belt. Add-on
shoulder belt adjusters are not recommended since they are not
covered by any Federal standards and May, in fact, do more harm than
good.
Children should not be switched to a safety belt until the child
is big enough for a correct fit of the belt and is mature enough to
sit reasonably still. This may not be until the child is 80 pounds
or more and about 4' 9" or taller. When wearing a lap and shoulder
belt, it is important that both the lap and shoulder belts be worn
and positioned correctly. Never tuck the shoulder belt under the arm
or behind the back. Lap belts alone should be used if nothing else
is available.
SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. has developed a simple "5-Step Test" to
see if a child is big enough to ride in a lap and shoulder belt
combination:
- Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
- Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto
seat?
- Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
- Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
- Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If the answer is "no" to any of these questions, your child needs a
booster seat to ride safely in the car.
Currently there are no booster seats on the market that are
certified for use over 40 pounds in a lap belt only-equipped
position, so options for larger children are limited. Refer to how do you protect the larger child? Are booster seats really
needed? For additional information on boosters and for
information on other options for children over 40 pounds.
WARNING:
Belt-positioning booster seats can only be used with lap and
shoulder combination safety belts. Belt-positioning booster seats
must NEVER be used with just a lap belt
