Vehicle Requirements for Transporting children?

[Unregistered]

Hi All,

I'm new here and to the family child care business. I am a care provider for 5 children or fewer so I don't have to be licensed in the state of NJ. I want to begin an afterschool program because i have gotten such overwhelming request for one but everyone wants their child to be picked up from school and dropped off at my home. My husband and I have decided that the most cost effective way to do this is to buy a van.

Can someone please tell me what are the liability issues with this? Do we need a special license or insurance type (except having comprehensive passenger insurance). Is there anything special that needs to happen? Waivers etc? Please advise. Again we have 5 kids and fewer so alot of the stringent childcare center laws don't apply but is that the case for transport as well?

thanks!

[MOM OF 4]

Hi All,

I'm new here and to the family child care business. I am a care provider for 5 children or fewer so I don't have to be licensed in the state of NJ. I want to begin an afterschool program because i have gotten such overwhelming request for one but everyone wants their child to be picked up from school and dropped off at my home. My husband and I have decided that the most cost effective way to do this is to buy a van.

Can someone please tell me what are the liability issues with this? Do we need a special license or insurance type (except having comprehensive passenger insurance). Is there anything special that needs to happen? Waivers etc? Please advise. Again we have 5 kids and fewer so alot of the stringent childcare center laws don't apply but is that the case for transport as well?

thanks!

You do need a business type insurance policy, that allows for transportation of people more than 2x in a month.

[LysesKids]

Transportation for any business, including childcare does require business insurance and it will be higher due to the fact you are transporting people; if you pick up & drop-off without changing your insurance (like just upping coverage instead of going business route) if your agent finds out, or you are in an accident, your insurance can drop you like that and nobody else will want to touch you

Many states have rules for transportation in childcare, and licensed or not, I would follow them or not transport...
BTW, Waivers aren't worth the paper they are written on if you are negligent...

[MOM OF 4]

Transportation for any business, including childcare does require business insurance and it will be higher due to the fact you are transporting people; if you pick up & drop-off without changing your insurance (like just upping coverage instead of going business route) if your agent finds out, or you are in an accident, your insurance can drop you like that and nobody else will want to touch you

Many states have rules for transportation in childcare, and licensed or not, I would follow them or not transport...
BTW, Waivers aren't worth the paper they are written on if you are negligent...

LOL I'm that crazy agent that would say "Um nope, no policy for you!" Not because I'm mean, but simply because of the risk factors of transporting children.

[LysesKids]

LOL I'm that crazy agent that would say "Um nope, no policy for you!" Not because I'm mean, but simply because of the risk factors of transporting children.

I saw it happen to my sister just 4 weeks ago because she didn't listen to me; she took 2 kids for summer care and was going to parks, pools & museums without proper coverage... yep she lost insurance cause, even though it was for very little, she was getting paid to watch the boys and some dumb a$$ hit her. I've been doing this long enough to know it's not worth transporting for B & A kids when I first started... dropped it by my 2nd year and never looked back.

I would personally have OP tell the parents it's their responsibility to get them to & from her house... it's called school busses, carpools, friends whatever... I wouldn't want the liability

[Unregistered]

Thanks and I understand that asking parents to get their kids to the house is ideal. But i'm concerned because I don't think i will have a business that way. Everybody wants pick up service or they won't come at all so I want to do my best to offer this so I can make ends meet. It's literally a 5 minute drive that moves at a snails pace during rush hour, so i don't think the liability is that great, although yes, you never know.

So just so that i'm clear. YES i will need commercial insurance for transporting 5 children correct? my regular car insurance is a no no....? And forget waivers, no use.?

The other option is hiring a seperate transport van but that nearly doubles the price for my after care!

[Blackcat31]

Thanks and I understand that asking parents to get their kids to the house is ideal. But i'm concerned because I don't think i will have a business that way. Everybody wants pick up service or they won't come at all so I want to do my best to offer this so I can make ends meet. It's literally a 5 minute drive that moves at a snails pace during rush hour, so i don't think the liability is that great, although yes, you never know.

So just so that i'm clear. YES i will need commercial insurance for transporting 5 children correct? my regular car insurance is a no no....? And forget waivers, no use.?

The other option is hiring a seperate transport van but that nearly doubles the price for my after care!

Here are the requirements for New Jersey:

10:122-9.6 Vehicle insurance
GEN (a) Each center or person providing transportation services, as specified in N.J.A.C. 10:122-9.1(a), shall:
1. Secure and maintain vehicle liability insurance for bodily injury or death
in minimum amounts as specified in N.J.A.C. 13:20-49H.1;
2. Maintain on file at the center a copy of the insurance policy or
documentation of current insurance coverage; and
3. Submit the insurance certificate to the Motor Vehicle Commission.

The entire rule/regulation can be found here: beginning on page 91

https://www.daycare.com/newjersey/new_jersey_family_home_daycare_center_licensing_standards.html

[LysesKids]

Thanks and I understand that asking parents to get their kids to the house is ideal. But i'm concerned because I don't think i will have a business that way. Everybody wants pick up service or they won't come at all so I want to do my best to offer this so I can make ends meet. It's literally a 5 minute drive that moves at a snails pace during rush hour, so i don't think the liability is that great, although yes, you never know.

So just so that i'm clear. YES i will need commercial insurance for transporting 5 children correct? my regular car insurance is a no no....? And forget waivers, no use.?

The other option is hiring a seperate transport van but that nearly doubles the price for my after care!

Yes, commercial insurance... waivers do nothing if you are at fault

Your rates need to take into account the additional cost of insurance required... who cares if the 5 minute drive takes 10 or 15... are your parents willing to pay the additional for insurance or will they cave and do the drive themselves? You need to have a back bone sometimes... what parents want and what is feasible may be 2 different things once you find out how much your insurance increases and what happens next year when rates go up again ( and they will).