Putting Together a Solid Transportation Plan for Visitations

When parents get divorced, one of the child custody considerations they will have to make is when the non-custodial parent will have visitation time and how children will get to and from those scheduled visitations. One of the best ways to strengthen these visitation plans is to include a thorough transportation plan so that everyone understands the expectations of safely getting children to and from the agreed-upon visitation location.

The following are some elements to include in your visitation transportation schedule:

• Punctuality. There should be an expectation that children will be dropped off on time at the start and end of a visitation period. Timeliness on both sides can only make the visitation periods go smoother.
• Location. Determine whether children will be picked up at home, at school or other locations. Some parents that don’t get along may opt to have a neutral transfer location, such as a church or social services office. There may be a fee for neutral transfers, so the plan should indicate who would be responsible for those fees if they apply.
• Who is transporting. Who will be responsible for transportation? Generally it is the parent that is visiting the children, but certain situations may call for flexibility.
• Safety. Outline expectations for children to be wearing seatbelts at all times, and for young children to have appropriate boosters and car seats.
• Out-of-town transportation. If one parent lives in a distant location, you will need to go into greater detail with the transportation plan. This could include logistics for flying and public transportation unaccompanied by a parent, and how costs for this transportation will be split. It may be necessary to have court assistance in creating such a plan.

For more tips and advice on creating a visitation transportation plan, speak with a skilled child custody attorney at Bryan L. Salamone & Associates.