You and your ex might have outlined a variety of different information in your parenting plan, including which nights you will each have the kids, how you want to handle holidays and many other concerns. However, your parenting plan may also need to detail how you will handle transportation.
There are many details involved in your child’s transportation.
Whether you share custody of your child or one parent has custody, the logistics can be complex. Are you and your ex able to bring your child directly to each other’s houses, or should you designate a neutral location to pick up your child? Who holds responsibility for transporting your child from place to place? If you need to schedule pickups or experience an unexpected delay, how will you and your child’s other parent communicate that information?
No matter how your child travels between their parents’ homes, the cost of transportation can also quickly add up. If one parent shoulders the costs of filling the tank of their car, of buying bus tickets or of purchasing plane tickets when one parent lives further away, those costs can become significant over time. Your plan should also detail the division of these expenses.
You may also want to consider your child’s age. At what age can they travel on their own between houses? If you and your child’s other parent live some distance away, how old does your child need to be in order to travel by plane or bus to see their other parent?
Safety may also be a part of your plan.
Florida law requires car seats, booster seats and other safety devices for children under a certain age, but you may still want to discuss how you and your ex will handle safety. Will you have your child use these safety devices longer than these legal requirements? If you travel to an area with different safety regulations, what standard rules do you want for your child’s safety?
While transportation for shared custody or for visitation can be complex, outlining these details can help lay the groundwork for greater consistency in your parenting in the future.
