Countless small details can complicate a shared custody arrangement. Parents have to settle on a reasonable schedule. They have to find ways to communicate effectively to make decisions about their children. They also have to share the various challenges that come with the children living between two households.
One of those issues relates to transportation. The children need to get back and forth between the residences of their parents. Driving back and forth between homes adds wear and tear to a vehicle, generates fuel costs and puts pressure on a parent’s schedule.
The parents planning for a shared custody arrangement have the option of setting their own terms through mutual agreement. Otherwise, standard rules likely apply. What do current state policies regarding parenting time say about transportation in a shared custody scenario?
Each parent may have to drive occasionally
State guidelines create a baseline for negotiations between parents. Provided that the parents live reasonably close to one another and can regularly exchange custody without major complications, they both need to drive for custody exchanges.
The parent beginning their parenting session typically has a responsibility to transport the children. In other words, parents drive when they collect their children for the beginning of their parenting time. This arrangement makes things balanced and fair in many cases.
However, there may be special scenarios that require different solutions. Perhaps one parent recently chose to move to a distant location. That decision could affect the entire family’s schedule. As such, the parent who increases the distance between households might have responsibility for transporting the children.
Parents can also make arrangements through mutual agreements in cases where only one parent has a vehicle or there are other complicating factors. Understanding the baseline rules that apply to shared parental responsibilities can make it easier for parents to cooperate with one another, especially during the adjustment phase when they first share custody.
Parents may need to address travel time and expenses in their custody arrangements to prevent future conflict. Creating customized custody arrangements can be a smart move for parents in an assortment of different scenarios, including those who face practical challenges related to the transportation of their minor children between homes.
