Eligibility

Transportation is available for children who live two or more miles from their assigned campus. The distance a student lives from their assigned school is determined by measuring from the curb at the front of the school to the curb in front of their home using the closest paved street. Students residing within two miles of their assigned school may be bus eligible if their neighborhood qualifies as hazardous under the district's hazardous transportation rating system.

Daily Services

Regular transportation is scheduled to provide service to student riders. Bus stops that do not have riders for 2 weeks may be suspended temporarily for lack of ridership to conserve District resources.

Bus routes are created to enhance student safety while maximizing vehicle efficiency. Stops are created that allow students to wait off the main roadway for the bus if at all possible. Stops are also created to minimize students walking in highly traveled roadways for long distances without sidewalks. Stops are not placed on dead-end streets whenever possible to minimize bus accidents while backing (Backing is a very dangerous maneuver for a school bus). Stops are spread as far apart as criteria will allow in order to decrease the number of stops each bus will make on its route thus minimizing riding time for the students.

Elementary students may be required to walk up to 1/4 of a mile to a bus stop. Secondary students may be required to walk up to 1/2 of a mile. Bus routes are designed to limit student ride time to no more than 45 minutes one-way if at all possible, however, most students ride under 30 minutes one-way.

The above criteria is for regular students only. Students in special programs are subject to different design criteria. Contact the Transportation Department for additional information.

Regular transportation attempts to arrive at each bus stop on time. Students are asked to be at the bus stop 5 minutes before the scheduled arrival time. The bus will load students and depart. Regular route buses do not wait for late students under most circumstances. Special needs transportation follows the same criteria but will wait up to 3 minutes at the stop for the student to load. All buses will wait 5 minutes at the school in the afternoon for students to board. Students are expected to proceed immediately to the bus loading zone. Bus drivers are instructed not to stop or open the door for late students due to safety concerns of having students too close to moving bus wheels.