Frequently Asked Questions Transportation

       FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The bus did not show up on time for my child.  How long should he/she wait at the stop?
Your child should arrive at the stop at least five minutes before the regular arrival time of the bus.  If there is a substitute driver, the times may not be absolutely consistent with the regular times.  If the bus is late ask your child to remain at the stop.  Buses break down, roads are blocked, drivers become ill or have emergencies, but there will always be a bus at every stop.  If the wait become extreme (approximately 30 minutes), please call the Transportation Office at 540-775-3870.


How will I know if a substitute is driving the bus?
Parents/guardians should sign up for School Messenger.  This program will alert the parent/guardian when their bus has a substitute driver or is running severely late.


I can’t see my child’s bus stop from my front door or window.
Parents are encouraged to accompany young children to the bus stop.  Parents are required to be at the bus stop for all children ages from 5 to 9 years old.  Parents may complete a Waiver Request Form allowing their child to get off the bus by themselves.  Kindergarten children are not allowed to have the waiver.


My child has to cross the street to get to the bus stop.
Parents are responsible for the safety of their children to and from bus stops and are particularly encouraged to accompany young children.  Bus routes may be designed where students have to cross a roadway to get to or from the bus.  School bus drivers are trained and school buses are equipped with traffic warning devices to enhance a safe crossing.


My child’s bus is overcrowded.  Can some children be placed on another bus?
School bus sizes are stated in terms of passenger capacity for elementary school-aged children.  It is assumed that elementary school-ages children will ride three per seat.  Middle school students are assumed to ride two-three per seat.  High School students are assumed to ride two per seat.  The bus will seem crowed but it will not be over its capacity.  It is our goal to fully utilize all the space on all the buses in our fleet.


What items can my child bring onto the bus?
If students cannot hold their belongings in their laps or fit them under the seat, then the belongings should be left at home or taken to school by another means.  Items cannot take up a seat, be placed in the aisle or be put in front of emergency exit.


I see buses all the time with only a few children on them.  Why?
We have many special programs that require that students be transported considerable distances.  When transporting students to these special programs, the time length of the run sometimes makes it impossible to fully utilize the capacity of the bus.  Gifted students and students taken to school out of the county would fall under these special programs.


How can I arrange to have my child ride a different bus home from school for one day?
At this time due to ridership capacity we are unable to accept notes from home requesting alternate bus transportation.   

My child has to walk past the residence of a convicted sex offender or vicious dog, etc.

Traffic conditions are the primary factor the school division’s Transportation department uses when establishing or evaluating routes and stops.  Parents are responsible for the safety of student’s going to and from school bus stops and while awaiting for the bus.  This is another reason it is important for an adult to accompany students to the bus stop.


Can a student ask for a courtesy stop?
For safety reasons, drivers are not allowed to drop off students anywhere other than their assigned stops.  As stated above parents/guardians can ask permission for a student to ride to another location through their school.


How can my child get picked up or dropped off at a daycare provider’s location?
If you want transportation to or from a daycare provider’s location, you should inform the school administration your child attend.  Transportation to daycare locations is only provided within the attending school zone only.


My child left an item on the bus.  How does he/she get it back?
Bus drivers check their buses after every run.  Items left by students are held by the driver for several days and may be claimed on the bus by the child.  After several days the driver will make an effort to locate the owner and if not successful, they will turn the item into the appropriate school.  You can help by labeling all of your child’s belongings with the child’s name and school.


Why are buses sometimes late?
School bus drivers can have the same reasons as motorists for being late.  Traffic delays, weather conditions, accidents or driver’s illness are just a few reasons.  School buses also have mechanical breakdowns or “no starts” that cause delays in picking up students on time.  A school bus may be able to run but have a red traffic light malfunction which would make it unsafe to pick up or discharge students on our roads, before it is repaired.  In cases where the regularly assigned bus is out of service, a spare bus is provided to the driver.  Generally, when a bus starts out late on its first run, it continues to be late for its second run also.



What do we do when we change residence?
Transportation information changes such as moving, changing a student’s request from driving to riding, etc. must be submitted through each students school.  Allow 3-5 business days for any change requests to be processed.

 

Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.