We have moved. How do we get a new bus assignment?
Please visit our Bus Rider Change Form page. 

Why is my child's bus late?
Weather, traffic, late students, and other unforeseen incidents are possible reasons for buses arriving later than usual.

Students who are late to their stop often cause delays on the routes. If a driver waits an extra 30 seconds at 10 of their stops, that puts the bus behind by 5 minutes. If the bus driver arrives behind schedule on their first run, they are likely to start out behind on their second run.

Please know that we are doing everything we can to have all buses running on schedule every day. In the event that your bus does not arrive as scheduled, please allow ten minutes before calling the Transportation Center at 260-637-6165.

Will I get a phone call if our bus is running late?
There are as many as 50-70 students on each bus. Rather than making 50-70 phone calls, the Transportation Center will send a text via School Messenger to families if their bus is running more than 10 minutes late. To ensure that you receive these messages, please make sure that your School Messenger information is correct and that you are subscribed. Instructions on subscribing to School Messenger updates can be found here. 

Why does the bus drop off my student early on some days?
Many schools have after school events that affect how many students are on the bus in the afternoon. Elementary schools have enrichment and sports programs on certain days of the week. Middle schools often have after school dances. On days where students stay after for these events, our buses sometimes see up to half of our students not riding home. We encourage parents to always expect the bus up to 10 minutes early as afternoon ridership fluctuates almost every day due to after school activities.

Why doesn't the bus driver wait and make sure my student gets into the house before they leave?
There are as many as 50-70 students on each bus. There are many student homes that we can't see from our driver's seat. For the homes we can see, waiting at a bus stop to ensure every student gets into their home significantly increases the length of the route and your student's overall ride time. It also causes us to stop traffic longer than necessary and increases the likelihood of stop arm violations, which creates dangerous situations for everyone around the bus. We encourage you to visit our "Role of the Parent" page for information on the role parents play to help ensure that your child's journey to/from the bus stop is as safe as possible.

Why can't the bus stop be closer to my home?
The overwhelming factor in determining the location of bus stops is the safety of our students. There are many physical characteristics that are considered when placing a bus stop. Stops are placed where they will provide a safe location for ALL students, while allowing us to route our buses in the most efficient manner possible. We try to establish bus stops that provide a reasonable walking distance of approximately 2/10 of a mile to and from the home. There may be situations where students are required to walk further than this depending on the location of the home and other route safety factors. Bus drivers cannot make unauthorized stops. If you have concerns regarding the location of your child's bus stop, please contact the Transportation Center at 260-637-6165.

Why are students required to arrive 5 minutes early to the bus stop?
Our drivers encounter a variety of unpredictable traffic factors. Most of our routes contain at least one stop light. Some days your driver might make the green light, and other days it may be red. With multiple stop lights on many of our routes, this simple factor can make a bus 5 minutes early (or late) depending on the day. 

The most important reason for being 5 minutes early is safety. Drivers are required to count students as they approach the bus stop and then count them again as they board to ensure there aren't any students in the danger zones. When students are not at the stop when the bus arrives, the driver may not see late students approaching the bus.

If you are running late to the bus stop, always approach the bus stop from the front and make sure the driver sees you! NEVER cross the street without making sure the driver sees you and NEVER follow the bus to the next stop and drop the student off behind the bus. This puts  students in EXTREME DANGER! If a student misses the bus, it's best to have a backup arrangement to transport that student to school.  

Why does my child have a seat assignment?
Seat assignments are a positive way for the ride to be consistent and safe. It helps the driver with discipline issues, personality conflicts among students, and also helps with learning each student's name. Each year, our elementary aged students are given an assigned seat. All K-12 students will have an assigned seat on their bus. Seats at the secondary level are assigned at the driver's discretion to avoid behavioral issues and driver distraction. 

Can my child ride home with a classmate on a different bus?
As our district continues to grow, many of our buses are at capacity. In the interest of safety, we have found it necessary to end the practice of students riding home on the bus with their friends. Students who already ride the same bus, may get off at a friend's bus stop only with a note signed by both a parent and a school administrator. Students will only be transported to/from existing school bus stops - making a stop at a location that is not on the route will not be permitted. 

Why did you suspend my child from riding the bus?
The school bus is considered a mobile classroom. As such, student behavioral expectations are the same as classroom expectations. Factor in traffic, engine & fan noise, and the size of the classroom, and you have a potential catastrophe if the behavioral expectations are not being met. The behavioral expectations on the bus are determined based on individual rights of every person on the bus, including the driver, and the collective rights of students as it pertains to SAFETY. Anything that jeopardizes the safety of individuals on or around the bus is viewed as serious. When there is an infraction, a verbal warning is often given to the student for minor offenses. More serious safety concerns may result in a phone call to the parent asking for support, or a referral to the school administrator. Severe violations that jeopardize the safety of those inside and outside the bus may result in immediate bus and/or school suspension even without prior offenses. Our goal is to never deny any student transportation to and from school. With that in mind, enforcement of the behavioral policies ensures that the safety of all students (both inside and outside the bus) will remain our number one priority.