Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't the bus stop in front of my house?

Bus stops are determined according to Hamilton County Transportation Policy, Hamilton County Board of Education Policy as well as federal and state laws. Stops are located based upon the varying road conditions throughout the county. School buses could not deliver students to school on time if they had to stop at each student's house.

I was told my child cannot ride the bus because my child lives out-of-zone, but there is a bus that goes right by my house and it does not look full, so why can't my child ride that bus?

Only students who live within the school zone are authorized transportation. Parents who elect to send their student(s) to an out-of-zone school via hardship are required to sign a document acknowledging they are responsible for providing transportation for their student(s). Unauthorized riders can not be provided transportation even if there is a bus in the student's area.

I have been told that we live in the parent responsibility zone. Why does my child not have transportation?

Parents of students living in the parent responsibility zone will walk to school or arrange for alternate transportation for their students. Elementary students residing within a half mile and middle and high school students residing within a mile of school may fall into the parent responsibility zone.

Why is my student's bus late?

Weather, traffic, driver absenteeism, maintenance difficulties and unforeseen incidents may cause delays in the arrival of school buses in the morning and afternoon. Transportation does everything humanly possible to have all buses running on schedule every day. In the event that your bus does not arrive as scheduled, please allow 10-20 minutes before calling the transportation office or the school.

What do I do when my student needs to ride a different bus/get off at a different stop?

Complete the yellow bus pass found in the office at your student's school. The school will verify the change with the parent and it will be given to the driver. This is the only way that student's are allowed to get off at a stop that is not their regular stop.

Why can't you come further into my subdivision?

Subdivisions must be longer than .5 miles from the main road for elementary and .75 miles for middle and high school students for transportation to come into the subdivision. Additionally school buses can be limited by cul-de-sacs and tight places. School buses must have a way to turn around. Residents sometimes park trucks, boats, and trailers on the streets. Children may also leave bicycles, skateboards, and basketball goals on the streets. These present hazards to the school bus. Transportation will design school bus routes to be safe and convenient to the majority of students within the limits of time and physics.

Why does my student have a seat assignment?

Seat assignments are a positive way for the ride to be consistent and safe. Seat assignments are usually given out when there have been discipline problems on the bus. The goal of transportation is to deliver all students safely and without incident.

Why can't my student get off wherever they want in the afternoon?

To avoid multiple problems, transportation requires a yellow bus pass located in the office, signed by the parent and school administrator to alter the destination of students. This allows the drivers to focus on driving and safety instead of having to decide whether the student should be allowed to change the routine and get off with a friend or ride to an entirely different neighborhood. This should be a parent decision. The driver has no other way to verify that the parent has made the decision. This policy avoids confusion and the chance of students getting lost or running away.

Why are there only 30 students riding some buses and my student's bus is crowded?

Decisions regarding each bus route are made by careful planning based on information from school registration, drivers, and previous similar routes. Most routes are fixed during the summer months and changes are made after the first two weeks of school, if not sooner. Many times the distance and length of the ride will affect the number of students riding the bus. Each bus route must be completed in 90 minutes according to state law. Routes in rural areas may not have time to pick up a full load of students before the school starts.

How can I receive transportation for my special needs student?

A committee of people already involved in a student's education determines transportation needs. After it has been determined that the student would benefit from being transported apart from the mainstreamed students, the teacher will complete and send a special needs transportation request to our office for processing. Transportation can not route students for transportation services until the transportation request, which is completed during the IEP process, has been received.

How long does it take to set up transportation for my special needs student?

After the routing office receives a transportation request for a special-needs student, the processing time is generally 2-3 days to allow for processing time, driver notification and stop location familiarization. Special accommodations and/or challenging address locations can cause the processing time to take up to 5 days.