Transportation

Frequently Asked Questions

1)     What is my school zone?

Use APS School Zone Locator to determine school - https://maps.apsk12.org/

2)     How do I find Stop Information?

Use WebQuery to find stop - http://aps-edulog.apsk12.org/eduweb/webquery/

Type partial address to obtain the most accurate information

   Ex. ‘1661 Metropolitan’ not ‘1661 Metropolitan Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30315’

   Ex. Type ‘Mt Zion’ not ‘Mount or Mt. Zion Road, Atlanta GA 30315’

      Select Grade

      Choose address from selection

      Bus Stop Policies

https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/Page/49756

3)     If I have a change of address, who do I contact?

Contact the student’s school.

4)     How often are routes updated?

If there are any changes, changes are effective on the following Monday. Updates can be checked online every Friday.

Click here to locate ELEMENTARY SCHOOL bus stops by school name and/or bus number:

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ROUTES

Click here to locate MIDDLE SCHOOL bus stops by school name and/or bus number:

MIDDLE SCHOOL ROUTES

Click here to locate HIGH SCHOOL bus stops by school name and/or bus number:

HIGH SCHOOL ROUTES

PLEASE NOTE:  Bus pick-up and drop-off times are approximate.  Route times are affected by changes in traffic patterns and ridership.  All bus schedules are subject to change during the school year.

5)     Can my student get off the bus without a parent/guardian/designee there to meet them? What happens if I am not there to meet the bus?

Students 8 years old and younger may be brought back to their school in the afternoon if a parent, guardian or parent/guardian designee is not present at the bus stop to receive them or if they otherwise appear to have no appropriate supervision. This is in accordance with the Department of Family and Children Services Guidelines for the safety and supervision of children.

6)     Why is my child's bus late?

Weather, traffic, driver absenteeism, maintenance difficulties, and unforeseen incidents are responsible for delays in the arrival of school buses in the morning and afternoon. Sometimes the bus routes must be doubled out or run as a second load to or from the school due to the regular driver being absent. Traffic in the metro-Atlanta area is increasingly complex. Drivers check buses before their routes and sometimes find mechanical problems that can cause delays and require driving another bus for that day. This can cause the bus to be not punctual.

Please know that we are doing everything humanly possible to have all buses running on schedule. In the event that your bus does not arrive as scheduled, please allow ten to thirty minutes before calling the Transportation office or the school.

7)     Why did you suspend my child from riding the bus?

Behavioral expectations on the school bus are much like those in the classroom. Then, factor in the mobility of that "classroom" and traffic, added noise and the size of the "classroom" and you have a potential catastrophe if there are not clear expectations and enforcement. The behavioral expectations on the bus revolve around the individual rights of every person on the bus, including the driver and the collective rights of students and driver as it pertains to SAFETY. Anything that jeopardizes the safety of individuals on the bus is viewed as serious.

Most drivers have Bus rules or Expectations posted on the bus. When there is an infraction, a referral is turned into the school administrators, who are responsible for contacting the student and parent to solve the lack of compliance with bus expectations. The school administrator is solely responsible for consequences based on the incident as described by the driver and student. All buses have video cameras, which are used to verify incidents. Our goal is never to deny any student transportation to and from school, but we must maintain safety for all students.

8)     Why can't you come further into my sub-division/apartment complex?

School buses come in various sizes ranging from 25 to 36 feet long, 20,000-26,000 pounds, 12-13 feet high and 6-9 feet wide. The length is what limits the school bus from being maneuvered in cul-de-sacs and tight places. Smaller buses can turn in a shorter radius, while longer buses cannot maneuver the same circle without backing the bus, which is avoided in routing if possible. Residents sometimes park trucks, boats, and trailers on the streets. Children leave their bicycles, skateboards, and basketball backboards on the streets. Although our drivers are trained to be able to Parallel Park their buses, some sub-divisions/apartment complexes are not designed with school bus transportation in mind. Please know that we will design school bus routes to be safe and convenient for the majority of students within the limits of time and physics.

9)     Why can't my child get off wherever they want in the afternoon?

Board Policy ED-R(1) The Transportation Department will create bus routes based on the residence addresses provided through the registration process two (2) weeks prior to the scheduled start date for the school year. No adjustments will be made to bus routes until the end of the second full week of the instructional year in August. After the second full week of school, bus routes will be adjusted on a weekly basis based on new enrollments and address changes. Route adjustments will be made based on residence addresses entered into the student information system by the close of business on Wednesday each week. New routes will become effective on Mondays. Students may not ride other buses unless it is an approved district program.

10)  My child has special needs. Who do I contact to make arrangements to get my child picked up?

Please contact the Special Education Lead Teacher (SELT) at your child’s school. Curb-to-curb transportation for a student with an Individual Education Program (IEP) need for transportation is requested by the Special Education Lead Teacher (SELT) assigned to the school. Upon completion of the student’s IEP meeting, the SELT completes a Request for Special Transportation (RST) and submits it via email to Transportation. Special curb-to-curb transportation can take 3-5 school days, from the date the request was received by Transportation, to put in place. The parent can expect a phone call verifying the transportation information (stop time, location, and bus/route number).

11)  How long does it take to set up transportation for my special needs child?

Five (5) school days are needed to obtain all emergency information, process routing information, contact drivers and communicate with parents and other professionals involved.

12)  Why can’t last minute changes be granted?

SAFETY is our main goal and concern. Changes may be granted for consistent schedules within the students’ regular route.

13)  Who do I contact about bus concerns or to request a stop add or change?

If you have a concern about your current bus stop or would like to request a new bus stop, please contact your region's transportation supervisor.

https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/domain/10568

14)  Why don't school buses have seat belts?

School buses rely on their size and weight along with the compartmentalization offered by the seats to offer protection to students. The larger a vehicle, the more energy gets transferred to the object hit, such as a car or truck. There are instances where some buses do, in fact, have seat belts—these are normally buses that transport special needs students.

15)  Why does my bus come so early?

Bus routes are run to be as efficient as possible. Student loads and the distance to the school are only two of the factors that go into determining the routes and start times. The school's start time is another factor. One major factor in determining routes and trip times is traffic. Roads in the Atlanta area are becoming more congested every day. Some of our transfer programs move children from one end of the county to the other. Traffic has an immense impact on the speed a bus can travel—the longer the route, the longer the transit time—and that, unfortunately, necessitates early pick up and departure times in some instances.

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

The overwhelming consideration in determining the location of bus stops is the safety of our students. Certain situations, such as sharp curves in a road, are avoided so drivers will have a clear view of a stopped bus and will be able to stop in time. Stops are placed in locations where they will provide a safe and convenient location for the most students while helping us route our buses in the most efficient manner possible. Bus drivers cannot make unauthorized stops. The penalty for a driver doing so could range from suspension to termination. Please don't ask the driver to take such a risk by asking them to stop at a location other than an authorized stop.

17)  Why does my child have to walk to school?

The Board of Education policy is that transportation to a school will be provided for students who live outside of a 1 mile radius for elementary students, or 1 ½ miles for middle and high school students, of their attendance area.

If your child is within the school’s “walk zone,” and you have concerns or questions regarding the route your child must take, please discuss them with your transportation supervisor.

https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/domain/10568