Transportation

Q: Can my child’s friend ride home on the bus with them?
A: Due to high ridership on most buses, the Transportation Department does not allow rider transfers (i.e. students who are not assigned to that bus).  State law mandates that ridership on a bus not exceed its capacity, therefore students will not be permitted to ride another bus.  Transportation arrangements for playdates are the responsibility of parents.

Q: Who do I call if my student lost something on the bus?
A: Contact Transportation Services at 952-928-6052 between 7:30 am and 4:00 pm

Q: How are bus stop locations determined?
A: Our goal is to consistently identify bus stops in neighborhoods on the consideration of safety, efficiency, least cost and shortest overall ride times. Bus stops are located within acceptable walking distance of residences, typically at corners or intersections.  Generally, bus stops are located at an intersection in order for the driver to have a wide area to scan for traffic and students, to create efficient routes and to minimize buses backing up.

• School bus drivers do not have the authority to change bus routes or student pick-up/drop-off locations.
• Generally, bus stops are located at least three blocks apart.
• Bus stops are placed at locations that meet defined criteria, are centrally located and within reasonable walking distances from the student’s home.
• We are not able to locate all bus stops within the line of sight of each student’s home or daycare.

Buses do not enter cul-de-sacs for a number of reasons:

• Most cul-de-sacs would require the bus to back up to exit, a dangerous maneuver and not recommended by the Minnesota State Highway Patrol.
• Cul-de-sacs are often an extension of the neighborhood’s yards, making it difficult for bus drivers to navigate parked cars, basketball hoops, boat trailers and children’s toys.
• For the above reasons, entering a cul-de-sac adds significant time to a route.

Q: What time should we be at the bus stop?
A: Five minutes before the bus is due to arrive. Everyone’s clock can be off a little bit. By being ready and at your stop five minutes early, you decrease the likelihood of missing the bus. It also allows for timing issues that can arise if you have a substitute driver.

Q: What is my student allowed to bring on the bus?
A: Students should be able to hold their backpacks and other belongings on their lap while riding, including small band instruments.  Carry-on items may not be stored in the aisles of the bus.

For safety and health reasons, and to comply with state laws and district policies, the following items are NOT allowed on school buses: weapons of any type (including knives, razor blades, etc.), glass objects (jars), open containers of food or drinks, live animals (including bugs, worms, etc.), recreational equipment such as hockey and lacrosse sticks, golf clubs, bats, sleds.  In addition, ice skates, skate shoes, skate boards, and roller blades will not be allowed on the bus unless enclosed in an athletic-type bag.

Q: I feel the bus stop is too far from my home, can the stop be moved closer?
A: Bus stops are located at centralized locations for efficiency and to allow for equitable placement of the bus stop for all registered students. The District attempts to keep the number of stops minimized, thus keeping the buses moving and reducing ride times for all students. If you have a concern about your child's safety, you are encouraged to accompany your child to the bus stop.

If you still feel there is a safety concern beyond the distance to a bus stop, please fill out the Bus Stop Change Request form found on the transportation website.  The Transportation Department will review the request and compare it against the districts routing criteria. The family will receive an email with the decision within 2 to 4 student contact days.

Q: Can my student be dropped off at a different daycare address or a friend’s bus stop on any given day?
A: Each student is assigned a bus stop.  For safety reasons, students must be dropped off at their assigned bus stop every day.  Transportation arrangements for playdates are the responsibility of parents. 

If you are moving, have a temporary address change, or your student is going to a daycare, please fill out the Daycare / Alternate Bus Stop form found on the Transportation website.

This form is for families to fill out if they need their student to be transported TO / FROM an alternate address. The form will be sent to the Transportation Department and reviewed. Once the information has been processed, the family will receive an email with transportation information.

Q: What is good practice for students riding the bus for the first time?
A: We suggest the following for families of first-time bus riders:

• In the student’s backpack, place identification information (Name, bus stop, home address, and phone number)
• Make sure your student knows how to get to the bus stop; how to identify the stop while riding the bus; and how to walk home from the stop.
• Teach your child the bus number and where to find the number (next to the entrance door).
• For the first couple of weeks, have a friend or family member accompany your student to and from the bus stop until your student is familiar with the routine. 
• If a younger student has an older sibling, we suggest that they accompany the younger sibling throughout the transportation process.
• Remind your children of the basic school bus rules: hands to oneself; seat on seat; quiet inside voices; and listen to the bus driver.
• To avoid lost or missing child reports, remind your children to return home before going anywhere else after school. 

Q: Will my student have an assigned seat on the bus?
A: Seats are normally assigned for elementary students. If necessary, drivers may assign seats on middle school or senior high school routes.

Q: Can the bus come back if my student misses the bus?
A: Unfortunately, buses cannot retrace routes to pick up students who missed their bus. Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring that students who missed their bus get to school.

Q: The bus drives right by my house. Why can’t it stop at my house?
A: We are a mass transportation system with the guiding principle of safety. We simply do not have the combination of time and resources to provide that level of service in an equitable manner to all students. Statistics show that it is safer and more economical for buses to stop at corner intersection collector points within a neighborhood. 

St. Louis Park Public Schools has three neighborhood elementary schools -- Aquila, Peter Hobart, and Susan Lindgren -- that serve students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade. Use the "School Attendance Look-Up" link below to see which neighborhood elementary school your child will attend based on their primary address. Please note that a fourth K-5 elementary school, Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School, enrolls students throughout the district boundaries through a computer generated lottery. If a family chooses to attend a school outside of their attendance boundary, there is no transportation provided. Transportation is only provided districtwide for students who attend Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School.

All students in grades 6-8 attend St. Louis Park Middle School. All students in grades 9-12 attend St. Louis Park High School. 

School Attendance Look-Up

Families who live in the St. Louis Park Public School District:

To see if you qualify for transportation services, please click here.

Families who live in the Minneapolis Public School District:

St. Louis Park Public Schools offers transportation to students who live within specific Minneapolis Public School District boundaries and open enroll into St. Louis Park Public Schools. This was previously called the Choice Is Yours (CIY) Program. Now known as Equity Option Transportation.

To be eligible for this service, you must meet the following qualifications.

1. Be a resident of The Minneapolis Public School District
2. Qualify for Educational Benefits (previously known as Free or Reduced Lunch)

*Residents of the St. Louis Park Public School District are not eligible to utilize this service.

Rules to remember:

• Arrive at your bus stop five minutes before your scheduled pick up time. The school bus driver will not wait for late students.
• Respect the property around the bus stop.
• If you are crossing the street, watch for a sign from the driver (a hand signal or a nod) that it is OK to cross.
• Cross ten feet in front of the bus where the driver can see you.
• When you get off the bus, move 10 feet away and stay there until the bus driver signals you that it is safe to cross the street.
• Walk in front of the bus, look both ways and, if no cars are moving, cross the street.
• Stay out of the danger zone around the bus.

Bus Behavior Rules:

• Follow the driver's instructions
• Remain in your seat at all times
• Speak in a quiet voice
• Do not tease or harass others
• Do not fight or be rowdy
• Keep your hands and feet to yourself
• Do not throw objects inside the bus or out the window
• Do not eat or drink on the bus
• Keep the aisle clear
• Do not bring anything dangerous on the bus

What's allowed on the Bus:

• Generally, students may bring items that fit into a backpack. An exception is musical instruments, which may be brought to school for music classes.

Objects not allowed on the bus: 

• Animals, insects or fish
• Skis, snowboards, skateboards
• Matches/lighters/fireworks
• Glass items
• Golf clubs
• Weapons/Anything dangerous

Behavior consequences:

Riding the bus is a privilege, not a right. When a student chooses not to behave on the bus, the driver will discuss the behavior with the student and fill out a bus conduct report. The driver may also assign the student to a seat at the front of the bus.

• First Incident: The driver will discuss the misbehavior with the student. The bus company will send a report to the school.
• Second Incident: The driver will discuss the misbehavior with the student. The bus company will again send a report to the school. A school staff member will contact the parent.
• Third and Subsequent Incidents: The student will not be allowed to ride the bus for a period of time. The parent and student will be invited to a conference. If a student's behavior on the bus is dangerous or destructive, bus riding privileges may be revoked immediately. When a student is not allowed to ride the bus, it is the parent's responsibility to get the student to and from school.

Bus Safety Videos:

School Bus Safety: Be Ready for the Ride Video – MN Department of Public Safety & MN State Patrol

State Patrol's Don't Text & Drive Safety Video

Bus Safety Documents:

School Bus Rider's Guide - Grades K-3

School Bus Rider's Guide - Grades 4-6 

Daycare / Alternate Bus Stop – Click here

This form is for families to fill out if they need their student to be transported TO / FROM an alternate address. The form will be sent to the Transportation Department and reviewed. Once the information has been processed, the family will receive an email with transportation information.

Bus Stop Change Request – Click here

This form is for families to fill out if they have a concern about their assigned bus stop. The Transportation Department will review the request and compare it against the districts routing criteria. The family will receive an email with the decision within 2 to 4 student contact days.

***If you have moved, please contact your students’ school directly to update your address. Please wait one business day and then call the Transportation department to receive your updated routing information.

• Phone: 952-928-6051
• Email: transportation@slpschools.org

Why families like My Ride K12

• Real-time mapping for school bus arrival for pick-up and afternoon drop-off.
• Easy access to bus information (bus number, bus stop location, and bus stop time) 

How to access the My Ride K12 mobile app:

1. Download “My Ride K12” from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
2. After the app installation is complete, open My Ride K12.
3. When prompted to find your school district, enter St. Louis Park Public Schools (MN)
4. Once you have selected your district, you will proceed to the login page. If you do not already have a registered email, click ‘Register’.
5. To register, enter your email address, password, and name.
6. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email. Click on the link in your email to confirm your registration through the My Ride K12 website. 
7. Log in, then find a student by going to My Students and choosing the + button. This will present the Find a Student screen.
8. Enter your student’s ID number (this can be found in PowerSchool) and birthday to find your student. Repeat this step to add additional students.
9. Once you have linked to a student, click on that student’s profile to see all relevant transportation information.
10. Press the “share” button to share a student link with someone else. Enter the email of the person you would like to share with. That person will receive a confirmation email that will automatically link them to the shared student(s). Recipients must register with My Ride K12, if they have not already done so, to access the student information.
11. Regularly check for updates to ensure that your device is running the latest version of the app.
12. Remain logged into the app to receive district notifications, even when the app is not actively running.

How to access the My Ride K12 website:

1. Using the Chrome or Firefox browser, go to myridek12.tylerapp.com/
2. If you do not already have a registered email, click ‘Register’.
3. To register, enter your email address, password, and name.
4. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email. Click on the link in your email to confirm your registration through the Ride 360 website.
5. Log in, then find a student by going to My Students and clicking the ‘Find Student’ button
6. Enter your student’s ID number (can be found in PowerSchool) and birthday to find your student. Repeat this step to add additional students.
7. Once you have linked to a student, click on that student’s profile to see all relevant transportation information.
8. To share a student link with another person, select a student and click the student options button in the lower-right corner.
9. Choose which students to share, then enter the email of the person you would like to share with. That person will receive a confirmation email that will automatically link them to the shared student(s). Recipients must register with Ride 360, if they have not already done so, to access the student information.

If you have questions or need assistance, please email transportation@slpschools.org.

The middle and high school activity bus is available Monday through Thursday. If you would like to know more or need registration information, please contact your activity coordinator.