Do school districts have to provide bus transportation for students?

No, bus transportation is a privilege not a right, except in the case of special education students. Busing students began at a time when communities were more rural and students had great distances to travel to school.

I cannot see my child’s bus stop from my house. How can I get the bus stop moved closer?

Bus stops are placed at centralized locations that can be safely accessed by all eligible students and to minimize the time, length and mileage of the run. Bus stops can be located at corners, schools or parks. If you have concerns about your child’s safety you are encouraged to accompany your child to the bus stop or arrange a neighborhood buddy to walk with your child. Elementary school students may be required to walk up to .25 miles (1320 feet) to a bus stop. Middle school and High school students may be required to walk up to .50 miles (2640 feet) to a bus stop.

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 students. It is assumed that elementary school students will ride three per seat. Middle and high school students are assumed to ride two-three per seat. It is our goal to fully utilize all the space on all the buses in our fleet.

Why are only students who live more than two miles from school eligible for bus transportation?

Most districts utilize the two-mile rule, because that is the distance set by the state in regard to reimbursement.

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 5 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 becomes extreme (approximately 15 minutes), please call the transportation office at 972-542-8316.

What happens if I do not ride the bus three times in a row?

If there are no riders at a stop for 3 days in a row the stop may be deleted and you would need to call the transportation office to get it reinstated.

Is it possible for my child to be picked up and/or dropped off at another location other than my home?

For the ultimate safety and consistency of providing services for our students, students will be picked up and dropped off at the student’s designated bus stop, even if after school care is provided at a different drop-off. Only one location for pick-up and drop-off will be allowed.

How is my student assigned to a bus if he or she is eligible for transportation?

Utilizing routing software, the district’s campus attendance zones, and all of the neighborhoods that make those attendance zones are pulled up on a map to begin placing designated bus stop locations in transportation eligible neighborhoods. Your student’s address information, tracked in MISD’s e-SchoolPlus Student Information System, is pulled and imported into Durham’s routing software to create student bus lists for students in transportation-eligible areas that may wish to utilize Durham’s transportation services.

I have dual custody situation. Why can’t my student ride multiple buses?

Effective immediately, McKinney ISD will no longer be providing dual custody transportation to multiple busing locations. In the past, McKinney ISD transportation has allowed students to be bused to multiple locations for students with dual custody situations. Beginning the 2020-2021 school year, this transportation exception will no longer be available. The district will only allow students to be bused to the PRIMARY ADDRESS listed on the student’s registration form. Should you plan to use bus transportation in 2020-2021 school year, please prepare for your student to ride the bus to the PRIMARY ADDRESS listed in the student database. If you need to update your address home of record, please contact the Data Clerk at your student’s campus.

The decision is based on a review concluding to eliminate multiple locations due to safety and accountability reasons for our students. McKinney ISD is dedicated to the needs and safety of all McKinney ISD students. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in making McKinney ISD the best and safest transportation for all our students.