Transportation Frequently Asked Questions

For students in elementary school - four to six blocks; middle school - six to eight blocks; high school - eight to ten blocks.

Bus routes and stops are planned to provide the safest and most efficient service during all weather and road conditions. Students typically ride 30 to 60 minutes on a bus to school and from school. Riding times may be longer when there are traffic jams, breakdowns, or icy/snowy roads.

No, students who live in a walk zone are not eligible to ride the bus. This is due to safety and efficiency.  

As Tacoma Public Schools has upgraded their technology, all students will require a badge. These badges will not be provided for students who do not qualify for transportation. For more information on safe routes to schools, please visit Safe Routes to School - City of Tacoma.

Walk zones are generally one mile from school. In rare circumstances, it is less than a mile. Students who live in a walk zone will need to find their own transportation to school. For more information, please visit WAC 392-141-340:

Throughout the school year, your student's bus route may change. Because we provide transportation for nearly 10,000 students every day, it's not uncommon for stops to be added or removed as families move in and out of school boundaries. Long term construction safety concerns are another reason we may have to adjust bus stop locations. As stops are adjusted, pick up and drop off times may be impacted.

Changes to routes usually take effect on Mondays and Thursday. Be sure to visit the All Bus Stop site often to see if there are any updates to your bus route. If we make a significant change that impacts the stop time by more than 10 minutes, you'll hear from us directly.

If your student is in kindergarten and is the only child getting off at the stop, then a parent/guardian must be present. If no one is at the stop, the student will be taken back to the school. For all other students, parents do not have to be at the bus stop. However, we encourage all families to have a plan in place so your student arrives home safely. 

A request to ride a different bus, or to be dropped at a different stop, can be granted when a written note signed by a parent or guardian is sent to the school office, which is then provided to the bus driver. These notes are valid for one day only and may not be used on a continuing basis. Students should always have their student identification with them and show it to the bus driver if asked.

First student is our contractor for providing transportation for general education students and some students with special needs. The Tacoma School District bus fleet provides transportation for special education students. 

In general, the student would not be eligible. There are some exceptions to this guideline, including students who are homeless and eligible through the McKinney-Vento Act. Some programs may be eligible for a Pierce Transit ORCA pass. Please inquire with your school to determine available options.

Students may ride after-school activity buses by showing the driver their student identification. These buses drop students off in areas covered by the home-to-school bus routes. Bus stops are district sites (i.e. elementary schools). See the All Bus Stops page for a complete listing. 

Just like a typical commute to work, traffic is the most common reason for a bus running late. Sometimes our buses experience breakdowns and need a quick safety adjustment by the shop mechanic before leaving the bus yard. And while our drivers are super heroes on the road, their immune systems aren’t always up for the job! Our drivers might need to call out sick and finding a substitute could put the bus behind schedule. Thank you in advance for your patience as our new drivers and substitute drivers learn their routes for the school year.

If a student's residence changes during the year, but is still within the transportation boundary for the current school, transportation will continue to be provided. However, if the new residence is outside of that boundary, transportation will not be provided by the district.

If a change in transportation is desired during the school year, the parent or guardian can contact the bus coordinator at the school (ask at the school office to be directed to the right person). The coordinator will prepare a Bus Run/Stop Change Request and forward it to the District Transportation Department for review. If the student is eligible, you will be informed of the new bus stop and time by the school bus coordinator.

You may appeal a denial of a Bus Run/Stop Change Request to the Transportation Appeals Board. Please contact the bus coordinator at you school, who will forward the appeal to the Transportation Department. You will be notified of the date, time, and place for the Transportation Appeals Board session.

Yes, there are Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Video/Audio cameras on buses. GPS allows the transportation department managers and dispatchers to locate a bus, determine if a bus has been to a particular bus stop, and check to make sure the route is on schedule.

Cameras are present on the buses as an aid to student safety. Cameras help monitor, for the safety of all passengers, whether student conduct on the bus is safe and in alignment with the rules for ridership. Cameras do not replace the discipline policy, the authority of the driver, or the responsibility of school officials. Video monitors help district administrators take appropriate corrective action in the event that violations of the rules are recorded. 

Ensuring the safety of the students we transport is our number one priority. Nearly every year we must delay the start of school, cancel outdoor after school activities, or cancel school because of snow, smoke or other poor weather conditions.  

We encourage you to become familiar with the procedures followed during snow, inclement weather and emergencies.