ATTLEBOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
TRANSPORTATION FAQ’s:
Where can I find the district’s policies on
transportation?
APS transportation
policies can be found on the school committee page of the district’s website (www.attleboroschools.com).
Additional information is contained in your student’s Student Handbook.
I am not happy
with my bus stop. How can I get a bus
stop moved?
Bus stops are placed
at centralized locations, based foremost on safety and then on the distribution
of student households on a given route. Stops
are designated to serve the greatest number of students on the route and
therefore by definition will not be optimal for a single student. If you have concerns, you should contact the
APS Transportation Department at 508 222-0012, x-1192.
There are no sidewalks
where we live and I am concerned that there is a bus stop where there are no
sidewalks.
The school district does not install
sidewalks. You should bring this issue
up with your elected Municipal Council member or the Mayor’s Office.
The
bus drives right past my house. Why can’t it stop at my house to pick up my
student?
“Door to door” service is not possible
to provide for a number of reasons, including safety issues (Frustrations of the
car drivers behind the bus) and timing (Policy requires routes to be no more
than 45 minutes). In order to be
consistent and fair in placement of bus stops, we are not able to establish
stops based on personal circumstances.
I have heard
about walking school busses. What are they?
Walking school
busses are a great alternative for parents who do want their child walking to a
bus stop or to the school itself alone. A
walking school bus is when a group of parents get together and take turns
walking with children either to the bus stop or to schools. It is basically carpooling but on foot.
I have a reason to believe that there is a
registered sex offender in my neighborhood.
What do I do to make sure that the Transportation Department knows this
and has taken it into account in establishing its bus stops?
Information regarding sex offenders and
predators are forwarded to the transportation office by the APD and other
agencies on a regular basis. We will not put
a bus stop proximate to an offender’s house. If
you have concerns, you should contact the APS Transportation Department at 508
222-0012, x-1192.
I want to use two different
addresses for pick-up/drop-off locations.
Each student
is allowed only one transportation address for safety and security reasons. Having multiple pick-up/drop-off locations
can get confusing for staff and students and we would never want a child to
board the wrong bus because of this.
We
live on a cul-de-sac. Will the bus come down our street?
Full size school buses are not routed
into a cul-de-sac for the following reasons:
Cul-de-sac stops
create blind spots often causing students to enter or exit in a danger zone
around the bus (at a corner stop or street curb stop, they enter/ exit outside
the danger zone)
Different styles and
sizes of buses make maneuvering in cul-de-sac difficult
The rear of the bus
has potential to swing around close to the sidewalk
Parked cars and other
obstacles create road hazards that may not be seen until entering the
cul-de-sac and at a point of no return.
Backing up a bus when
students are on board is strictly forbidden
The potential for property
damage to mailboxes and landscaping.
Is there a specified
distance that must exist between school bus stops?
The “overhead yellow” lights on a school bus,
which are used to notify other traffic of an upcoming stop, must, by law, be
activated at least 200 feet from the designated bus stop. Bus stops must be at least 200 feet apart.
When should my child be at the bus
stop to be picked up in the morning?
Bus riders should be at their assigned bus stop at least eight (8) minutes
prior to the schedule pick-up time. This
allows for some variation in the bus route due to unanticipated events.
Why
does my child have an assigned seat?
Seat assignments are a positive way for
the ride to be consistent and safe. Per
district policy, the bus driver and/or school administration have the right to
assign a seat when they believe it necessary for the safety of all students.
I would like to talk to
the bus driver. Where and when is it best to do this?
The
Attleboro Public Schools specifically prohibits school bus drivers from
allowing any unauthorized person from riding on a school bus while transporting
pupils to and or from school. Therefore the bus stop is not the time to visit with the bus
driver. Buses run a tight schedule. At the bus stop, bus drivers need to remain
focused on the safety of all students on and off the bus. For
the protection of all students, a parent/guardian should NEVER board a bus with
students on board. It can be very frightening
to the students and can startle the bus driver.
The best time to visit with the bus driver is by appointment. You can
request to speak with the bus driver’s supervisor or can request a meeting with
your bus driver and the Operations Manager, by contacting the Transportation Office
at 508 222-0012, x1192. If an unauthorized adult, board
any school bus the Attleboro Police Department is notified immediately to
remove the person.
My
child’s bus seems crowded. Can some students be placed on another bus?
For efficiency, buses are loaded with the attempt of utilizing all of the
seating space provided on a bus. Buses have a maximum seat capacity as designed
by the manufacturer. As long as student numbers do not exceed the rated
capacity, the bus is not considered to be overloaded. At the beginning of the school year, school
buses may seem more crowded as the “legal limit” of eligible riders does not
take effect until after the fourth Friday following Labor Day to allow schools
to find efficiencies and to determine who is and who is not riding.
Why are buses
sometimes late?
Weather, traffic, driver absenteeism,
maintenance difficulties and unforeseen incidents are responsible for delays in
arrival of school buses. Please know that we do everything possible to have all
buses running on schedule each and every day. In the event your bus does not
arrive as scheduled, contact the transportation help desk at (508) 222- 0012, x1192
or x-1126. Please allow twenty
minutes after the normal drop off time before you call.
How do you calculate the distance between my home and the school?
The Attleboro Public School
uses walking distances provided through Google maps when calculating
transportation. Distance is based on the driveway to driveway distance. Walking paths are also considered when
calculating this distance.
I am eligible for Fee for Service
bussing. What is the fee?
The fee for the 2016-2017 school year is $165.00
per student with a family cap of $500.00.
I can’t afford to pay. Can you
waive the fee?
Families with financial hardship are
encouraged to complete a waiver application. The waiver application follows the
USDA free/reduced lunch guidelines. If
your student receives free or reduced lunch, they are eligible for a waiver of
the fee.
I only need one way transportation, can I pay half the fee?
The policy of the Attleboro Public Schools does not allow for fees to be
prorated for partial years or for one-way transport. Each year we commit to a certain number of
buses and a limited number of seats are available.
What is the enrollment deadline?
Students enrollment is from the end of April – June 30th of
each year. Routes/ Stops will also be created around students that have applied
before the deadline.
What if I miss the deadline?
Those students who miss this enrollment period will be placed on a
waiting list and may be provided a chance to enroll their child/children on a
space available basis after September 12, 2016. However, please note, if you
apply after the deadline and are accepted onto a bus, new stops will not be
added. Your child’s stop will be based on the closest stop currently in place
to your students address.
Why do I have to pay this year when I haven’t
had to pay in the past?
In 2016, the Attleboro Public Schools updated
the grid codes and distances for grade levels. Students may live in areas that fall within
the new distances. If a child has changed schools or moved distances may
change. Students in the few homes which are exactly 2.00 miles from the school
will be eligible to pay.
I signed up and paid by the
deadline, but now my circumstances have changed and I don’t need
transportation. Can I have a refund?
Refunds are only issued on a case by case
basis for requests made prior to the
start of the school year. Once the
school year starts, no refunds are issued.
My senior at AHS was driving my
freshman all year, but since she is out of school earlier, now I need
transportation for my freshman. Can you
prorate the fee?
The policy of the Attleboro Public schools
does not allow for fees to be prorated for partial years or for one-way
transport. Each year we commit to a
certain number of buses and a limited number of seats are available.
My child received a bus pass, but
lost it. How can I get a
replacement?
There is a $10 fee for replacement bus
passes. You may bring the fee to the
Transportation Department to have a replacement pass issued.