Transportation FAQ for Families

No, except in the case of students receiving special education services, school bus transportation is a privilege, not a right.

The student must:

1. Be attending their zoned school of attendance and reside two or more miles (as measured along the shortest route that may be traveled on public roads or public access) from their assigned campuses. 
    
2. Be a special needs student, age 3 through 21, whose disabilities prevent the use of regular transportation. Transportation for a student with a disability shall be made in accordance with the provisions of the student’s Individual Educational Plan (IEP).

1. The bus stops are located at centralized locations for all students that can be safely accessed by a significant number of students to minimize the time and mileage of a run. Due to this stops can change during the school year. If you have a concern about your child's safety, you are encouraged to accompany your child to the bus stop.
    
2. We do not send busses into cul-de-sacs/ dead end roads/apartments or trailer parks, because of lack of safe access or the ability of the bus to turn around.
    
3. With over 2300 riders daily we are unable to stop at each riders home. Elementary students may be required to walk up to .30 miles (1584 feet) to a bus stop. Secondary students may be required to walk up to .5 miles (2640 feet).

All of our buses are equipped with air conditioning. Drivers are instructed to continuously run the A/C to keep the bus as cool as possible, but Texas is known for high temperatures. As we open and close the door repeatedly to allow students on and off the bus, the cool air is released, making it hard to maintain a low bus temperature.

School bus sizes are stated in terms of total passenger capacity. Maximum capacity allows three per seat. In Texarkana ISD, it is assumed that elementary school students will ride three per seat. Secondary school students are assumed to ride two to three per seat. If the bus has three elementary school students or two to three secondary school students per seat, it will seem crowded, but it will not be over the maximum capacity. It is our goal to fully utilize all the space on the buses in our fleet.

Transportation communication center can be reached at 903-794-7191. Texarkana ISD has over 2300 riders daily, we try to answer all calls at the time of the call, but we could be assisting a campus or another parent/guardian at the time you called.

If your call is not answered within 4 rings, it will be redirected to voice mail. Please leave a detailed message with your child’s address and campus they attend and we will return your call with the information that you have requested as soon as possible.

1. An adult must meet all Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first-grade students.
    
2. All middle and high school riders will be required to have a bus pass. Students must present this pass each time they board the bus.
    
3. The students' bus privileges have been suspended; they cannot ride until the suspension period has been completed.
    
4. Students misconduct on the bus or before leaving the campus.

In the event that the bus behavior becomes an unsafe distraction for the driver to continue, the driver will radio in for an officer to be dispatched to their location.

For student safety- All students will be required to stay on the bus until the officer arrives and either releases the bus driver to continue on their route or to a parent/guardian.

If a student misses the bus, it is the parents’ or guardians’ responsibility to provide transportation to and from school. Parents/guardians, please instruct your children on procedures to follow if they miss the bus.

1. If the bus is missed in the morning, go home immediately.
    
2. If the bus is missed in the afternoon, go to the principal's office.

Once the bus starts moving from a stop, do not run after a moving bus.