How can I contact someone in the Transportation office?
● We can be reached via phone at 402-238-2902 or via Contact Us - Bennington Public Schools.

Is my student eligible for transportation?
● Any student that lives within district boundaries and is more than a 1-mile walk from their school of attendance is eligible for transportation. In some cases, students living less than 1 mile from their school of attendance may become eligible if they meet certain criteria in their walk to school. Please contact us for more information.

My student is an option enrollee, is bussing provided?
● Unfortunately, district policy is that we do not provide transportation for option enrollment students. Students must live at a residence within district boundaries to be eligible for bussing.

My student is an inter-district transfer student, is bussing provided?
● Unfortunately, district policy is that we do not provide transportation for inter-district transfer students. This is notated on the inter-district transfer form that must be filled out and approved by district administration. Bussing can only be provided to and from the school that your student is assigned to based on the boundary your address falls within.
● For example, if your residence falls within the boundary for Bennington Middle School, your student can be bussed to and from BMS. However, if you elect for your student to attend Bennington South Middle School, we cannot transport your student. There are no buses that service BSMS that have pickup or drop off points within the BMS boundary.

How can I sign my student up for bussing?
● You can sign your student up for bussing during the student verification process that is completed each year before school starts. Make sure to select “Ride Bus” for your student’s daily routine under Transportation. You can also contact us to assist you with this.

What if I didn’t sign my student up for bussing during student verification or we need bussing after the school year has started, is it too late to sign them up?
● No. We understand that plans change. You may have originally intended to take your student to school each day, but a sudden change in work schedule leaves you unable to do so. As long as the bus your student would ride is not at capacity, we can add your student at any point during the school year. Please contact us for assistance. You may also contact the secretary at your student’s school to help you with making this change.

Are transportation services provided for free or is there a cost?
● Students whose residence is 4+ miles from their school of attendance shall be provided transportation at no charge (free transportation). This keeps the district in compliance with Nebraska State Statute 79-611. Please note that the statute states this must be calculated by the shortest drivable distance from the residence to the school. Per district policy, temporary road closures are not considered when measuring this distance.
● Students whose residence is less than 4 miles from their school of attendance, are eligible for transportation, and elect to pursue it, do so at a cost. This cost is $175/per student per semester. There is a maximum cost of $350/per family per semester, so the 3rd plus any additional students in a household are not charged for transportation services.

Can transportation fees be discounted in any way?
● Transportation fees may be reduced for children eligible for free or reduced price lunches or breakfasts under the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act (or extenuating circumstances) upon request. An approved application and sharing information waiver must be on file with Nutrition Services before any fees can be discounted. Please contact us for more information.

How do I pay my transportation fees?
● Transportation billing is typically completed around the end of the first quarter each school year. Invoices are added to a student’s My School Bucks account. Due to the length and complexity of completing this task, transportation fees for the entire school year are billed at this time. There is no expectation that the invoice be paid in full at the time of billing. Families are welcome to make payments over time on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. We just ask that fees are paid in full by the last day of school.

We have an overdue transportation balance from a previous school year, can my student still ride the bus?
● Unfortunately, all students in your household will be placed on a waiting list until the balance is paid in full or you have contacted us to arrange a payment plan. Status checks will be conducted on payment plans. If we find that payments are not being made in accordance with the agreement that is made, your student may be removed from their route and placed back on a waitlist status.

My student no longer rides the bus, how do I cancel?
● Please contact us to cancel bussing for your student. We will get them removed from the route and adjust transportation fees accordingly. If fees have been paid in full, a refund will be issued for the amount that was overpaid.

How do I find out my student’s route information?
● Letters with route information are mailed out one week prior to the first day of school. If you have not received your letter within two days of school starting, please contact us so that we can relay that information to you. If you sign your student up late or during the school year, we will email route information to you.

Is there an option for AM or PM only transportation?
● Yes. We generally add students to both the AM and PM runs when we route them, but we can route them as AM or PM only at your request. Please note that there is not a discounted cost for this option. Fees are still invoiced at the pricing detailed above.

Is there an option for occasional ridership at a fee per ride?
● No, we do not provide an occasional ridership option. Students must be signed up as an authorized bus rider to ride. This is for safety and accountability reasons.

Several buses pass through my neighborhood, how does my student know which bus is theirs?
● All buses have signage with their route number displayed in the service door windows to identify them. This signage is also color-coded. Buses that serve elementary schools are designated by blue signs, BMS/HS by orange signs, BSMS by red signs, and SPED buses by green signs.

What happens if my student misses the bus in the morning?
● Students are expected to be at their designated stop 5 minutes before their scheduled pick up time. This is to ensure that they can load promptly when the bus arrives and prevent delays. If the bus arrives on time or shortly after and your student is not at the stop, you will need to provide a ride for them to school. If the bus arrives and departs the stop early or completely misses a stop, we will send the bus back to pick up students that were missed.

What if my student’s bus is running late?
● Drivers are responsible for notifying transportation dispatch if they are running late by more than 5 minutes. This allows us to put communication out to families in as timely a manner as possible to notify them of the delay. In the event that the bus is running excessively late, we will dispatch other drivers to help assist with pick ups. We also make sure to communicate with the school to ensure they are aware and can hold breakfast for late-arriving students.

Is there a way I can track the bus?
● Yes. The routing system we utilize has a website and parent app called My Ride K-12. This allows you to track the bus location in real time. It also provides notification for where and when your student loaded/unloaded the bus. Click here to be taken to the parent user guide. Our URL for the website is https://myridek12.tylerapp.com/. Please contact us for your student’s ID number.

Are bus passes required?
● Yes. Students are required to scan their bus pass when loading and unloading the bus. Failure to adhere to bus pass policy may result in a bus write-up.

Can my student still ride the bus if they don’t have their bus pass?
● Yes. Authorized bus riders will not be denied a ride if they forget or lose their bus pass. Your student will be expected to provide their name to the bus driver when loading and unloading so that he/she can manually enter this on the tablet that is used on the bus. Drivers are instructed to encourage and remind students to utilize their bus pass. Repeated failure to do so may result in a bus write-up.

What happens if my student’s bus pass is lost?
● Your student will need to request a replacement bus pass from a secretary in the school office. You may also contact the school or Transportation office to request a replacement pass. The cost for a replacement bus pass is $25. Drivers are encouraged to give students 2 days to find a lost pass. A 3rd consecutive day with no pass and no request for replacement on file may result in a bus write-up.

What happens if my student’s bus pass is damaged or not working?
● At times, the RFID strip inside the cards we use fails. It can also be damaged if the card is bent or cracked. If this happens to your student’s pass, please have them return it to the school office. They will send it back to our office and we will issue a replacement at no charge.

My student isn’t signed up for bussing, can they ride the bus home with their friend?
● No, unfortunately we cannot allow them to ride. Students must be signed up as an authorized bus rider to ride one of our buses. This is for safety and accountability reasons.

Can my student, who is an authorized bus rider, ride a bus other than the one they have been assigned?
● Students are expected to ride their assigned bus only. In fact, the tablets we utilize will notify the driver if a student who is not assigned to their bus scans their bus pass and attempts to board. However, we understand that emergencies or other extenuating circumstances may arise. Please contact us in these situations and provide us with details. If deemed necessary, we can authorize your student to ride on a different bus. We will communicate pertinent information to drivers as needed.

Can my student get off the bus at a stop other than the one they’ve been assigned?
● Students are expected to unload at their assigned stop only. The tablet will notify the driver if a student attempts to unload at a stop other than the one that has been assigned to them. Drivers are instructed to remind them that they are unloading at the wrong stop and encourage them to remain on the bus, however, they cannot and will not force your student to stay on the bus. Getting off at a stop other than the one that’s been assigned is grounds for a bus write-up.
● Again, we understand that emergencies or other extenuating circumstances may arise. Please contact us in these situations and provide us with details. If deemed necessary, we can authorize your student to unload at a different stop. We will communicate pertinent information to drivers as needed.

What happens if the bus misses my student’s stop or they forget to get off at their assigned stop in the afternoon?
● Please talk to your student about these scenarios. The first thing your student should do in either one is to remain seated on the bus. When it is safe to do so, usually at the next stop or when the bus stops at an intersection, they should approach the driver and communicate what happened.
● If the driver missed the stop, they will need to reroute immediately to return to the missed stop.
● If the student failed to unload at their assigned stop when the bus was there, how to proceed is at the discretion of the driver. Some drivers may reroute immediately and return to your student’s stop prior to completing the remainder of the route. Others may complete the remainder of the route and then return your student back to their stop. If drivers choose the latter, they are expected to notify dispatch that your student missed their stop and that they will return after dropping off all other students. We will contact you to notify you of what happened and provide an ETA on when your student will be returned back to their stop.
● If your student reaches out to you or you notice on the parent app, please contact us immediately. We will work to communicate with you and the driver to ensure the situation is resolved.

Are there assigned seats on the bus?
● Typically, students are allowed to sit anywhere they would like on the bus. However, the driver or school may elect to assign seats to maintain a sense of order on the bus or as a consequence for unacceptable behavior. If your student has been assigned a seat, they are expected to sit in that seat until instructed otherwise. Refusal to sit in an assigned seat may result in a bus write-up.

Will buses still run as scheduled if the district moves to a 2-hour late start?
● Yes, buses will still run as scheduled. Stop times will be adjusted to exactly 2 hours later. If your student’s stop time is normally 7:15 am, it will be at 9:15am if a 2-hour late start is declared.

When will my student arrive home on early release days?
● Buses depart their school 5 minutes after dismissal time. If it is typically a 15-minute ride home for your student home on days with standard dismissal time, plan for them to arrive home 15-20 minutes after dismissal on early release days.
● Example: Your elementary rider’s bus leaves at 3:05pm on standard dismissal days and he/she typically arrives home around 3:20pm. Elementary schools dismiss at 11:40am on early release days. Expect your student to arrive home around 12:00pm.

What happens if my student leaves their backpack, lunch box, or another item on the bus?
● Drivers typically move items that are left behind after route to the front of the bus to be reclaimed on the next run. Please have your student check with their driver to see if the item was found. Items that go unclaimed are eventually moved to the lost and found of the respective school that a bus services or brought to the Transportation office. You can always contact our office to assist with tracking down lost items.

Is there somewhere I can find bus rules and expectations?
● Yes, bus rules and expectations are detailed on the Transportation page of the district website. This link will take you there.

Who do I contact if my student is having issues with another student on the bus or the driver?
● If your student is having issues with another student on the bus or the driver, please contact us or the school office. We will work diligently to investigate by conducting an interview with the driver, pulling bus footage, or taking any other necessary steps to ensure the situation is addressed. Our hope and desire is that all students have a safe and enjoyable bus riding experience.

What happens if my student receives a bus write-up?
● If a student violates a bus rule or expectation, drivers typically start with a warning. They will remind your student of the rules and encourage him/her to follow them. If the behavior continues or is egregious enough, a bus write-up will be submitted to Transportation supervision. This write-up is then forwarded to school administration. Your student will sit down with an administrator, talk about the write-up, and revisit bus rules/expectations. It is possible that your student may be assigned a seat near the front of the bus so that they can be monitored more closely.
● If the student continues to persist in the behavior, additional write-ups will follow. A second notice usually constitutes consequences administered by the school such as a detention. If your student receives a third notice, we typically recommend a short-term suspension from bus riding privileges. This is ultimately determined by school administration and is usually a period of 1-3 days depending on the severity of the behavior. Additional write-ups beyond a third notice may result in a long-term suspension or permanent suspension of bus riding privileges.