1. If my child’s bus is late, how long should he/she wait at the bus stop before contacting the Office of Transportation Services?

Answer: Students should arrive at the bus stop at least 5-10 minutes before the scheduled arrival time. If the bus is more than 20 minutes late, you should call the appropriate Bus Dispatcher for your child’s school. The telephone numbers are:

2 - What if there is an emergency transportation-related problem after office hours (5:30 p.m. - 5:30 a.m.)?

Answer: If there is a problem after regular office hours, call the Risk Management Dispatcher at 703.791.8805. The dispatcher can contact the Office of Transportation Services supervisor who can assist you. You should be prepared to provide the dispatcher with your child’s name, school, bus number, and a brief summary of your problem.

3 – How are schools walking boundaries determined?

Answer: The Office of Transportation Services supervisors measure all distances with a walking wheel over the shortest safe routed between the school property line and the homeowner’s property line. If a homeowner believes there is an error in the measured distance, the homeowner can call the Office of Transportation Services, and a supervisor will walk with the homeowner to verify the distance.

4 - We live within the school’s walking boundary but very close to a bus stop for my child's school. Can my child ride the bus from that stop?

Answer: If there is space available, the principal and an Office of Transportation Services representative must agree that your child can ride and there must be a safe walking route to the stop. If the bus exceeds its student load capacity, your child will be one of the first students removed from the bus.

5 - My child is a special education student. Who should I speak to concerning his transportation?

Answer: The Special Needs section within the Office of Transportation Services does not accept transportation requests over the phone. Transportation requests and changes must be coordinated through the Special Education Department or the administrative office at your child's school.

6 - My child left a coat (glasses, instrument, retainer, books) on the bus. How does he get it back?

Answer: Drivers check their buses after every run. If an item is found, it is usually returned to the school at the earliest convenient time or to the student the next morning.

7 - How can my child get picked up or dropped off at a day care provider's location?

Answer: If the day care provider is located within the attending school’s boundary, transportation will be provided.

8 - How can I arrange to have my child ride a different bus home from school for one day?

Answer: The child's parent or guardian must send a written request to the school principal. If approved, the principal will provide written authorization to the driver of that bus.

9 - If I know my Special Education student is not going to school on a specified day, what should I do?

Answer: You should call the Special Needs Bus Dispatcher at 703.791.7575.

10 - What type of transportation is my child entitled to if he/she attends a Specialty Program, i.e., Cambridge Program, Information Technology Program, International Baccalaureate Program.

Answer: Express bus service is provided for students enrolled in all Specialty Programs. This service will be provided to and from express bus stops only. Express bus service is also provided for Pennington and Porter Traditional Schools. No neighborhood stops are made. For additional information on express bus service, call 571.402.3915 or 571.402.3916. Return to Top

11 - How will a two-hour delay in opening school due to inclement weather impact the bus schedules?

Answer: When there is a two-hour delay in opening school, the high, middle and elementary school students will be picked up two hours later than usual. For example, if the normal pick-up time is 6:45 a.m., the student will be picked-up at 8:45 a.m.

Morning kindergarten and preschool students will ride the elementary/preschool bus to school. The bus will arrive at the bus stop two hours later than usual. Morning kindergarten and preschool students will be dismissed one hour later than the regular schedule. For example, if the normal pick-up time is 8:30 a.m., the student will be picked up at 10:30 a.m. If the normal drop-off time is 12:30 p.m., the drop-off time will be 1:30 p.m. Afternoon kindergarten and preschool students will be picked up one hour later than usual. Afternoon kindergarten and preschool students will ride the elementary/preschool bus home.

If your child attends a special education preschool, contact the school principal for an inclement weather schedule.

When there is a two-hour delay in opening school, morning elementary school tutorials will be canceled.

12 - How do I arrange for after-school activity bus transportation for my general education or special education child?

Answer:  You should contact the principal of your child's school.