Bus Procedures

Bus Registration Procedures

All students who wish to ride a school bus must send a completed Final Forms for the current school year to the Transportation Office for their assigned school.  Students are not authorized to ride any bus without a completed registration form on file.  Students who ride any bus without authorization will be suspended from all buses.  New registrations may take up to 10 days for processing and route assignment.  Please contact your transportation office for details.

Riding Home With A Friend  

All students riding the school bus must have a current School Bus Registration form on file with the Transportation Office responsible for the school the student attends.  Students who complete a registration form but do not ride the bus for a two-week period or more will be removed from the bus roster in order to ensure buses are utilized to the maximum usage unless arrangements have been made by the parents with the Transportation Office.  Parents of non-registered bus riders who wish to ride the bus (i.e. riding home with a friend) must contact the appropriate Transportation Office at least 24 hours in advance to request authorization.  This request allows the Transportation Office to ensure the bus is not overcrowded and to notify the driver is aware of an additional rider.  However, in some cases, a bus may be “Locked Out” and additional riders will not be approved.

Notes to the school or bus driver do not serve as a proper request and may not be approved.   Students attempting to ride a bus may not be allowed to board the bus and the student/parent will be responsible for providing their own transportation to or from school.   Additionally, students who are registered to ride the bus and wish to get on or off the bus at a different stop (other than their assigned stop) must have authorization from the Transportation Office to do so.  Parents must call the Transportation Office the day before to receive permission for the student to get on or off the bus at another stop. (Notes to the school or bus driver will not be accepted and the student will be released at their assigned stop). 

Kindergarten Students 

Parents/guardians with approved custody must be present to receive a kindergarten student from the bus.  Parents may elect to designate other adults (grandparents, guardian, friend, fifth grade student or older etc) to receive their students.   Kindergarten Student Release forms are available from the elementary schools or the appropriate Transportation Office.

When a parent or authorized guardian of a kindergarten students is not at the bus stop to meet the student they will be returned to their elementary school usually at the end of the elementary bus route.  If this is a persistent issue the parent will be notified that the student will not be allowed to ride the school bus.

Bus Delay Notifications

The Transportation Office utilizes the District's automated message system to notify parents of certain school bus delays.  This program will text (and/or email) messages to be sent to the parent/guardian when the bus is delayed by more than 15 minutes of the scheduled pick-up or drop-off time.  Parents will receive a text from Lexington-Richland School District 5 asking them to "opt-in" to receive these messages.  You must reply "YES" to this text to receive future messages regarding bus delays.  You will receive a confirmation text which will also notify you about how to "Opt-out" of this system.  Please understand that "opting-out" may also remove you from other notifications from the district or your students' school.