This is a mandatory registration process.  A non-answer will be the same as answering no and bus services will not be provided.

Howard County Board of Education Policy 5200 Student Transportation requires students who are eligible for transportation to register annually and states, in part, that:

Students who miss the bus in the mornings will need to have alternate transportation to school. Students who arrive after school start time will need to be signed in/sign in.

For school dismissals, buses are released by school staff. Sometimes students are held up at school for unforeseen reasons and miss their bus. Once buses depart the school, drivers are not able to return to pick up any students who have missed their buses. Students will need to wait in the school office until a parent/guardian or approved emergency contact arrives to get them.

HCPSS provides specialized transportation to students with a disability in accordance with the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan. Occasionally, a student requires special transportation because of a temporary disability.

Please contact your child's school to discuss your needs and to complete any appropriate forms. 

In general, buses do not have assigned seats. However, the bus driver may assign seats as they feel necessary to maintain order and safety on the bus.

All HCPSS buses operate on a comprehensive schedule that helps to ensure that the system operates safely and efficiently while delivering students to school safely and on time. Because of the number of students needing transportation, and to ensure effective scheduling, overall bus schedules cannot be adjusted to accommodate an individual request.

Every day, situations arise that are beyond the drivers’ control. These can include traffic accidents, driver absences, maintenance problems, lane closings and roadwork, weather delays or a late departure from school. Drivers make every effort to stay on schedule while being mindful of student safety.

No. The safety of the children is always our priority.

Parents/guardians wishing to talk to their child’s bus driver should first contact their school administrator so as not to distract the driver, or delay bus routes.

Parents/guardians may request long-term permission for their child to ride two different buses for childcare, custodial issues and medical emergencies only. To request this change in the normal routing for your student, please complete the alternate bus service form or space available bus service form and return to your school office.

Bus stops are established based upon several factors, which include walking conditions, walking distance to the stop and road accessibility. Given acceptable walking conditions, bus stops are placed a minimum of one-quarter mile apart.  

Bus stops are placed to allow the buses easy access and egress through neighborhoods while keeping safety a priority. Adding bus stops can cause further delays on bus routes and extend students’ ride times.