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Please see this FAQ for information on students receiving special education services.
HCPSS is currently experiencing a shortage of bus drivers, as are school districts around Maryland and throughout the United States.
In order to continue to provide transportation services to all eligible students, using the existing buses and drivers we have available, bus routes and bus stops may look different than what you are used to seeing.
There will be schools where buses will have to double up routes, picking up and dropping off students in groups. For example, Bus 100 would pick up and drop off students assigned to Group A and then circle back to pick up Group B.
This will create a larger-than-typical window of time between when the first students are dropped off at school and the time instruction begins. The first group of students will be dropped off at school approximately 30 minutes prior to the arrival time of the second group. All students will have at least 10 minutes for breakfast prior to the start of the instructional day. The same process will take place after school with the goal of no more than 30 minutes between the time the first and second groups leave school.
Students who are at school and awaiting instruction or bus pickup will be supervised by HCPSS staff. Administrators will be working on plans with their staff to include the types of activities students may engage in and will communicate school level details for students who will be at school before and after the instructional day. Please note that this will not impact the number of instructional hours students receive.
HCPSS will monitor ridership and driver vacancies and make adjustments to the schedule as we are able. When the full bus schedules are finalized and available online, all bus riders will have scheduled pickup and drop-off times so families may adequately plan. The bus locator will be available on the HCPSS website by Tuesday, August 24th.
Anyone interested in becoming a driver should call the HCPSS transportation office at 410-313-6732 as soon as possible.