Transportation Frequently Asked Questions

Are bus stops the same every year?

No. While stops are fairly consistent from year to year, changes may be made based on student enrollment.

My child left an item on the bus. How do I get it back?

Items left by students will be held on the bus and may be claimed by the student. If you need the item prior to your student riding the same bus again, please contact the Transportation Department to make pick up arrangements. Any unclaimed items will be placed in a lost and found box located at the Transportation Department. Twice a year all unclaimed items are given to charity.

My student’s bus is crowded and overloaded. How will this be corrected?

It is our goal to fully utilize all the space on all the buses in our fleet. The term “overload” indicates a bus filled beyond its rated capacity. An overloaded bus will be corrected by the fourth Wednesday after Labor Day. Students are assigned three (3) to a seat. We appreciate that this may feel crowded to your student; however, it is not a situation which would necessitate correction.

Why can’t my child have a friend ride home on the bus?

We do not allow students to bring home friends (either from the same bus, another bus run or from a non-busing area) for parties, scouts, church events, homework/study, sleepovers, etc. It is the parent’s responsibility for this type of transportation.

According to the Zeeland Public Schools Board of Education policy, each student will be allowed to have one pick-up location and one drop-off location, five days a week, and shall not be permitted to use any other bus without prior written permission from the Director of Transportation. Transportation to an alternate location must be approved by the Director of Transportation and is for emergency purposes only. 

The bus passes my house, why can’t you stop and pick up my student?

We do pass most homes in the District. There are approximately 9,000 students. Each bus stop takes at least 30 seconds; imagine how long it would take to pick up 60 students on one bus, and still get them to school on time. This is why we have group stops.

Why can’t my student bring his large band instrument onto the bus?

It is now a Michigan State law that all instruments must be held by the student. If it cannot fit on the students lap, and be held by the student, we can not transport it.

If my child is absent from school, do I need to notify transportation?

If your child is the only child assigned at a bus stop, or is transported by a special needs bus, the notification would be appreciated.

The following questions were provided by the Michigan Department of Education: 

Isn’t the school district required to transport my child?

School districts are NOT required by law to transport regular education children. Michigan Compiled Law (MCL) 380.1321 outlines the obligations of the school district IF its board of education elects to provide transportation. Under Article 3 of the Revised School Code, the school district is obligated to provide for the transportation of a special education student if the Individualized Educational Planning Committee (IEPC) has determined that the transportation is a specialized service which is included within and necessary to carry out the student’s IEP. 

My child is starting kindergarten. Will the bus pick my child up in front of my house?

There are no special laws or regulations for transporting regular education students enrolled in kindergarten. If your district provides transportation, it will be provided in accordance with the requirement of MCL 380.1321, Section 55 of the Pupil Transportation Act, and local district policy with regard to the placement of the bus stop.

Is there a law about how far my child has to walk to the bus stop?

No law specifies the maximum distance a student may walk to the bus stop.

What other factors are involved in establishing where the school bus stops?

There are many factors which should be taken into consideration when school administrators establish the placement of school bus stops. The basic legal factors are spelled out in MCL 257.1855, but the primary concern is visibility of the bus to other traffic and the consideration of stopping distances necessary for other motor vehicles in order to accomplish safe loading and unloading of the children. In general, state law requires 400 feet of clear and continuous visibility on a highway or roadway where the speed limit is more than 35 miles per hour, and 200 feet where the speed limit is less than 35 miles per hour. There is no state law which specifies a maximum distance between stops.

What about the safety of my child getting to and from the bus stop? There are no sidewalks where we live and it’s not very safe walking on the busy road we live on.

It is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian to see that a child gets safely to and from the bus stop. The school district provides transportation as a non-mandated service and establishes placement of the bus stops in accordance with the requirements of the law.

Is there a law stating that an adult riding on a school bus for monitoring purposes be seated at a specific location on the bus?

There is no law pertaining to this issue. In most cases when adults are assigned to monitor students that are being transported on a bus, they are near the student or students who possess the greatest amount of supervisory need.

My child spends over two (2) hours a day just riding the bus to and from school. Is there a maximum riding time in the law?

There is no maximum riding time in the law for children in kindergarten through grade twelve. Child care licensing regulations establish a maximum riding time of 60 continuous minutes for the transportation of preschool children.