Bus FAQ
Buses
Bus routes and their stops are defined by the Transportation Office of the School Department. Any questions with regard to adding or changing a stop location are to be submitted for review in writing to this office located at 40 Fairbanks Road. Bus stops are located in strategic areas of all neighborhoods throughout the school district. In certain cases where safety is an issue, a bus stop may be at a child’s home. When a child is handicapped or a pick up is inaccessible to a school bus, vans are used for transportation. All buses and vans are equipped with seat belts and two-way radios that are used for communication between driver and dispatcher in emergencies.
Bus Passes
Students residing within two driving miles of the school are required to pay a transportation fee assessed by the School Department if they ride in a bus or van. Fees are not required for handicapped children riding in a van regardless of distance. Every student eligible to ride will be issued a bus pass. Passes are checked by the driver at the beginning of the school year and for new students entering during the year, to ensure that they are authorized to ride. Students who live beyond two miles from school are provided transportation free of charge by the district. Students must carry their bus passes at all times.
Medical Conditions
The driver should be informed of any serious medical conditions that may affect your child such as food or insect allergies, diabetes, asthma, etc., which could potentially occur on the bus or van. This knowledge would significantly reduce response time if medical assistance is needed.
Identification
It is recommended that kindergartners, first-graders and new students entering the school carry their name, address, phone number, and teacher’s name in their backpacks.
Snow Storms
On days when the buses are delayed due to bad weather, please be patient if the bus has not arrived on time. Delays of half an hour or more can be expected, especially for buses traveling longer routes. We need to keep the phone lines open in case of an emergency. If you need to know the status of a bus before 4:00 p.m., call the school at 987-443-1085 X 6001. After 4:00 p.m., calls should be made to the bus dispatcher at 978-443-8631.
Busing Schedule
Pick-ups
Students are requested to be out at their neighborhood stop five minutes before their pickup time. Children being picked up at their house should also be outside waiting in a safe area. Most bus routes start about 8:20 a.m. Routes vary in distance and time needed to finish. A more precise time, if needed, may be obtained from the driver or through the dispatcher’s office. The scheduling of van pickups is done by the Business Office of the School Department. All van related questions should go through that office (978-443-1058 X 214). Bus routes and numbers are published in the transportation section of the Sudbury Public School’s Website. Students are assigned to a bus by number. Parents and students should record and learn their bus number as soon as possible.
Take-Home
Full day, 3:25 p.m. dismissal - Buses leave the school between 3:35 p.m. and 3:40 p.m.
Early release, 12:45 p.m. dismissal - Buses leave the school between 12:55 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Discipline on the Bus
Misbehavior on a school bus is very serious because of its ability to distract the driver from concentrating on driving. Misbehavior compromises the safety of all students. In order to insure safe and orderly transportation of students, the Peter Noyes School and Sudbury Public Schools have clear expectations for appropriate behavior on the bus and clear consequences for inappropriate behavior (see SPS Parent Handbook on Sudbury’s Website). Sometimes it is necessary for the school, driver and parent to work together to implement a behavioral plan for a student on the bus. Occasionally, for example, a child is asked to sit in the front seat for a period of time. If inappropriate behavior continues, or in the event of serious misbehavior (again, see SPS Parent Handbook), the bus driver will inform the school through a written School Bus Conduct Report and the school will take action in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Handbook.