TRANSPORTATION
Transportation Guidelines
In general, the following guidelines will be used in establishing and monitoring the safety and efficiency of the District’s transportation system(s), route(s), and bus stop(s).
- Safety and efficiency are the primary concerns when creating routes or selecting the location of bus stops.
- The length of a bus route, based on a districtwide average, is about 30-45 minutes in length.
- The legal capacity on a bus is 71. A bus seat is expected to accommodate 3 riders, based on a 71-rider capacity.
- When possible, bus stops are located at accessible locations within one-quarter mile of a student’s home.
- District 96 uses community stops to maintain consistency for our students.
Each student in grades K-8 that plans to use district-provided transportation must opt-in to bus services. Bus routes will only be assigned to students who opt-in to services in the free transportation-zoned and fee-based zoned schools.
Review the district transportation acknowledgments when opting-in for transportation services
Families that declined bus service during registration but would like to utilize district transportation must complete the form below.
Fee-Based Transportation System
Serves students attending Ivy Hall, Prairie, & Twin Groves Schools
The Board of Education offers a Fee-Based Transportation System for students living within the 1.5-mile walking areas of Ivy Hall, Prairie, and Twin Groves Schools. The cost of the system for the school year is $525.00 per child.
The bus stops will be located at existing community stops and not at individual houses. (See map of fee-based areas for details.) Enrollment forms and maps of fee-based areas serving Ivy Hall, Prairie, and Twin Groves Schools are available below.
Click to view map of the area served by the fee-based transportation program:
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Make payment for fee-based busing at the time of online registration or by check mailed to the District Business Office, located at 1050 Ivy Hall Lane, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089. Checks may also be dropped off at the Business Office located within Ivy Hall at 1072 Ivy Hall Lane, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089.
To participate in the Fee-Based Transportation System, a parent/guardian must complete the enrollment form, the transportation opt-in form, and provide full payment of $525 per child by check (or make payment through registration online, available only when completing online registration for a student).
It is our hope that parents will take advantage of this service and make it a viable alternative for the children in our community. By providing access to transportation, the Board of Education hopes to contribute to the safety and convenience of transporting our children to and from school.
FAQs About Busing
Q: Does our child need to stand outside at the bus stop 10 minutes early every school day? Even in inclement weather?
A: Yes, your child needs to stand outside 10 minutes early every school day to be prepared if the bus arrives a few minutes early or late due to traffic or weather conditions. He or she should be waiting on the side of the street that the bus door opens on prior to the arrival of the bus.
Q: Can we drive our child to the stop and have him or her wait in the car during inclement weather?
A: Yes, but please make sure you do not interfere with the bus operation. Please do not block intersections or lines of sight and stay a safe distance away from the bus path. The buses have what is known as “tail swing” and the tail end of the bus often hangs out farther if the driver has to drive around objects or vehicles.
Again as noted above, if your child is waiting in your vehicle, he or she must be at the bus stop 5 minutes before the bus is due. Having your child approach or cross the street as the bus arrives at the stop puts him or her in potential danger, as the roads may be slick and the line of sight is blocked for other drivers.
Q: Whom do I call if the bus never arrives?
A: Contact your school directly and tell the building administrative assistant or call the Business Office at (847) 459-4260, ext. 8001. The District will contact the bus company to learn the reason the bus did not arrive.
Q: Whom do I call if my child does not get off the bus at the assigned stop or the bus accidentally passes our stop?
A: If your child has not been dropped off, call the school and tell the front office of the situation. If you cannot reach anyone at the school or the District Business Office at (847) 459-4260, ext. 8001, contact Safeway Transportation at (224) 434-2399.
Q: When I have a question or concern about the bus service, whom should I call and what information should I provide?
A: Call the Business Office at (847) 459-4260, ext. 8001or email [email protected], with any questions about the bus service. Please be prepared to provide your name, student's name and school, address, child’s bus number, and bus stop location so that she will be able to answer your questions.
Q: How are the bus routes designed or decided?
A: Each year the District and our transportation provider review each route for efficiencies. The review includes the locations of students, the route of travel, increase or decrease in ridership, and start times. With this information and the assistance of computerized routing software, the best routes are developed.
Q: How are bus stops determined?
A: As we have evaluated routes and applied the standards discussed in the Transportation Guidelines, stops have been consolidated or moved to standard locations to serve the community. By doing so, the stops will stay more consistent, with fewer route modifications required each year.
Q: Why have some stops been eliminated?
A: Enrollment is calculated at the beginning of each school year. Bus stops are created to meet the needs of all the students assigned to that particular bus route. This requires that some bus stops be evaluated, moved, or eliminated to accommodate student transportation needs.
Q: May I ask our bus driver to change a stop location or to add a stop?
A: No. The drivers do not have authority to change or add a stop and assume all liability if they do so. To serve the needs of the community, stops have been placed at common locations such as intersections and entrances to culs-de-sac and moved away from preferential locations, such as specific houses. If you have a request concerning bus stop locations, please contact the Business Office at (847) 459-4260, ext. 8001 or email [email protected].
Q: If I move, but stay within the District, to whom do I talk about changing buses?
A: Notify your child’s school building administrative assistant about your address change and the need to assign your child to a different bus route.
Q: What happens if I move out of District but still want my child to finish out the remainder of the year at his or her current school?
A: Advise the building administrative assistant at your child's school of your move and your new address. Note that bus service will not be provided for students who move out of district.
Q: What is fee-based busing? Who is eligible? How much does it cost?
A: Fee-based busing is a program that originated in 1997 to provide busing for children who live within walking distance to their school (1.5 miles). Fee-based busing is open to children who attend Ivy Hall Elementary, Prairie Elementary, and Twin Groves Middle School. If you are unsure whether your house is within 1.5 miles of your child's school, please consult the maps on the District website. If you have any questions about this program, please call the Business Office at (847) 459-4260, ext. 8001 or email [email protected].
Q: What happens if I move out of District, and I have paid for fee-based busing?
A: The school district will reimburse you on a prorated basis for remaining days in the school year for which you were originally charged.
For questions about District 96 transportation, please email [email protected].