Transportation FAQ

Contacting Us

1. Who should I call if I have questions regarding transportation?

   520-225-4800 – for our customer service.

2. Who do I call after hours?

   If you are calling for an emergency or if you need immediate information on your student's bus location, please call School Safety at 520-584-7676. They will transfer you to the on-call dispatcher.

   For all other after-hours questions, please give your child's name, school, and a phone number in your message:

   • To change your address or request alternate pick up or drop off, please contact your child's school
   • To speak to our staff, leave a message at our main line, 520-225-4800 – we will contact you within two (2) business days
   • Or email Transportation – your email will be answered within two (2) business days

3. What do I do if my child leaves something on the bus?

   Call our customer service at 520-225-4800.

Eligibility

1. How do I find out if my child qualifies for transportation?

   Generally, school bus transportation is provided for students attending their neighborhood schools. See Transportation Eligibility for additional details.

   Contact our customer service at 520-225-4800.

   Contact the school your student is attending.

2. If my child qualifies for transportation, when will I receive a copy of my child's bus stop info?

   If your child is enrolled by the due date, you will receive a letter, via U.S. Mail, two weeks prior to the start of school with the information.

   If your child is enrolled after the due date, you will be notified by phone or mail as your bus stop assignment information becomes available. It may be two to three weeks after the start of school.

3. How can I find out if I qualify for Incentive Transportation?

   Tucson Unified provides an incentive to diversify the student population by offering transportation to some open enrollment students. See info on Incentive Transportation.

4. Do open enrollment students qualify for transportation?

   Most open enrollment students do not qualify for transportation. However, Incentive Transportation is available for some students.

5. Does my child need to be attending a Tucson Unified school to take TUSD transportation?

   Yes. A child must be enrolled in one of our schools to ride a school bus.

6. If my child lives outside of the Tucson Unified School District but attends a Tucson Unified school, does my child qualify for transportation?

   No. We can not transport outside of the district boundaries.

7. Do Pre-K students qualify for transportation?

   No, unless they have an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Please see Exceptional Education for assistance.

Rules & Safety

1. What are the bus rules?

   See the Bus Conduct page for the rules of behavior.

2. How long is a typical bus ride?

   Ride time depends on the distance between your home and school and the additional riders/stops on your bus route.

3. What time should my student arrive at the morning (AM) bus stop?

   Students should be at the stop at least 10 minutes prior to scheduled pick-up time.

4. Will my student ride the same bus in the afternoon as the morning?

   We attempt to route students on the same bus with the same bus driver, but this is not always possible.

5. The bus didn't show up on time for my child. How long should they wait at the stop?

   Your child should arrive at the stop at least 10 minutes before the scheduled arrival time of the bus.

   If the bus is late, ask your child to remain at the stop. Buses break down, roads are blocked, drivers become ill or have emergencies, but there will always be a bus at every stop.

   If the wait becomes longer than 10 minutes, call our customer service at 520-225-4800.

6. What is the Wee Care Program?

   Wee Care is a program for our kindergarten bus riders, focused on enhancing safety procedures for our newest bus riders. Parents/guardians will need to determine whether their child will be met by themselves or another adult at the bus stop or if their child will walk with a "bus buddy." More about Wee Care.

7. What does it mean if my child is must be met?

   The child will not be let off the bus without an authorized person present at the bus stop.

8. What if my child receives a bus conduct report?

   All bus conduct reports are sent to the school administrator. According to district policy, the school administrator determines all disciplinary action.

9. Are there monitors on the bus?

   Our monitors are added to buses on a case-by-case basis.

10. Is there supervision at bus stops?

    No, but we supervise at transfer points.

11. Are there cameras on the bus?

    Yes, all of our buses have cameras.

Options & Changes to Service

1. Do you do door-to-door pick up?

   No. We do not meet students at the door, nor do we accompany students to the door. Bus stops are at the curb.

2. Can my child's pick up and drop off addresses differ?

   Yes. Please contact your school to follow the process for approval. Upon approval by the Transportation Department, you will be notified when, and if, the route can be set up.

   The addresses have to be consistent 5 days a week. The alternate pick up or drop off address must be in your attendance area. You must be eligible for transportation based on your home address, not the alternate address.

3. My child lives within the walk radius and the walk path is unsafe. Do we get transportation?

   To report your walk path unsafe, please contact Transportation at 520-225-4800.

   If our School Safety determines the walk path unsafe, you will receive route information as soon as possible.

4. What if my child is eligible for transportation, hasn't used it and suddenly needs it?

   Please call the our customer service at 520-225-4800 to let them know it is needed. They will let you know where you can get on the bus and/or if a stop will be re-instated.

5. If my child withdraws before the end of the year, will transportation be cancelled?

   Yes. Transportation will be cancelled when a student withdraws from school.

6. What if my child no longer needs transportation?

   If your child is eligible for transportation but will not use it, please call us at 520-225-4800.

7. If my child is sick, will they be transported home during the school day?

   No. You must return your child home.

8. Who's responsible for getting my child from daycare to the bus or from the bus to daycare?

   The daycare staff stands in the place of the parent and must meet the child at the bus just as a parent would. Please take this into account when considering child care.

9. Is a bus stop ever dropped or eliminated?

   Yes, if a bus stop is not used for 10 consecutive days, the bus stop will be eliminated.

10. Can my child be transported only for the morning or afternoon?

    Yes, you can request only morning or afternoon by contacting our customer service at 520-225-4800.