Contacting Us
Who should I call if I have questions regarding transportation?
Call our Customer Service: 520-225-6262 (Option 1)
Phone Hours: 7:30 am - 4:00 pm (Monday - Friday)
Who do I call after hours?
For emergencies, call School Safety: 520-584-7676
Phone Hours: 24 hours, seven days a week
Non-emergency inquiries can be emailed to Transportation
Partnered Transport Companies
| Assist Service | 816-397-3447 |
| Bee Line | 520-760-8784 |
| Collaborative Stu | 612-964-0306 |
| Everdriven | 877-225-7750 |
| First Student, Inc | 520-209-7593 |
| Handi Car Inc | 520-881-3391 |
| HopSkipDrive | 844-467-7547 |
| Kango | 844-977-0443 |
| SunTran | 520-792-9222 |
| White Transport | 806-745-7811 |
What do I do if my child leaves something on the bus?
For prompt assistance, please call our customer service team and provide the student ID number.
Eligibility
Does my child need to attend a Tucson Unified school to take TUSD transportation.
Yes. A child must be enrolled in one of our schools to ride a school bus.
Do Pre-K students qualify for transportation?
No, unless they have an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Please see Exceptional Education for assistance.
My child lives within walking radius, and the walking path is unsafe. Do we get transportation?
To report on your unsafe walk path, please get in touch with Transportation at 520-225-6262 (Option 1).
If our School Safety Department determines the walking path is unsafe, you will be directed to the Open Enrollment Map for the closest stop available.
How do I find which transportation program my student qualifies for?
All parents/guardians must request transportation through the annual Online Registration process.
Tucson Unified provides the following transportation programs:
- Exceptional Education-Individual Education Plan (IEP) transportation
- McKinney-Vento transportation
- Attendance Boundary transportation
- Open Enrollment transportation is available for most students who do not qualify for the other transportation programs
School bus transportation is provided for students as follows:
- Students attending Elementary and K-8 schools who live at least 1 mile from school
- Middle school students who live at least 2 1/2 miles from school
- High school students who live at least 2 1/2 miles from school with no public bus service
Under A.R.S. §15-764, children with a disability (as defined by A.R.S. §15-761) in connection with any program, class, or service.
What is Exceptional Education IEP Routing?
Exceptional Education transportation can be provided to students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and must be requested at the school’s office. Please see Exceptional Education for assistance.
What is McKinney-Vento Routing?
McKinney-Vento transportation is provided to students who qualify through the McKinney-Vento program and can only be requested at the school’s office.
The Family and Community Outreach line is 520-232-7059. Please see About McKinney-Vento for details.
What is an Attendance Boundary?
Students residing within their school of attendance boundary and who live outside of the walk zone may request neighborhood transportation at the school’s office. To find attendance boundaries for your school, visit PAG School Search.
What is Open Enrollment Routing?
Most students qualify for Open Enrollment transportation; parents/guardians must review the Open Enrollment Map and select the stop that best suits their child’s needs.
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. All kindergarten bus riders MUST BE MET at bus stops. Parents/guardians will need to select an alternative drop-off option on the ‘Wee Care’ form for their child to walk with a "bus buddy” or walk alone. Please see About Wee Care for details.
If my child lives outside of the Tucson Unified School District but attends a Tucson Unified school, does my child qualify for transportation?
Your child may qualify for transportation through the Open Enrollment program. You can review the Open Enrollment Map for available stops near you. Our Open Enrollment “HUB stops” are static and cannot be modified.
Service Options & Changes
What does it mean if my child “MUST-BE-MET?"The child must remain on the bus until a designated person is present at the bus stop.
Once a transportation request is submitted, how do I verify my student is routed?
Parents/Guardians can access their student’s transportation stop information through ParentVue or Here Comes the Bus (HCTB) after submitting a transportation request via the annual Online Registration process. Updates may take up to three school days to appear.
How is my child’s pick-up/drop-off point determined?
Different variables are considered when routing a student, such as:
- Eligibility qualifications of the student
- Bus capacity and availability
- Already established stops that are readily available within the neighborhood of the student
Yes. Contact your school to follow the approval process for an alternate address. The alternate address must be an already established stop; a new stop cannot be created.
Exceptions for new stops can only be provided to McKinney-Vento and Exceptional Education students.
Can my child be transported only in the morning or afternoon?
Yes, you can request only in the morning or afternoon by contacting our customer service at 520-225-6262 (Option 1).
What if my child is eligible for transportation, has not used it, and suddenly needs it?
If you require transportation during the school year, please log into ParentVue and request it by completing the online registration, and afterward, visit your school’s office to confirm your eligibility for transportation programs and obtain immediate access options while your child is being permanently routed.
Is it permissible for a sibling of a student in Exceptional Education (Ex Ed) who has contracted transportation to ride along with them?
No, siblings can share rides only when transportation is not contracted, as contracted services are exclusively for qualifying students, and accommodations for siblings cannot be provided.
Can my child ride the bus temporarily without being routed?
Yes, a child may ride a bus temporarily for a maximum of six educational days. A temporary bus pass must be requested from the student’s school.
Access to temporary transportation is determined based on the desired bus's already established stops, capacity, and availability.
Will my student ride the same bus in the afternoon as in the morning?
We attempt to route students on the same bus with the same bus driver, but this is not always possible.
Can a friend ride home on the bus with my child?
Yes, if both parents call the school’s main office, it is approved and communicated to customer service; this exception is typically just for that day.
A temporary bus pass can be provided for a maximum of six educational days upon request by a parent/guardian.
What time should my student arrive at the morning (AM) bus stop?
Students should be at the stop at least 10 minutes before the scheduled pick-up time. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to set up notifications for bus arrival through ‘Here Comes the Bus’ (HCTB). Parents/guardians should never leave their children at a bus stop alone. For safety reasons, parents/guardians should wait for the bus with their student(s).
The bus didn’t show up on time for my child. How long should they wait at the stop?
Parents can check the location of their child’s bus by opening the ‘Here Comes the Bus’ (HCTB) service to ensure their child’s arrival at their designated bus stop always matches the arrival of the bus. If the bus is late, stay and wait at the stop. Traffic issues, mechanical breakdowns, and road emergencies can all impact arrival times, but buses will eventually reach each stop on the route. Delays with buses will be communicated through both ParentSquare and HCTB. If the wait is longer than 10 minutes, call Transportation at 520-225-6262 (Option 1).
Who’s responsible for getting my child from daycare to the bus or from the bus to daycare?
The daycare staff stands in place of the parent and must meet the child at the bus door just as a parent would. Please take this into account when considering childcare.
Do you do door-to-door pick up?
No. Bus stops are curb-to-curb. We do not meet students at the door, nor do we accompany students to the door.
Only Exceptional Education students with detailed IEPs are eligible for home transportation.
How long is a typical bus ride?
Riding time depends on the distance between your assigned stop, your school, and the additional riders/stops on your bus route. An average Tucson bus ride takes 40 minutes.
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.
If my child is sick, will they be transported home during the school day?
No. You must return your child home.
What if my child no longer needs transportation?
If your child is eligible for transportation but will no longer use it, please call 520-225-6262 (Option 1).
Is a bus stop ever dropped or eliminated?
Yes, if a bus stop is not used for 10 consecutive days, it is eliminated.
Rules & Safety
What are the bus rules?See the Bus Conduct page for the rules of behavior.
Are there cameras on the bus?
Although all buses are fitted with cameras, occasional malfunctions may occur, and Transportation consistently strives to ensure their proper functionality.
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.
What does it mean if my child must be met?
The child will not be let off the bus without an authorized person present at the bus stop.
Are there monitors on the bus?
Our monitors are added to buses on a case-by-case basis.
Is there supervision at bus stops?
No, but we supervise at transfer points.
Tucson USD Policy EEA – Student Transportation in School Buses
