FAQ

Row of School Buses

Can my child ride the school bus?

It depends on where you live. The Boise School District Policy Manual (#8110) reads, in part, as follows:

"Student Qualifications for Transportation: Greater than One and One-Half Miles. The Superintendent or designee shall offer, where practicable, transportation services to District students living one and one-half (1-1/2) miles or more from the nearest appropriate school as determined by the nearest and best route from the junction of the driveway of the pupil's home and the nearest public road to the nearest door of the school house in his/her attendance area."

If the child uses a childcare facility (daycare) and that facility is both within the school attendance area the child attends and more than 1-1/2 miles from the school, or in a designated “safety busing zone,” transportation will be provided to and from school. Idaho Code 33 - 1501 does not allow a school district to provide transportation between a childcare facility (daycare) and a child's home.

Please call the District Transportation office, (208) 854-4167, or e-mail us at [email protected], to see if your child is eligible for school bus transportation. In order to provide accurate information concerning eligibility, we will need the exact address of the child's residence or childcare facility. 

How is eligibility for transportation determined?

The District determines transportation eligibility using a global positioning system (GPS) device, which measures mileage to the nearest hundredth (0.01) of a mile. The distance is measured by the nearest and best route from the junction of the driveway of the pupil's home and the nearest public road to the nearest door of the schoolhouse in his/her attendance area.

Are there any exceptions to the 1- 1/2 mile rule?

Yes. The Boise School District Policy Manual (#8110) reads, in part, as follows:

"Student Qualifications for Transportation: Safety Busing Zones. The Superintendent or designee shall offer transportation of students who reside less than one and one-half (1-1/2) miles from school when, in the judgment of the Board, the age, health or safety of the students warrants such action."

For an area to be designated as a "safety busing zone," it must meet criteria which has been approved by the School Board. If you live in an area, or your childcare facility is located in an area, designated by the School Board as a "safety busing zone," transportation will be provided to and from school. Please call the District Transportation Office, (208) 854-4167, or e-mail us at [email protected], to see if your address (or childcare facility address) is located in a "safety busing zone."

How do I get my child to school if they can't ride the school bus?

The final decision about what is the most appropriate way to get a child safely to and from school must rest with the parent(s)/guardian(s). The parent/guardian is the person most knowledgeable about the child's abilities and is in the best position to choose the safest and most appropriate way in their area to get the child safely to and from school. Some options that a parent/guardian might want to consider are: walking with a parent/guardian; walking in a group with other students/parents; being driven to school (by a parent/guardian, grandparents, friends, etc.); carpooling; riding bikes; public transportation; private transportation providers (see telephone book); and childcare providers.

Can my student ride the city bus (Valley Regional Transit)? 

High school students and Boise School District staff members are eligible to ride Valley Regional Transit buses free of charge. High school students can ride using their high school student ID instead of payment, and BSD staff can use their ID badge. You can access Valley Regional Transit routes, maps, policies and more on 
VRT's website.

How do I go about getting my child on the school bus?

The first step is to let the administrative assistant at the school know that you would like to request transportation. The administrative assistant will post information in the District's computer system which will be shared with the Transportation Office. The Transportation Supervisor will review whether or not the student meets the eligibility criteria. Eligible students will be added to the bus assignment list, and the parent/guardian may locate bus stop schedule information within the Infinite Campus Parent or Student Portal. If your child is a special needs student, please contact your child's special needs teacher to begin the process for transportation services.

How are school bus stops established?

Every effort is made to establish school bus stops near where students live. While we do not stop at the home of each student, we do use the homes of students whenever possible as a stop for students living in that area. Stops for elementary students are usually within two to three blocks of their home. Stops for junior high and high school students are usually within four to five blocks of their homes. Stop locations and distances may vary depending upon the number of students in the area and the type of area (urban/rural) served.

Why did my bus stop change?

During the summer of 2024, we evaluated our bus routes district-wide. In some cases, your child’s bus stop may have been moved to another location. Changes were made to bus stops and schedules. This was done in an effort to improve on-time performance, reliability of our student transportation, and to adjust to current traffic patterns while maintaining our commitment to safe routes to school.

Will you transport my child to and from a childcare facility which is located outside of his/her attendance area?

No. The childcare facility must be within the home school attendance area the child attends and more than 1-1/2 miles from the school, or in a designated "safety busing zone," for transportation to be provided to and from school.

Will you transport my child between a childcare facility and my home?

No. Idaho Code 33-1501 does not allow a school district to provide transportation between a childcare facility and a child's home.

There is no room for my child at the designated school in our area. He/she has been assigned to another school. Will you provide transportation to and from the school to which they have been assigned?

Yes. The school administrative assistant will forward the request for transportation to our office. Transportation will be set up within three to five working days.

I have a special needs child. How do I arrange for transportation services?

Please contact your child's special needs teacher to begin the process for transportation services.

I have permission for my child to attend a school other than the one designated for our area through the open enrollment policy. Will you provide transportation to and from school?

Perhaps. The district's open enrollment policy (3113) allows that, if space is available on the bus, open enrollment students may ride. No stops will be added and no routes will be altered in order to accommodate open enrollment students.  Approvals do not start until at least three weeks into the school year.

My child needs to ride a bus for one day that they do not normally ride. What should I do?

Please call your child's school. Upon verification, the school will work to give your child a temporary bus pass, as long as space is available on the bus.

My child will be attending summer school. Will you provide transportation to and from school?

No. The Boise School District Policy Manual (#8110) reads, in part, as follows:
"Summer School: The District does not provide transportation for the regular summer school program."

Can I track my child's bus so I know when it is arriving at my child's bus stop or when it leaves my child's school?

Our bus contractor, Durham School Services, offers the Bus Zone Mobile App. This app will allow you to log in and securely track your child’s bus location during the scheduled route. You can set up alert zones and enable notifications for when the bus arrives or departs the school.

Check out the Bus Zone Parent User Guide for helpful information. You will need your student’s bus number(s) and student ID number for the Bus Zone App, all of which you can find in Infinite Campus. The access code for Boise School District is: 2048ISDBC

Why doesn't the District own and operate its own school bus fleet?

It is more cost-effective for the District to contract its school busing operation than use District resources to transport students. The District's expertise is in educating students. The expertise of our school bus contractor is transporting students.  Durham School Services works closely with the District to provide safe and reliable transportation. Its operation is monitored constantly by District Transportation Office staff members. By using a contractor to provide transportation services, the District gains the contractor's expertise while saving money by not having to buy and maintain school buses, and hire and train drivers, attendants, and mechanics.

I'm interested in being a school bus driver or attendant. How do I apply for these positions?

You may visit Durham School Services at 465 West Gowen Road in Boise, call 208-854-5238, text 208-286-6131, or apply online at Durham School Services corporate website. 

How do I request a school bus stop be added or changed?

Please call the District's transportation contractor at (208) 854-5230 to make a request, or submit a Bus Stop Change Request Form. Each request is evaluated before the decision is made to add or change a stop. Once a stop change is approved, it may take three to five working days to have it implemented because other riders need to be notified of the change and, in some cases, a bus or buses may need to be rerouted.

I don't think my child's bus stop is in a safe location. What can I do?

Please call the District's transportation contractor at (208) 854-5230 and advise them of the situation. They will investigate your concern and provide a response to you after completing an assessment of the situation.

How do I contact Durham School Services?

If you have a complaint or compliment about a Durham School driver or bus, you can fill out this form via Bus Report. You may alternatively call Durham School Services at (208) 854-5230.