The transportation team maintains a fleet of 216 vehicles, of which 160 are school buses. The team averages 650 school bus runs each day, covering more than 12,000 miles in support of our students!
Bus Stop and Pupil Transportation Information
The School Board establishes travel distances and bus stops are determined based on guidelines from the School Board. Considerations in establishing stops include sidewalks, hills, curves, road speed, construction, and residences of registered sex offenders. Cluster stops are placed in a central location based on bus loads and driver feedback. For the safety and security of all passengers, buses are equipped with audio/video monitoring systems.
Stopfinder is an app that helps families stay informed about their child’s bus location and schedule in real-time, allowing families to track the bus and receive alerts about any changes.
Transportation Dispatch:
(757) 565-0808
Option 2 is for Normal School Day
Hours of Operation: 5:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m
Forms & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes. The school bus is an extension of the classroom. School begins when the bus arrives at the bus stop. The standard or expected behavior for students on a school bus, is that every student will remain seated throughout the bus ride. School bus drivers will address students displaying improper and/or unsafe behavior and refer repeated offenders to school administration for review/action.
When there is an infraction on the bus, a referral is turned into the school administrators, who are responsible for contacting the student and parent to solve the lack of compliance with bus expectations. The school administrator is solely responsible for consequences based on the incident as described by the driver and student. All buses have video cameras, which could be used to verify incidents.
Parents are responsible for their own children as they wait for the school bus to arrive in the morning. The school division will become responsible for students once they board the school bus. Parents again assume responsibility for their own children once the student(s) depart the school bus. Grades 1-12 will be released at the assigned school bus stop, therefore parents/guardians must decide if their presence is required each day to receive their own children.
Kindergarten students are required to have a parent/guardian/older sibling present with them at the school bus stop both mornings and afternoons. If a responsible person is not available to receive the KG student, that student will be returned to their school and the parent/guardian will become responsible to transport them home that day.
Parent/guardian concerns regarding student transportation should be directed to either the student’s designated school or the WJCC Transportation Office at 757-565-0808 and select option #2.
Students in Special Programs and programs outside our district (i.e. Preschool, Career and Technical, Governor’s School and School of Arts) will receive a call approximately 1-week before school starts with bus stop information. All other students (K-12) and Special Needs can check the division web page for the Bus Stop & Zone Info link.
School Board Policy EEAB has established the following:
- Students in grades K-5 can travel up to .5 miles.
- Students in grades 6-12 can travel up to 1.0 mile.
School bus stops are created using an automated routing system in conjunction with both an efficiency and safety criteria. This criteria includes creating centralized stops that pose no unusual hazards to students and the community.
Students should arrive at the school bus stop 10 minutes prior to their scheduled pick up time. While we make every effort to have the bus on time, events beyond our control can and do occur. Heavy morning traffic and adverse weather conditions are the most common problems. If the bus is late, parents should call the WJCC Transportation Office at 757-565-0808 and select option #2.
You can fill out a change request form by downloading the document below:
[dg ids=596]There are no time limits set by School Board Policy. We attempt to keep bus runs less than 60 minutes. However, there are occasions when this is not practical based on the distances, number of stops, and number of students required to be transported to and from a school.
Contact your child’s school. The school will contact the School Division Special Needs Department and a Case Manager will be assigned for each student. The Case Manager will assist families in determining the appropriate transportation services. Transportation services for special needs children are documented as a component to the child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) and these requirements are provided to the transportation department.
Education and knowledge will keep students safe. Replacing school buses at established intervals will keep the technology current and better serve the driver and students. Students are safer by understanding and following the bus safety rules. The informed public should be aware and comply with the law by not passing a stopped school bus with red lights flashing.
Whenever possible, parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to accompany their children to and from the bus stop, as safety is greatly enhanced.
Drivers are required to check buses at the completion of each run. Drivers are asked to secure any items left on a bus until the next morning. If the student does not ride in the morning, the driver will turn the item into the respective school’s front office. For emergencies only (medications, etc.) parents can contact WJCC Transportation at 757-565-0808 option #2.
The Danger Zone is a 10-foot wide area all around a school bus where students are in the most danger of being hit and injured by the school bus. Students must stay 10-feet away from the bus to be out of the Danger Zone and should never go behind the bus. If students must cross the street they should take five steps in front of the bus before crossing to ensure the driver has a clear line of sight. Students should remain alert for cars (someone running the red lights) and never approach the bus when it is preparing to stop.
