General Transportation FAQ
Who is eligible for bus transportation in Arlington?
Arlington Public Schools provides safe transportation to and from school for enrolled students living beyond a one-mile walking distance from elementary schools and a one and one-half mile walking distance from middle and high schools (property line to property line). To find out if your child is eligible for school bus transportation, first review the bus eligibility map for your school. If you are still not sure, you may contact the Transportation Call Center or email the office. Students who transfer from their assigned neighborhood school to another are not eligible for transportation.
My child is 6 years old (or younger). What happens if I fail to meet the bus?
For a young child, not being met by a parent/guardian is often very frightening for the child. If a parent or his/her designee is not at the stop to meet the child, the bus driver will return a child first grade or under to the school after completing their run for that school. The child will remain on the bus until the end of the route when the driver is able to return the student to his/her school.
In addition, drivers will return any student (from any grade) to school if the child does not feel safe exiting the bus. The child will remain on the bus until the end of the route when the driver is able to return the student to his/her school. For questions about estimated time of arrivals back to the school, please contact Transportation at 703-228-6640.
What is the procedure when I need to have a different person meet my child at the bus stop?
Only persons listed on the student’s emergency care card are authorized to meet a child at the bus stop. If a different person needs to meet your child, please notify your school and provide his/her name and relationship. The school will forward this information to the transportation office then on to the school bus driver. Please ask persons meeting your child to have a picture ID with them when they meet the bus. The driver will not knowingly release a child without either a note from the school or by confirming that the individual has a proper ID.
How can I find out if school is closed, delayed or has an early dismissal because of bad weather, emergencies or other conditions?
Whenever school officials decide to make any changes in school operations, including closing school, delaying school opening by two hours, or sending students home early, APS communicates these decisions through a variety of methods including:
- APS School Talk – emails, text messages and/or phone calls
- Toll-free Hotline recorded messages at 703-228-4277, in English or Spanish
- Messages on the APS website home page
- Messages on Comcast Cable Channel 70, Verizon FiOS Channel 41
- Messages sent to all local radio and TV stations
- Social Media – facebook || Instagram || X (twitter)
Check the Student Handbook for detailed information about “Closings, Delays and Early Dismissals.”
My child missed the bus. Can the bus come back to the bus stop?
Buses cannot return for students who missed their scheduled pick up. Each bus has a tight schedule and other assignments to complete, and returning would disrupt the schedule for others. We appreciate your understanding and encourage students to be at the stop 10 minutes before the scheduled pick-up time.
Who should I speak to about problems that occurred on my child’s bus?
If there is an issue on the bus, please contact your child’s school. If you have a concern about a bus driver, route or general questions, please call Transportation Services at 703-228-6640. You can also email Transportation at transportation@apsva.us.
What is a student conduct report?
A student conduct report is used to report a student who violates the safety rules on the bus that may cause harm to the student, to another student or to the public. This includes actions that distract the bus driver’s attention from the roadway. If a student conduct report is completed for a student, the school staff members will contact the student’s family if they need to speak to the parent or guardian as part of the disciplinary steps taken to resolve the problem. As a reminder, riding the school bus is a privilege. Students who do not behave at the bus stop or on the school bus may have the privilege of riding revoked for a specified time or permanently.
Can students bring musical instruments or large objects with them on the bus?
Musical Instruments and large objects are permitted on the school bus as long as they can fit on the student’s lap or stored between the student’s legs and the barrier in front of the student.. The student must be able to carry the instrument or object on and off of the bus by him/herself. Instruments or large objects cannot block the aisle. Large instruments such as drum kits, cellos and basses are too large to be transported on school buses safely. In an accident, these items can easily become a projectile and can injure a student. If you are unsure, please check with your child’s school before bringing a large musical instrument or object to the bus stop.
How do I locate a lost item on a school bus?
If a driver finds an item on the bus, he/she will hold it until the following day. The student may ask the driver if his/her item was found on the bus. If it remains unclaimed, the driver will return it to the age-appropriate school.
If you contact Transportation Services, please provide us with a full description of the item. Often drivers are not able to inspect buses while they are on the road and will check for lost items at their next assignment. We recommend that personal items be stored in the child’s backpack to help prevent losing items. Because electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, and AirPods are very popular, the recovery rate is very low. We recommend that students store these items in a secure place such as their backpack while traveling to and from school. To inquire about lost items, please call Transportation at 703-228-6640 or emails us at transportation@apsva.us.
I am interested in becoming a school bus driver. How can I apply?
Please apply online at Careers@APS and submit your five-year driving history. One of our staff members will contact you to discuss becoming part of our team.
Option School Transportation FAQ
What is a hub stop?
Hub stops are centralized locations—such as a school, library or community center—where students from several neighborhoods meet to catch the bus to their school and may be a longer distance from a student’s residence. Not all neighborhoods will have a hub stop; rather stops are placed to be accessed from multiple neighborhoods and directions.
How are they established?
Our schools and other public facilities like libraries and community centers are our main hub locations since they tend to be places accessible from multiple neighborhoods, have room for many students to wait and available parking. Other factors we evaluate include: housing density; ease of bus operability. In some cases, there are no public facilities in an area, so other established bus stops are used. This approach strikes a balance between too many stops picking up few students and establishing stops that were too far apart.
Which schools/programs will use hub stops?
- Elementary: Arlington Traditional School (ATS), Campbell Elementary, Claremont Immersion, Key Immersion, Montessori Public School of Arlington
- Middle: Gunston Immersion & Montessori programs (for students who do not live in the Gunston boundary)
- High: Arlington Career Center/Arlington Tech, H-B Woodlawn, Wakefield Immersion & AP Network (for students who do not live in the Wakefield boundary), W-L International Baccalaureate (for students who do not live in the W-L boundary)
*Gunston, Wakefield and W-L students who live closer to an in-boundary stop will be assigned to it instead.
How will I know where the hub stops are?
Your student’s hub stop will be listed in your ParentVUE account.
Can I change my student’s hub stop if another works better for our family?
Yes, if families find that a different hub stop would work better for them, because it is on the way to work or for some other reason, they can request a stop change by contacting the Transportation office by phone at 703-228-8670 or email transportation@apsva.us.