Transportation Guide for Families

Transportation services that are available to students vary by each child’s eligibility and need for those services. Speak with your school if you have questions about the available options.

Methods of Transportation

  • OMNY Cards are distributed by your school for use on MTA subways & non-express buses.
  • Stop-to-School Busing picks up and drops off eligible students at designated bus stops.
  • Curb-to-School Busing picks up students from the nearest, safest curb to their home. 

Eligibility

  • Student OMNY Cards and Stop-to-School Busing: Depends on grade and distance requirements; busing is available based on additional criteria, including length of route and district lines. Additionally, it is provided to students who are recommended for stop-to-school busing on their 504 Plan.
  • Curb-to-School Busing: Provided to students who are recommended for curb-to-school busing on their IEP or 504 Plan.
  • Students in Temporary Housing and Foster Care residing 0.5 miles or more from their school who are in in Grades K-6, and grade 7 or 8 with an IEP: Are eligible to request busing and will be placed either on a stop-to-school or curb-to-school route. More information is below.

Exceptions to Eligibility

  • The types of exceptions are: Temporary Medical, Temporary Housing, Foster Care, Joint Custody, Victim of a Crime, Order of Protection, and Hazard.
  • Families of students who already receive curb-to-school busing can request one-way transportation to a different afterschool location within the same borough as their home or school instead of being dropped off at their home.

Transportation Accommodations on an IEP

  • Most students with IEPs travel to and from school in the same manner as students without IEPs. An IEP team may recommend busing for children whose documented needs affect their ability to travel to or from school. These needs can be emotional, behavioral, cognitive or communication, and physical or medical.
  • Some children may also require additional transportation accommodations to travel safely to and from school. These can include: 1:1 transportation paraprofessionals, medical/nursing services, travel time limitations, climate control, safety vests, and car seats.
  • Families who believe curb-to-school busing and/or transportation accommodations are necessary to address their child’s disability as they travel to school should reach out to their school or CSE-based IEP team. 

Parent Safety and Independence Training Pilot

The Student Safety and Independence Training for Families pilot program is designed to empower parents with the knowledge and resources to promote the safety skills of their own children with disabilities. Students with disabilities benefit from explicitly learning skills to ensure safety, leading to more freedom and independence, an increase in self-esteem, and more opportunities for jobs and independent living in the future. If each skill is imbedded and practiced until the student has demonstrated mastery, they should be able to travel using the city’s transit systems and pedestrian routes rather than yellow busing or other special transportation. This program fosters independence, enhances community inclusion, and builds a network of support among families navigating similar challenges.

Application:

Students in Temporary Housing and Students in Foster Care

  • Students in temporary housing and students in foster care residing 0.5 miles or more from their school who are in grades K-6, and grade 7 or 8 with an IEP, are eligible for busing to their school. An Exceptions Form to request busing must be filled out for students in:
    • Foster care
    • Preschool (temporary housing and foster care)
    • HRA-DV shelters
    • HERRC shelters
    • Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) shelters
    • Temporary doubled-up situations
    • Other temporary housing, i.e. car, park, students transitioning from temporary to permanent housing
  • Families/Students in Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelters do not need to complete an exceptions form for students residing 0.5 miles or more from their school who are in grades K-6, and grade 7 or 8 with an IEP.
  • For students with busing recommended on their IEPs, contact your child’s school to initiate transportation. (Do not complete an exception form).
  • MetroCards are available upon request for parents/guardians of students in temporary housing or foster care in 3K through grade 12 to accompany their child to and from school who do not receive busing or are in the process of being routed.
    • To request a MetroCard, contact your child’s school.
  • Address Updates:
    • Immediately update your school with any address changes or changes to living arrangements.
      • Families of students in temporary housing can speak to their shelter staff or the DOE's Regional Manager who can help connect you with your child’s school and understand your transportation options. For more information on the process please visit the Students in Temporary Housing page.
      • Families of students in foster care can contact their child's school or Foster Care Coordinator. For information and contact, please visit the Students in Foster Care page.

Preparation

  • Ensure all emergency contact information is kept up to date with your school.
  • Immediately update your school with any address changes or changes to living arrangements.
  • Know your bus stop, and arrive a few minutes before the scheduled pickup time. Note that the bus will not wait more than a few minutes and it must continue on its route.

Support

Troubleshooting

Visit the Support Hub and click on "Transportation".

Contact Your Child's School when

  • Your school bus is repeatedly late or repeatedly does not show up.
  • You are having problems with your child's current school bus.
  • You want to file a complaint against a school bus staff member.
  • You want to know your child's bus route information; this information is also found in the New York City Schools Account (NYCSA).
  • You need to request busing for your child, or make a change in your child's current busing.
  • You have a question about student OMNY cards.
  • You need help with accommodations.
  • Your child has a disability and you need to arrange for busing on their IEP or 504 Plan.

Contact the Bus Company when

  • Your child's school bus is late.
  • Your child's school bus did not arrive today.
  • You’re unsure about your child’s pick-up and/or drop-off times.

Contact OPT when

  • You want to submit a complaint against a bus company.
  • You want to report a safety concern about a school bus.
  • You need help with an emergency involving a school bus.
  • You want to report an accident involving a school bus.

Rights

Summer School

Weather Emergency

  • Our weather emergency procedures, created with the NYPD, Fire Department, and NYC Emergency Management, are available at schools.nyc.gov/transportation.

Transportation Reminders

High School Students are eligible for a NYC Ferry Discount

We're excited to announce a special discount code just for high school students! High school students can now enjoy exclusive savings on NYC Ferry tickets with the Ferry Student Discount Program, which provides opportunities for NYC High School students to access discounted NYC Ferry tickets on weekdays for the purpose of traveling to and from school. For more information please visit the NYC Ferry website. If you have additional questions, please review the FAQs.

For additional information on NYCSA and Student Profile, refer to the NYCSA/FAM/Student Profile Wiki.

For additional information on how to apply, refer to NYC Ferry Student Discount.

Have Questions or Need Help?

If you have questions that cannot be answered by the Transportation Coordinator at your school or your bus company, visit schools.nyc.gov/transportation or contact OPT’s Customer Service Line at 718-392-8855.

For emergencies such as a missing bus or an accident, contact OPT’s Customer Service Line at 718-392-8855.