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
- MetroCards 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
- MetroCards 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 in Grades K-6: 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 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.
Students in Temporary Housing and Students in Foster Care
- Students in temporary housing and students in foster care in grades K-6 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
- Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) shelters
- Temporary doubled-up situations
- Other temporary housing, i.e. car, park, students transitioning from temporary to permanent housing
- Students with busing recommended on their IEPs and students in grades K-6 in Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelters do not need to complete an exceptions form.
- Parent(s)/Guardian(s) of students in grades 3K-12 can get a MetroCard from their child’s school to take their children to and from school.
- Families of students in temporary housing can speak to their shelter staff or the DOE's Regional Manager. For more information on the process please visit the Students in temporary housing page.
- Families of students in foster care can contact their school, a Foster Care Coordinator, or 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.
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 MetroCards.
- 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.
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
- Register: Sign up for your free NYC Schools Account to view real-time bus information and service changes.
- Keep us updated: Immediately notify the transportation coordinator at your school and your bus driver of any changes to your address or contact information. Check your NYCSA account to confirm changes.
- Meet your bus team: Get to know your bus driver and attendant, and make sure you have your bus company’s phone number.
- Practice safety: Review the Safe Travel Tips with your child.
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 https://infohub.nyced.org/in-our-schools/operations/transportation-resources-for-schools.
For emergencies such as a missing bus or an accident, contact OPT’s Customer Service Line at 718-392-8855.