Back-to-School Bus Information

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Hundreds of schools buses will take to the roads in across the First Coast on August 18th.

The first step for parents and students is to find out the bus route number, bus stop and pick-up / drop-off times for the students.

Parents and students in Duval County can look up this information at Duval Schools web site. (Click here for a link to the website)

The other option is the call the Transportation Call Center for Duval County Public Schools. The phone number is (904) 381-RIDE (7433). People are answering the phones from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays through August 29th.

Carolyn Hess, the Transportation Operations Supervisor for Duval County Public Schools, says parents should expect some delays to the schedules in the first week.

"The first week it takes bus drivers a little bit longer to run the routes because they are looking for students not familiar with the bus stops," says Hess.

But she says students should wait no more than 20 minutes after their bus pick-up time. "If the bus is not there then go head and take them to school if the parents can," says Hess.

If there is a problem or delay with the bus, parents can call the Transportation Call Center. "We can investigate why the bus didn't come," says Hess. "We'll make sure that they were at the right stop and right time. And we'll fix any problems for the next morning."

Every year parents of kindergarten students recieve a dismissal form from the child's school. It helps the bus driver know what to do with young children.

Parents need to send that form in with the child on the first day of school.

Hess says this year the school district will be enforcing the use the form even moe. "We are trying to prevent kindergartners from getting on a bus and not knowing where they are suppose to get off," says Hess.

The form tells the bus driver who will be waiting for the child at the bus stop or if the child can walk home. It will also tell the school if the child is staying for the Extended Day Program, being picked up by a parent or walking home from school.

If parents didn't recieve the dismissal form, then Hess recommends they come into school with the child the first morning or send a note with the child explaining how he/she will get home.

Another important step for parents of young children is to tag the child with their bus information. The tag should say the child's name, bus number, bus stop, school name and a contact phone number.

"This is important because a young child may know where they live but if you ask the child what bus stop, they aren't going to know," says Hess.

Other County Bus Information:Clay County Schools Bus Information: click hereNassau County Schools Bus Information: click hereSt. Johns County Schools Bus Information: click herePutnam County School Bus Information: Call (386) 329-0554.