Transportation

PfISD board policies deem that in order for a student to receive transportation services, he or she must be eligible based on specific criteria determined by the school board. The board outlines district policies in accordance with state and federal regulations for student transportation to ensure that students are served in a fair and equitable manner.

A student is deemed eligible for transportation if he or she meets at least one of the following criteria:

• Resides more than 2 miles from his/her home campus
• Resides less than 2 miles from his/her home campus, BUT are in an area that has been deemed hazardous by the School Board
• Has been approved to receive transportation by an ARD committee and that information has been included in the student’s IEP (Individual Education Plan)
• Is a part of the Project Hope program
• Is enrolled in an ESL/Bilingual program AND not within two miles of the campus he/she is designated to attend for the ESL/Bilingual program
• Is enrolled in the ASCEND (highly gifted) program AND not within two miles of the campus he/she is designated to attend for the ASCEND program

A student is not eligible for transportation if he or she falls into one of the categories below:

• Is a transfer student
• Is a student that lives within 2 miles of his/her home campus

The district’s guiding transportation policies can be viewed here.

Student safety is always of the utmost importance and at the top of the priority list for PfISD. The district strives to ensure that eligible students are being transported and delivered to and from their school campuses and homes safely.

By law (issued from the Department of Public Safety), students are required to have assigned seats and student seating charts must be submitted by the drivers to record student attendance.

The safety of students also requires that all students conduct themselves according to the rules and guidelines put in place by the district and bus drivers while students are entering, riding, and exiting the buses.

Transportation services are a privilege, and as such, students must do their part to ensure that these privileges can continue to be enjoyed safely by all who are eligible. Failure to display appropriate conduct, can and will lead to temporary or permanent suspension of riding privileges. Please see the entire list of rules and policies in the Pflugerville ISD Student Transportation Bus Rules section below, as well as those stipulated by the PfISD Student Code of Conduct.

Safety Reminders: State law mandates that all vehicles come to a complete stop when approaching a school bus with the red loading lights flashing.

Furthermore, state law also dictates that “a person commits an offense if the person intentionally disrupts, prevents, or interferes with the lawful transportation of children to and from school or an activity sponsored by a school on a vehicle owned or operated by a county or independent school district."

Click here to find your school on the map.

Click here to view the interactive map instructions.

Please visit the Infofinder link to find your student’s bus route or to see if your student is designated for transportation.

To use Infofinder, follow the instructions below:

1. Please visit the following link to access the bus finder feature: School and Bus Finder
2. Type in the student’s home address.
3. Click “search”.
4. A list of addresses will display. Please click on the student’s home address.
5. Schools that students in that attendance zone may attend will display.
6. If the student is in an ESL, BILINGUAL, or ASCEND program, please look for the campuses clearly designated as being for ESL, BILINGUAL, or ASCEND students. Otherwise, the campus not designated for those programs will be the school the student will attend.
7. Once you have determined which school the student will attend, note that the box will indicate whether or not bus transportation is provided. If transportation is provided, the bus number, along with other pertinent route information will display. If transportation is not provided, it will state “NO BUS TRANSPORTATION”.

Please note: The Transportation Department has provided a breakdown of bus routes and times in the communities that have single addresses with multiple lots. When these are available they will be listed in the Bulletin tab in Infofinder.

With Stopfinder, you will:

• Know the schedule of your child’s bus
• Receive push notifications related to your child’s bus schedule and any changes
• Get real-time information on the location of your child’s bus by creating your own alert zones with the upgrade to GeoAlerts
• Notice bus substitutions because they are clearly indicated – reducing misinformation and confusion
• Track multiple buses, a great feature if your children don’t ride the same bus
• Know exactly when your children arrive at school or at home
• Provide parents and caregivers with multilingual options in the app

Learn more...

The School Board defines hazardous routes and the provision of transportation in these areas as follows:

Hazardous Areas: The District may provide for transportation of students living within two miles of the school they attend who would be subject to hazardous traffic conditions if they walked to school. The Board defines ‘hazardous conditions’ as a neighborhood or portion of a neighborhood recognized as having no walkways for the students to use in order to reach school safely, an uncontrolled major traffic artery, and industrial or commercial area, or any other comparable condition. A hazardous area may consist of freeways, expressways, underpasses, overpasses, uncontrolled major traffic arteries, industrial/commercial area, and bridges. The age of the students crossing these areas to and from school shall be considered as a factor when establishing hazardous bus routes. Temporary hazardous situations shall not be given top priority.

The process for determining areas where hazardous routes may exist is completed by the School Board each spring. Once approved, hazardous routes for the school year in progress are set. Areas that may present new concerns can and will be reviewed as needed; however, they will not be approved until the following spring and will not take effect until the following school year.

Effective July 1, 2019, PfISD will operate a fleet of new 2019, air-conditioned buses equipped with seatbelts to ensure that students are transported safely and securely. Each bus is equipped with GPS and cameras, which allows each vehicle to be tracked and monitored at all times. This fleet is also equipped with the latest engine technology, which has allowed PfISD to reduce its carbon footprint through reduced carbon emissions.

Field Trips

Students being transported for field trips and activities are not subject to the primary eligibility requirements for student transportation. Any student designated as eligible to attend a campus field trip or activity by campus administrators/faculty may be transported for the purpose of that activity. However, district transportation is not provided to take eligible students homeafteran activity if the students arrive after the time buses are departing campuses each day. Parents, students, teachers, and coaches should discuss a plan of action for how students will get home if they are participating in extra-curricular events and activities during the year.

Athletic Trips

It is our district policy that PfISD athletic coaches obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and drive participating students to and from athletic competitions on the school buses provided by the district. Each of the coaches must take and pass the required written, driving, physical, and drug tests, as well as the necessary certification courses mandated by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

 
1. Who should be contacted if I have any questions, comments, or concerns about my student’s transportation?

PfISD’s Transportation Department can be contacted at (512) 594-0450 with any questions, comments, or concerns you may have about your student’s transportation needs.

2. Why is my student not eligible for transportation?

Students are deemed eligible or ineligible for transportation based on policies determined by the school board in conjunction with local, state, and federal guidelines and regulations for student transportation. Please visit the “Student Eligibility Requirements” section above for more information.

3. The bus is late and has not arrived to pick up my child. How long should he/she wait at the stop? Who do we contact if it does not arrive?

All students should arrive at their bus stops at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. A number of circumstances could contribute to a bus arriving late. These circumstances include, but are not limited to, traffic conditions, inclement weather, road construction and closures, vehicle breakdowns, the use of a substitute driver, etc. Please have your child remain at the bus stop, as the majority of these circumstances will mean that the bus is only running 5-10 minutes behind schedule. Should the bus not arrive within 10 minutes of its scheduled time of arrival, please contact Customer Service at (512) 594-0450.

4. The bus stop for my child is not as close to my house as I would like for it to be. How are stops determined? Can I get the stop moved closer to my house?

Due to the large number of students that we are responsible for transporting on a daily basis, the district must place stops at locations that are central to the greatest number of students. This practice allows us to ensure that students are boarding buses at the safest locations possible and that we are getting students to school on time. If you are concerned about your student’s safety as he or she walks to the designated stop, we encourage you to accompany your child to the stop or to arrange for another friend or student group to walk together to the stop each day. Requests to move stops can be made by contacting Transportation Customer Service at 512-594-0450; however, requests may be considered should they meet district guidelines for safety and efficiency.

5. Is it possible for my child to be picked up and/or dropped off at another location other than my home?

No. Only onelocation for pick-up and drop-off will be allowed. For the ultimate safety and consistency of providing services for our students, students will be picked up and dropped off at the student’s designated bus stop, even if after school care is provided at a different drop-off.

An ARD committee has determined that my student requires transportation and the IEP reflects this need.

1. When will services begin?

The goal is to begin service as quickly as possible, but please allow five to seven working days after the transportation order has been received from the district’s Special Education Department for transportation services to begin for your child. When students are added to a route transporting students with special needs, pick-up and drop-off times are affected for each of the students and this information must be communicated to parents to allow them the appropriate amount of time to prepare for these adjustments. Our five to seven-day window ensures that we can communicate with all parties and that all necessary accommodations can be made to meet each student’s needs.

2. Where exactly will my student be picked up and dropped off?

Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, transportation of students with special needs is a door-to-door service. This means that the student will be picked up at his or her home, dropped off at his or her school, and returned back to his or her home. Exceptions to this procedure are as follows:

Due to road conditions (i.e., dead end, dirt/gravel or narrow roadways, gated apartment communities), there may be a requirement to place the pick-up/drop-off site at a safe location away from the home. It is not a safe practice for buses to back out of a driveway or parking lot. The parent or guardian is responsible to escort the student to or from the home or day care.

3. What will happen if I am unable to receive my child at home after school?

If no one is available to receive your child at the time he or she is to be dropped off at home, the driver will continue on with the route and drop off other students. After all of the other students have been dropped off, the driver will make a second attempt to drop your student off at home. If no one is there to receive the child on the second drop-off attempt, the student will be returned to his or her home campus to ensure the child can be monitored in a safe location. After the student is returned to his or her home campus, parents will be responsible for picking the student up.

The student’s transportation request should state whether or not the student can be released without a parent/guardian or authorized designee present.

4. Why are the routes for students with special needs so long?

Providing door-to-door service for each of our students with special needs requires specialized stops at a number of locations, which can take up to 15 minutes to complete. Additionally, unlike the majority of district routes, these routes may be spread out over larger portions of the district to encompass entire attendance zones. We aim to ensure that no student is on the bus any longer than one hour for each direction.

5. What should be done if the bus does not arrive at its scheduled time in the morning or afternoon?

Throughout the year, adjustments may have to be made to routes to accommodate new students or new student needs. Any time the route is modified, you will be contacted by The Transportation Department and/or your student’s driver. Please be prepared to assist with these adjustments by making the appropriate changes to your schedule if necessary. If your child’s bus has not arrived at its designated time after 10 minutes, please contact Transportation Customer Service at (512) 594-0450.

6. Is it possible for my child to be picked up and/or dropped off at another location other than my home?

No. Only onelocation for pick-up and drop-off will be allowed. For the ultimate safety and consistency of providing services for our students, students will be picked up and dropped off at the student’s designated bus stop, even if after school care is provided at a different drop-off.

 
7. What do I need to do if I have moved after the school year has started?

 Contact your student’s teacher or campus administrator to initiate a new transportation request form.

1. Obey the instructions of the bus driver or monitor. At no time should a student be disrespectful or refuse to cooperate with the driver or monitor.
2. Students may only board and leave the bus at their designated bus stop.
3. All students must ride their assigned bus.
4. Do not ask to ride home on another bus with a friend.
5. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to provide transportation to school if a child misses the bus.
6. The driver and monitor have the authority to confiscate any prohibited items or any other items deemed distracting or dangerous.
7. The driver and monitor will not allow parents or any unauthorized person to board the bus.

1. Be at your bus stop five minutes early and visible before scheduled pickup time.
2. The driver will not wait or honk, nor will he/she stop for late students or students running for the bus.
3. Students should be no closer than 10 feet from the bus, which is called the "Danger Zone." Be in plain sight of the approaching bus driver and other traffic. Be watchful and don't play around at bus stops.
4. Before the bus approaches, form a line and be prepared to load immediately.
5. Stand still and clear of the bus. Move toward the bus ONLY after door opens and/or driver signals you to load.
6. Parents/guardians should instruct their children on what to do if they miss the bus.

1. Do not push or shove; always use the handrail.
2. Stay out of the bus "Danger Zone." Wait until the door opens or driver gives signal before approaching the bus.
3. Go directly to your assigned seat. The bus will not move until all students are seated. Students must remain seated at all times. Delays affect traffic and schedules.
4. Seating arrangement will be assigned. The bus driver may change seating arrangements anytime he/she deems necessary.
5. Stay clear of the bus when the engine is started. Do not chase or hang onto the bus at any time. Stay out of the bus "Danger Zone”. At the Campus while loading in the afternoon, students will not be allowed to board the bus after the doors are closed without administrative approval.

1. Classroom dress code and conduct rules shall be followed.
2. Seatbelts must be worn at all times.
3. Students shall remain seated at all time and face forward for the duration of the trip and shall keep their feet in front of them and out of the bus aisle.
4. Normal conversation is permitted; avoid loud noises or elevated volume from electronic devices that may distract the driver and create an unsafe condition.
5. Keep all body parts inside the bus.
6. Scuffling, fighting, and the use of obscene, vulgar or profane language and gestures are forbidden.
7. Student and/or parent will be held responsible for damage to the bus caused by students. Please do not litter, write-on, cut or scratch any part of the seats or bus.
8. The emergency door and exit controls should be used by students only during supervised drills or an actual emergency.
9. Do not spray any substance (ex. hairspray, cologne, perfume, deodorant) while on the bus.
10. No eating or drinking on the bus.

1. Stay seated until the bus has come to a complete stop and the door has been opened.
2. Use the handrail and take one step at a time when leaving the bus.
3. Wait for your turn to leave the bus. Pushing and crowding will only slow exiting and may cause an accident.
4. Students must move away from the bus as soon as they exit the bus. Do not chase or hang onto the bus at any time. Get out and stay out of the bus “Danger Zone.”
5. If crossing the street, cross in front of the bus and wait for the driver to signal.
6. If an article drops or rolls near or under the bus, get the attention of the driver immediately and have the driver assist you to retrieve the article. DO NOT attempt to retrieve the item without the assistance of the driver.

An authorized parent/guardian or designee must be at the bus stop to receive students ranging from Pre-Kindergarten to 2nd grade. If no one is there to receive the student, the student will be returned to the campus. 
 
It is the responsibility of the parent to see that students who are returned to school are picked up. Any student returned to the campus multiple times may have his or her riding privileges suspended.

Students will be picked up and dropped off at their designated bus stop. Only one location for pick-up and drop-off is allowed.

1. Tobacco, including e-cigarettes or vapors.
2. Animals or insects.
3. Glass containers.
4. Alcoholic beverages, drugs, or chemicals.
5. Weapons, explosive devices, stun guns, pellet guns, pepper spray, sharp objects or firecrackers.
6. All carry-on objects must fit in students’ laps. Objects such as large musical instruments, shop projects, or tri-folds are not permitted.
7. All items must be kept on the student’s lap or within the seating compartment to prevent another student from being denied a seat.
8. Balls, balloons, and skateboards.
9. Food or drinks (no eating or drinking on the bus).
10. Matches or lighters.
11. Any other item prohibited by the PISD Student Code of Conduct.

1. Follow the driver or monitor’s instructions.
2. If you must leave the bus, stay in a group and move to a safe location as directed.
3. The following procedures will be used for evacuation in an emergency situation:
4. Students nearest the door will open the door and hold it open.
5. Leave the bus in a single file line as quickly and quietly as possible.
6. Evacuation will start with the seat nearest the front door unless otherwise instructed.
7. Follow the driver’s instructions completely.

The school bus is an extension of the classroom and campus, and discipline will be administered by campus administrators. All school board policies that apply to student conduct and other student related activities apply to the school bus.

1. The driver may briefly pull the bus over and stop in order to safely manage student behavior.
2. If the student refuses to comply with a reasonable request, the driver will report the incident to the Field Supervisor upon returning to the Transportation Department. The notification shall be made in writing in the Bus Conduct program.
3. Field Supervisor shall investigate the incident and notify the driver of the action taken. 

 
Note: In the case of serious misconduct that endangers the safety of other students, the driver or monitor, the student(s) may be removed from the bus by any school official or law enforcement official.
 
Immediate appropriate legal/disciplinary action may be taken against any student(s) engaging in any of the following misconducts:

1. Possession of firearms, a knife, or other dangerous devices will not be permitted. See PfISD Student Code of Conduct.  
2. Use of abusive, profane language or indecent gestures on or near a bus in which students are being transported or directing such language towards students, driver(s) or monitor(s).
3. Preventing the school bus from operating in any manner.
4. Making threats against or engaging in physical contact with a school bus driver or monitor.

The campus administration may impose additional consequences or take appropriate additional disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.

Individual school buses are equipped with video cameras that may record the conduct of students and verbal communication between students and the driver/monitor. This recording may be used for disciplinary purposes. 
 
The above rules of conduct, as well as the Student Code of Conduct, apply to Pflugerville ISD students who are being transported by buses or other vehicles owned, operated, and controlled by the school district. A student who damages or defaces a Pflugerville ISD vehicle may be subject to disciplinary and/or legal action and may be required to make restitution. Any violation of these rules will be reported by the bus driver to the Campus Administrator and Transportation Supervisor for corrective action. These safety rules will be enforced by appropriate action that may include the temporary or permanent withdrawal of riding privileges and/or consequences specified in the Student Code of Conduct. The consequences for any given action will depend upon the seriousness of the violation and all other circumstances.
 
Refer to the Texas Education Code §26.009(b), CNA (Legal), CNA (Local) for more information.