FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ: All Students
Some students will have to cross streets and roads to a bus stop. Children should wait to cross the road to board the bus until the bus is at a complete stop, red lights activated, and the driver gives the thumbs up.
How far may a child be asked to walk to a school bus stop?
The state allows students grades K-12 to walk up to 1.5 miles to their bus stop however the Millcreek Township School District doesn’t follow this guideline. We as a district allow elementary students to walk up to .25 to their bus stop and secondary can walk up to .50 mile.
I can't see my child while walking to the bus stop, can the bus stop be moved closer to my house?
The state allows students grades K-12 to walk up to 1.5 miles to their bus stop however the Millcreek Township School District doesn’t follow this guideline. We as a district allow elementary students to walk up to .25 to their bus stop and secondary can walk up to .50 mile.
Can my child be picked up in the morning or dropped off after school at a daycare?
The district will provide one morning and one afternoon "rostered" stop. If your child's daycare is every day and on an existing bus route, the district will provide transportation as a courtesy. School districts are not required to provide this service. This rule also applies to students with divorced parents.
Do I have to fill out a new childcare form each year?
Yes, the forms can be found on the transportation website.
Do I have to fill out a new dual-custody form each year?
Yes, the forms can be found on the transportation website.
Are school districts required to transport students?
Except for charter school students, Pennsylvania law does not require a school district to provide transportation to its students.
How long may a child be required to ride on a bus?
This is a local decision (based on geography, population distribution, etc.). There are no time limits set by law or regulations.
May a fee be charged to pupils who ride a school vehicle?
No. Section 7367 of the School Code states that when a school district provides transportation to its students, it is to be free and paid for out of school district funds. Additionally, Section 7365 prohibits districts from demanding, requesting or accepting compensation for transporting students.
I think the road my child must walk along is hazardous. What can I do?
The law provides for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to review potentially hazardous walking routes. The request for this review must be made by the school district to the local Penn DOT engineering district office. Penn DOT regulations do not address hazards other than road or traffic conditions. The local district may assess conditions such as bad neighborhoods, secluded wooded areas, snow removal, etc., when developing transportation routes.
May a school district suspend busing services for a child?
Yes. Transportation is a privilege, not a right.
Will the school issue a bus pass for a student to ride another bus?
Bus passes will only be issued for emergency situations. Also, the availability of issuing the pass will depend on available seats on the requested bus.
Must transportation be provided for exceptional children?
Transportation must be provided as required by a child's individualized education program
(IEP). An intermediate unit may provide this transportation for the school district.
Will I receive a call if a bus is going to be late?
We no longer call parents when a bus is running behind schedule. All parents will receive a message through the Stopfinder application.
How soon should my child arrive at the bus stop prior to pick up?
Students should arrive at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to their scheduled time especially the first several weeks of school. Please allow the driver a window of 15 minutes especially for variables such as changing traffic patterns and even passenger load can change daily impacting schedule slightly.
My child left an item (e.g., coat) on the bus. How do I get it back?
Personal items will be left on the bus for two days or returned to the school building. The school district or Bus Company is not responsible for lost or misplaced items.
The schedules and stops are designed based on ridership, safety, and efficiency for each schedule. Additional bus stops are not added for this reason.
I think my child's ride is too long, can the bus schedule be changed?
Bus stops and schedules are not changed for this reason. Transporting nearly 6400 students over a large area will require some students to be first on the bus in the morning and last off in the afternoon, i.e., some will have a longer bus ride. Routes are based on population distribution, efficiency, and safety. There are no time limits set by Pennsylvania State Law or regulations.
My child must walk up a steep hill, can the bus stop be moved closer to my house?
Stops are evaluated each year. Once stops are established, stops are not changed for the convenience of an individual or a small number of students or families. Although stops are reviewed each year, it is important for reasons of safety and efficiency to maintain as much consistency as possible from year to year.
We had a bus stop closer to our home last year, why was the stop changed?
Stops will change year to year depending on the number of students in each residential area and grade levels.
Why isn't there a bus stop in our new housing plan?
Buses are not normally routed into "under construction" housing plans due to safety and efficiency concerns. Construction vehicles often block access and cause route delays and safety issues. Bus stop requests in new housing plans will be considered only after the streets are "turned over" and maintained by the township.
With the large number of streets and roads in the Millcreek Township School District, it is necessary for some students to walk on streets or roads in neighborhoods with no sidewalks.
What if I think that my child's walk to the bus stop is unsafe?
First Student Inc and district personnel will both review bus safety concerns. This review may involve a site visit. Based on a review of conditions, the bus company submits a recommendation to the district to keep the current stop or recommends a new stop location.
On occasion, a bus might be late picking up students due to traffic congestion/accidents, weather conditions or a substitute driver. Please know that we do everything possible to have all buses running on schedule each day. If your bus does not arrive as scheduled, contact First Student Inc. at 814-838-1602. Please allow 15 minutes before calling.
When does a school district have to provide transportation to a charter school?
The law requires school districts to provide transportation to resident students attending a charter school "on such dates and periods that the charter school is in regular session" if: The charter school is located within the school district, or The charter school is located not more than ten miles by the nearest public highway beyond the school district boundary, or The charter school is a regional charter school in which the school district participates.
FAQ: Non-Public Students
Will the district transport my K-12 child to a non-public or private school?
Yes, if the school is state licensed with non-profit status and at least one parent/guardian resides within the Millcreek Township School District borders.
Do I have to fill out a new non-public form each school year?
Yes, the forms can be found on the transportation webpage.
What about when the non-public or private school has an early dismissal?
Transportation is not provided for non-public and private school early dismissals.
Yes.
Yes.
In this case, transportation runs on the Millcreek Township School District's regular schedule.
When does a school district have to provide transportation for a nonpublic school?
When a school district provides transportation for its public pupils, it must provide transportation services to nonpublic pupils of the same grade level that it is providing for its own pupils. The nonpublic school must be nonprofit and located within ten miles of the district's boundary, measured by the nearest public road. If the school building in which the pupil is enrolled is not located within the ten-mile distance, the nonpublic pupil is not eligible for transportation, nor are his parents eligible for payment towards transportation costs.
Yes, unless the closure is due to weather conditions.
FAQ: New Students
We’re new to the district, what do we need to do to arrange bus transportation?
The first step is to contact the district office and enroll your child. The district office will notify the district's transportation department. The bus company will be notified, and a bus company representative will call you once transportation is set up. Expect a minimum of five school days. If your move-in date is weeks away, please call the transportation office two weeks before your move-in date to verify transportation services.
My child is starting kindergarten. Will the bus pick my child up in front of the house?
There are no special laws or requirements for transporting students enrolled in kindergarten. The child will be assigned a bus stop located in their area.
The bus driver is not permitted to discharge kindergarten through 2nd-grade students unless an adult is at the stop to receive the student. If no adult is present the bus driver may return the student to the child's school, or the bus garage and the parents will be contacted to pick up their child. Habitual lateness will result in loss of transportation service. You can fill out a parental release form allowing other individuals to remove your child from the bus, or you can allow your child to leave the bus by themselves.
Is there a parent app that is available for all parents no matter where they attend school.
Yes, you can find information on the web page that introduces Stopfinder.
What if the school district has a bad weather delay or cancellation?
Bus transportation follows the Millcreek Township School District Schedule. Please check your Infinite Campus web site to check for delays or cancellations. Notifications will also be sent via text, email, and voice message.