Bus Garage / Pupil Transportation

GLPS Bus Transportation Boarding Pass Request

Families, click the GLPS Bus Transportation Boarding Pass Request link to begin the process to get a boarding pass for your student or complete the form below. 

Please know, Grand Ledge Public Schools makes use of video recording cameras on some, or all of our school buses.  Video recordings are considered "educational records" and board policy strictly governs the access and use of any video recordings made.

The Transportation Department has developed a point system for students who ride on Grand Ledge Public Schools' buses.  Bus drivers assign points to students who misbehave on a school bus.

Here is a list of violations that create an unsafe bus condition and the points related to that misbehavior:
- Unorganized bus stop behavior. (1)
- Litter on the school bus. (1)
- Glass containers/objects/animals on the bus. (1)
- Failure to stay off the roadway and use proper boarding/departing procedures. (2)
- Failure to get on or off at the designated stop. (2)
- Unnecessary loud, boisterous sounds, yell, are rude, discourteous or annoying. (2)
- Failed to remain seated and facing forward at all times. (2)
- Eat/drink on the bus without the driver's permission. (2)
- Threatened others. (3)
- Crossed in back of the bus instead of the front. (3)
- Body parts hanging out of the windows. (3)
- Used improper language/profanity/gestures. (3)
- Threw objects in, at or out of the bus. (3)
- Engage in behavior that abuses the safety, well being and respect of others on the bus/at the bus stop. (3)
- Pushing/tripping/kicking/hitting. (3)
- Disobeying instructions of and/or show disrespect to the driver. (4)
- Brought illegal/dangerous articles/substances and or weapons on the bus. (7-17)
- Lighting matches, used lighters or possess or use tobacco products. (7-17)
- Destroyed property. (7-17)
- Tampered with bus equipment. (7-17) In addition, student/parent responsible for restitution.
- Engage in sexual misconduct/harassment. (7-17)
- Fighting or engage in violent behavior. (7-17)
- Threatened another person with bodily harm. (7-17)
- Assaulted another person. (10-17)
- Other (1-17)

Bus riding is a privilege.  Please help your child understand the importance of their behavior and the impact on safety.  

• The bus discipline conduct form must be returned by the next school day or additional suspension from the bus may occur.
• When a student is suspended from the bus, he/she may not ride any GLPS bus.
• A 3-10 day suspension may result in a mandatory parent meeting.
• Points accumulate throughout the school year.
• A suspension from the bus may roll over to the next school year.

Below and here is the "Stopfinder Quickstart Guide" (pdf).

Students must be at their designated bus stop five minutes before the bus arrival time.  After the driver turns off the red flashing lights, drivers are not allowed to pick up any other students at that stop and they are not allowed to wait for tardy students.

Students should maintain and orderly and patient presence at the bus stop.  If the bus stop is at an intersections with no sidewalks, students should stand along the edge of the roadway.  Students should not move to board the bus until it has come to a complete stop and the door is open.  Students crossing a roadway MUST wait for the red flashing lights to be actived and the bus driver to signal them to cross.

Each student boarding the bus will locate a seat (if not already assigned), sit down and remain in a sitting position in that seat until arriving at their destination.  

It may be necessary to sit three in a seat at times.

Students are not allowed to bring anything on the bus that cannot be held safely on their lap, or placed directly under their seat.  Nothing may obstruct the bus aisle in any ways, including but not limited to: musical instruments, books, lunches, special projects.

Students should do their part to keep the bus clean and sanitary on the inside.

When exiting the bus, if it is necessary for a student to cross a roadway, they shall observe the following rules:

• Cross 10 feet in front of the bus, within sight of the driver
• Look both ways, then, when safe, proceed across the road at the front of the bus
• Walk - do not run.

Students shall not:

• do anything that may be detrimental to the health and safe transportation of all passengers and the driver.

• throw objects on the bus, off the bus or at other passengers. 

• hold onto, or touch, in any way, the outside of the bus while it is in motion. 

• extend anything out of the windows of the bus at any time.

• possess, use or distribute tobacco products, alcohol, illegal substances or marcotics of any form.

• mutilate or deface a bus in any manner.  Students who damage a bus in any way will be responsible for restitution in the total amount of the damages.

• eat on the bus.  Food and snacks are not permitted on the bus. If a student has food or snacks in their possession, those items must remain sealed and remain in the student's backpack. Clear liquids in a sealed container will be permitted.

• put down the windows of the bus without the driver's permission.

• bring animals on the bus (including reptiles and pets).

• fight or bully other persons.

• not use the emergency door in any instance other than an actual emergency.

• use loud, profane or obscene language.

• tamper with or play with any mechanism or switches, including, but not limited to, the door, driver controls and safety equipment.

• possess weapons of any nature while on the bus

• have or possess fireworks, smoke bombs or any substance that is hazardous, toxic or flammable.

• reserve / "save a seat" for their friends.

• leave their seat until the bus has come to a complete stop.

Developed to provide a safe and efficient pupil transportation service for all Grand Ledge Public Schools' students eligible to ride a school bus.
 

School bus transportation will be scheduled and routed by the individual school building attendance boundaries.  AM/PM bus stop locations in subdivisions and established neighborhood are designed to accommodate all students assigned to each bus stop.  The law does not require that Kindergarten students be picked up at home. Typically, these bus stop locations will remain consistent from year-to-year.  All bus stop locations must meet strict State of Michigan Law and Michigan Department of Education regulations regarding visibility, the distance from other bus stops and roadway intersections.  It may be necessary for some student to cross a roadway.  Training, direction, demonstrations and on-going education are provided by the bus driver and transportation staff.

Students will only be assigned to one "to school" and one "from school" bus stop location on a Monday through Friday basis.  Either of these bus stop locations may be for a residence and/or childcare provider.  All childcare provider bus stops must be within the boundaries of the school the student will be attending and on a road or street that is already traveled by an existing bus route.  Any exceptions or emergency situations must follow district guidelines AND be approved in advance, on a daily basis, by the building administrator.  If you need to update your child's information (i.e., address, contact information, etc), you should contact your child's school or the pupil accounting office.  

If you request a bus stop after the start of the school year, transportation services will begin as soon as possible after the student is registered but may take up to 3 days to get the route schedule. 

The Michigan Department of Education Guidelines clearly indicates it is the district's responsibility to develop legal bus stops for students using their established criteria.  It is the parent's or child care provider's responsibility to get the child to, and from, the bus stop safely.  Therefore, parents and the district must work together to provide a safe and efficient pupil transportation system.  

Grand Ledge Public Schools has a transportation policy that requires elementary students to walk to school if they live within one mile of their school building and secondary students walk if they live within 1 1/2 miles of their school building.  These distances may be modified for safety concerns.  However, under MDE guidelines, students who ride a school bus may be expected to walk a similar distance, based on grade levels, to their assigned bus stop. 

Subdivisions & Developed Residential Areas

(Speed Limit is 25 mph or less)

Elementary Students
These students may be required to cross the street at their bus stop under the red flashing school bus lights.  Their bus stop may be out of sight of their residence or child care provider and be identified as a centralized bus stop within the subdivision.

If sidewalks are provided:

• Kindergarten through 2nd Grade students may walk up to 600 feet, if walking alone, and up to 1,000 feet, if walking with other students.  
• 3rd - 6th Grade students may be required to walk up to 5,280 feet if walking with other students.  

If sidewalks are not provided: 

• Kindergarten through 2nd Grade students may walk up to 300 feet, if walking alone, and up to 600 feet, if walking with other students.
• 3rd - 6th Grade stuents may walk up to 1,000 feet.

Secondary Students
May be required to walk up to 7,900 feet to and from a bus stop that may be located at the main entrance of their subdivision or main road intersection leading to their residential area whether or not sidewalks are available.  If for safety reasons, the school bus is unable to stop at the entrance to a subdivsion or residential area, these students may be required to walk to a centralized bus stop location, which may be out of the sight of their residence and outside their subdivision.  The bus stop may be identified as a group or single student stop.  They may also be required to cross the street at their bus stop under the red flashing school bus lights.

Private Drives
The district is not required to travel on private drives or private roads to transport students to and from school.  If the district determines it is necessary to enter a private drive, the owner(s) must provide written permission holding the district harmless for any property damage and must provide a passable and well-maintained drive or road able to support the weight of a loaded school bus.

Possible Reasons for Entering a Subdivision

• Age of student(s).
• ​Bus is at the end of a route and must turn around.
• No legal place to establish a bus stop at the subdivision entrance.
• Reduction of operations costs by reducing time and mileage.
• Extremely large concentration of students within subdisivision and no sidewalks available.
• Temporary enter for road or building construction or speciality issues (i.e., sex offenders or predators identified in the walking plan, high crime concerns, excessive amount of commercial traffic, dangerous traffic flow, utility work, etc.).

Outside Subdivisions & Developed Residential Areas

(Speed Limit is more than 25 mph but less than 45 mph)

Elementary Students
These students may be required to cross the street at their bus stop under the red flashing school bus lights.  Their bus stop may be out of sight of their residence or child care provider and be identified as a group or single student stop.

If sidewalks are provided:

• Kindergarten through 2nd Grade students may walk up to 600 feet, if walking alone, and up to 1,000 feet, if walking with other students.  
• 3rd - 6th Grade students may be required to walk up to 2,640 feet.  

If sidewalks are not provided: 

• Kindergarten through 2nd Grade students may walk up to 300 feet, if walking alone, and up to 600 feet, if walking with other students.
• 3rd - 6th Grade stuents may walk up to 1,000 feet.

Secondary Students
May be required to walk up to 5,280 feet to and from a bus stop whether or not sidewalks are available.   They may also be required to cross the street at their bus stop under the red flashing school bus lights.  The bus stop may be out of sight of their residence and identified as a group or single student stop.  

Outside Subdivisions & Developed Residential Areas

(Speed Limit is 45 mph or greater)

Elementary Students (Kindergarten - 2nd Grade)
Students in this demographic will only cross the road at their bus stop under special conditions and with parental awareness.  This may increase the riding time for these students.  The bus stop may be out of sight of their residence or child care provider and be identified as a group or single student stop.

If sidewalks are provided:

• Students may walk up to 300 feet, if walking alone, and up to 600 feet, if walking with other students.  

If sidewalks are not provided: 

• Bus stop location will be established within 300 feet of the student's residence or child-care provider.  

Elementary Students (3rd - 6th Grade)
Students may be required to cross the street at their bus stop under the red flashing school bus lights.  There bus stop may be out of sight of their residence or child care provider and be identified as a group or single student stop.

If sidewalks are provided:

• Students may walk up to 1,320 feet. 

If sidewalks are not provided:

• Students may walk up to 300 feet.

Secondary Students
May be required to walk up to 2,640 feet to and from a bus stop whether or not sidewalks are available.   They may also be required to cross the street at their bus stop under the red flashing school bus lights.  The bus stop may be out of sight of their residence and identified as a group or single student stop.  

Staff, click the Field Trip Transportation Request link to begin the process to get bus transportation or complete the form below.  (You may need to be logged in to your school account to see the form.)