Boise School District

School Bus Transportation Eligibility

The Boise School District determines transportation eligibility using a GPS measurement, calculated to the nearest hundredth of a mile (0.01). Distance is measured by the nearest and best route from the point where the student’s driveway meets the nearest public road to the nearest school entrance of the student’s assigned school.

Students may qualify for bus transportation if they live more than 1.5 miles from their assigned school, measured by the nearest practical route from the driveway’s connection to a public road to the nearest school entrance.

Childcare (Daycare) Transportation
Transportation to or from a childcare facility may be provided if the facility:

Is within the student’s school attendance area, and

Is more than 1.5 miles from the school or located in a designated safety busing zone.

Important: Under Idaho Code 33-1501, school districts are not allowed to provide transportation between a child’s home and a childcare facility.

Transportation may be provide to an alternate site location within the student’s home attendance boundary bus zone if space is available on the bus.

To confirm eligibility, contact the Transportation Office at 208-854-4167 or send an email to the Transportation Email and provide the exact address of the student’s home or childcare facility.

Safety Busing Zones

Under Policy #8110, the Boise School District may provide transportation for students who live less than 1.5 miles from school when the Board determines that age, health, or safety concerns warrant it.

Areas may be designated as “Safety Busing Zones” if they meet criteria approved by the School Board. Students who live in, or attend childcare located in, a designated safety busing zone are eligible for transportation to and from school.

If your student lives less than 1.5 miles from school but is not in a safety busing area, you may request transportation through our ineligible rider application.

To check whether your home or childcare address is within a safety busing zone, contact the Transportation Office at 208-854-4167 or send an email to the Transportation Email.

School bus stop information is available in the Infinite Campus Parent or Student Portal. If you do not have an Infinite Campus portal account, please email Infinite Campus to receive a personalized activation link. 

Our bus contractor, Durham School Services, offers the Bus Zone Mobile App. This app will allow you to log in and securely track your child’s bus location during the scheduled route. You can set up alert zones and enable notifications for when the bus arrives or departs the school. Check out the Bus Zone Parent User Guide for helpful information. You will need your student’s bus number(s) and student ID number for the Bus Zone App, all of which you can find in Infinite Campus. Please take a moment to download and familiarize yourself with the Bus Zone App, available in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. The access code for Boise School District is: 2048ISDBC  

To request a bus stop change, or if you think your child’s stop is unsafe contact the Durham School Services transportation office at (208) 854-5230 or submit a Bus Stop Change Request Form.

Each request is reviewed before a decision is made to add or modify a stop. If approved, changes typically take 3–5 working days to implement to allow time to notify riders and adjust routes if necessary.

The Boise School District makes every effort to place bus stops close to where students live, though buses do not stop at every individual home. When possible, stops may be located near a student’s home to serve others in the same area.

Typical distances are:

Elementary students: within 2–3 blocks of home

Junior high and high school students: within 4–5 blocks of home

Actual stop locations may vary depending on the number of students in the area and whether the area is urban or rural.

If your bus stop changed from last year?

During summer the Boise School District conducted a district-wide review of bus routes. As a result, some bus stops and schedules may have changed.

These updates were made to improve on-time performance, increase transportation reliability, and adjust routes to current traffic patterns, while maintaining the district’s commitment to safe routes to school.

High school students and staff in the Boise School District can ride Valley Regional Transit (VRT) buses free of charge.

Students: Ride for free by showing a valid high school student ID.

Staff: Ride for free by showing a BSD staff ID badge.

For routes, maps, policies, and schedules, visit the Valley Regional Transit website.

To begin the process, please contact your child’s special education teacher, who will coordinate transportation services through the Boise School District.

Under Policy #3113, the Boise School District may allow open enrollment students to ride the bus if space is available. Bus stops will not be added and routes will not be changed to accommodate open enrollment students.

Approvals are typically not considered until at least three weeks after the school year begins.

Please contact your child’s school office. After verifying eligibility, the school may issue a temporary bus pass, provided space is available on the bus.

Riding a school bus is a privilege, not a right. Students are expected to behave in a safe and respectful manner while waiting at bus stops, boarding, riding, and exiting the bus. The Superintendent or designee shall establish procedures to support safe and orderly student transportation.

Authority of the Bus Driver
The bus driver is responsible for the safety and supervision of students while they are on the bus. Students must follow the driver’s directions promptly and respectfully.

Student Expectations
Students who ride school buses must:

Board and exit at their assigned bus stop and ride their assigned bus, unless written permission and school approval are provided.

Arrive at the bus stop 5–10 minutes before the scheduled pickup time and wait in an orderly manner.

Remain seated while the bus is in motion and keep all body parts inside the bus.

Follow safe crossing procedures and wait for the driver’s signal before crossing in front of the bus.

Avoid loud or disruptive behavior that may distract the driver.

Refrain from tampering with emergency exits or safety equipment.

Not throw objects, eat, or drink on the bus unless authorized.

Comply with all district policies, including those related to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, harassment, bullying, and hazing.

Items brought onto the bus must be small enough to be held on the student’s lap. Hazardous materials, breakable containers, lighters, matches, skateboards, shop projects, and animals (except service animals) are not permitted.

Violations and Consequences
Bus drivers will address minor misconduct when possible. Continued or serious violations will be referred to the school principal or designee.

Transportation privileges may be suspended as follows:

First suspension: Three (3) school days

Second suspension: Five (5) school days

Third suspension: Possible permanent loss of transportation privileges

Parents or guardians will receive written notice of any suspension or revocation of transportation privileges.

Vandalism
Students responsible for damage to school buses will be required to pay restitution and may lose transportation privileges for one (1) calendar year.

District Authority
The District reserves the right to deny or revoke transportation privileges for good cause, with written notice provided to the parent or guardian.

Additional procedures and guidelines are outlined in the District Transportation Handbook and related materials.

Parents and guardians must ensure that students who ride school buses follow all applicable transportation laws, rules, and district regulations. Failure to comply may result in the suspension or loss of bus riding privileges.

Parents and guardians share responsibility for their child’s behavior while using school transportation and should reinforce safe and respectful conduct.

For safety, parents and guardians should be aware of potential hazards in and around school bus loading and unloading areas, including risks associated with loose clothing, accessories, or personal items.

Parents and guardians are expected to respect the rights and safety of other students, drivers, and school staff, and should be familiar with traffic laws requiring motorists to stop for school buses.

Under Idaho Code §18-1522, unauthorized entry onto a school bus is prohibited and may result in a misdemeanor if a person:

Enters a bus with intent to commit a crime

Disrupts or interferes with the driver

Refuses to leave when directed by the driver

Parents or guardians of students who voluntarily attend a school outside their assigned attendance zone are responsible for providing their child’s transportation.