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ACS Bussing

ACS offers bus rides to and from school for non-Allendale district students in young fives through grade eight. 

If you live in the Allendale School District, please connect with the Allendale Public School Transportation Department to secure your child's bus route to and from ACS.

For everyone else, please read the helpful information below, and fill out the ACS Bussing Request & Information form to begin the process.

 

ACS Bussing Request & Information Form

  • Parent/Guardian Responsibilities For Children Riding The Bus

    Parent/Guardian will help student(s) understand the following:

    1. Make certain their student(s) arrive at the bus stop on time in the morning, at least 8-10 minutes prior to the scheduled pick up and drop off time.
    2. Accept joint responsibility with school authorities for proper conduct of their children while riding the bus. Discuss with their student(s) appropriate bus stop and bus rider behavior. Review and discuss bus safety rules with your student(s).
    3. Provide supervision and protection of their student(s) while going to and from the bus stop while being responsible for them until they board the school bus.
    4. Work with district personnel to reinforce appropriate behavior whenever necessary.
    5. Provide alternate transportation for the student(s) if they lose bus riding privileges.
    6. Ensure that payment is made for damages resulting in vandalism to the bus.
    7. Understand the need for transportation staff to restrict the size of items brought on the bus. Objects will be limited to those that can be safely held on the students laps.
    8. Support emergency evacuation and early dismissal plans as established by the school. Teach and remind students of the family’s emergency plan if they arrive home early and no one is there to meet
      them.
    9. Students may be scheduled to ONE pick up and ONE drop off location.
    10. Elementary Students: Young Five and Kindergarten students will require a parent/guardian or other responsible family member to be waiting at the bus stop in the afternoon. If in the judgment of the driver any student’s safety is in question, the student will remain on the bus while the Transportation Office attempts to reach home. If no one can be reached, the student(s) will be brought to the transportation office.
  • Safe Bus Rider Expectations

    Parent/Guardians: Please review the following expectations with your student(s). Students will be expected to follow all established rules and regulations, and will comply with the directions and requests of Transportation Staff.

    • Your child should be at the bus stop ready to board the bus at least 8-10 minutes prior to the scheduled pick up time. If a student is not ready at the stop on time; the driver will continue on the
      route.
    • Students should quietly remain ten (10) steps back from the designated stop, wait for the bus to come to a complete stop and for the driver to signal it is ok to approach the bus. NO PUSHING OR
      RACING TO GET ON THE BUS.
    • Students shall remain seated in their seats the entire duration of their bus ride.
    • Eating and drinking is NOT permitted on the bus.
    • Keep head, arms, and hands inside the bus at all times.
    • Keep the bus clean, and keep track of your belongings.
    • Cooperate with the transportation staff. Follow directions/requests at all times.
    • Be courteous. Profanity, vulgar language, fighting, teasing and physical aggression will not be tolerated.
    • If your student(s) needs to cross at his/her stop, always cross in front of the school bus after the driver gives the signal it is safe to do so. Walk while crossing the road.
    • Any malicious damage to a school bus will be paid for by the parent/guardian of the student(s) responsible for damage.
    • Students may be given assigned seats on the bus.
  • Frequently Asked Questions
    1. Are bus stops the same every year?
      No. While stops are fairly consistent from year to year, changes may be made based on
      student enrollment.
    2. Why can’t my student bring a large band instrument on the bus?
      It is now a Michigan State law that all instruments be held by the student. If it cannot fit on the student’s lap and be held by the student, we cannot transport it.
    3. If my child is absent from school, do I need to notify Transportation?
      If your child is the only child assigned at a bus stop the notification would be appreciated.
    4. What about the safety of my child getting to and from the bus stop? There are no sidewalks where we live and it’s not very safe walking on the busy road we live on.
      It is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian to see that a child gets safely to and from
      the bus stop. The school provides transportation as a non-mandated service and establishes
      placement of the bus stops in accordance with the requirements of the law.
    5. Are there seat belts on the bus?
      No. Generally, school bus passengers are not required to wear seat belts in Michigan. This is because large school buses are considered to be inherently safe due to a safety design that includes thick padded seats, high seat backs, and a higher seating position. This design creates a "compartmentalization" effect that helps protect students during a crash.