FAQs

Routing is completed in the most efficient manner following guidelines consistent with the State of Illinois. Stops are examined for safety, accessibility, and driver visibility. The backing of buses, entering cul-de-sacs and dead ends are avoided if at all possible. Bus stops are kept to a minimum. Changes or revisions to a bus route are upon approval of the Transportation Director. Drivers do NOT have the authority to make stop changes. Drivers who stop at locations other than established bus stops are in violation of current District policy

Current bus stops are created for ALL students – grades kindergarten thru 12th grade. Bus stops are generally established at major intersections/cross streets. However, if you reside in a rural area on a highly traveled highway such as Route 20 or Route 47, the bus will pick-up and/or drop-off at your home due to the hazard. Although you may live in a subdivision where there are NO sidewalks, your child will still be required to walk to his/her designated bus stops.

Generally, busing information for the upcoming school year including Early Education and Out-of-District, will be available for viewing via Skyward Family Access in mid-August. Once you’ve logged in to Family Access, click on the “Busing” tab on the left hand side of the screen. Please remember busing information is continually changing due to enrollment. We recommend that you verify this information the day before school begins for the most current details. We route the buses based on the home location. If you do not require a 301 bus or require a bus from an alternate location, changes need to be completed via online registration in Skyward. Busing information for new students as well as changes throughout the year may take up to two school days to appear in Skyward.

District 301 owns and operates its own bus service. Transportation is free of charge to students who live further than 1 1/2 miles from their school. There is no current policy for paid busing.

Students may ONLY ride their assigned bus. If an emergency occurs, a parent must contact the Transportation Department at (847) 464-6052 to make alternate arrangements.

Students are allowed only one inbound bus from the same location and only one outbound bus to the same location (accommodations cannot be made for different buses on different days). The following conditions must be met to provide transportation to or from a day care provider; bus capacity allows for extra riders, the day care provider is on an existing route, and address must be within the home school boundaries. If you require transportation from an address other than your home location, the day care information must be completed in Online Registration in Skyward. Please allow 48 hours to process.

If your student has an individual bus stop and does NOT require bus service due to illness, vacation, or any other reason, a courtesy call to the Transportation Department is appreciated. To contact the office, please call 847-464-6052 or email transportation@central301.net and state the student’s name, bus number and dates that they will be absent. This information will be relayed to the designated bus driver.

It is a District 301 policy that kindergarten students are not to be released from the bus unless there is a parent, guardian or older sibling present at the stop. This is to ensure the safety of your child. If there is no one available to meet your child at the stop, the school staff will be notified that the student will be returned to their school. The school will contact the parent/guardian to retrieve their child at the school. If you would like to designate any other authorized person to release your student to, you must contact the Transportation office or email transportation@central301.net so they can add the person to your student’s file.

District 301 maintains a bus fleet of many sizes and capacities. If a school bus is currently equipped with seatbelts, your child is required to wear the seatbelt on the bus. If your child rides one of our district’s larger capacity buses which do not have seatbelts, please be advised that these seats exceed the standards set by the State of Illinois and therefore seatbelts are not required.