Dear Parents/Guardians:
Transportation staff strives to provide our students with safe and reliable transportation services throughout the school year.
Due to time restrictions and limited resources it is not possible to provide each student with a bus stop at their home. State law requires that we provide bus stops that are within a " reasonable walking distance" from a students home whenever feasible to do so and defines a "reasonable walking distance" as "any distance not more than two (2) miles between the home and school or one and one-half (1 1/2) miles between the home and the assigned bus stop." The Transportation Department places bus stops at intersections whenever possible, following the guidelines outlined in School Board Policy (3.21(1)), which includes:
- Stops will be only on roads with conditions and bridges which will support the bus
- Stops will not be scheduled any closer than two tenths miles (.2) apart
- Routes will not be extended to accommodate students within a reasonable walking distance from the school
- School bus routes will be restricted to main thoroughfares and all-weather roads
- Spur routes are defined as roads where the bus is required to leave the main thoroughfare for less than five tenths (.5) of a mile to make a stop and then make a turnaround and return to the main thoroughfare and are not within the scope of the policy
- Spur routes will not cause poor scheduling, such as causing students to leave home at an unreasonable time
- When a route necessitates a turnaround, a suitable turning area must be available for the bus
Bus stop information is available on-line approximately four to six calendar days prior to school starting. To find out bus stop locations and times and/or to find out what school your child is zoned to attend on-line, click on the "Bus Stop Information/School Zoning" link on this page and follow the prompts/links. Bus stop information is also available approximately four to six calendar days prior to school starting by calling the Transportation Department at the numbers provided below. Bus stop information wills also be available at your child’s open house for elementary and middle school students.
Parents/guardians are responsible for the supervision of students as they travel to and from bus stops and while they wait for buses to arrive. A parent/guardian or approved adult is required to be at the bus stop with all Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten students when the bus arrives. Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten students will not be released from the bus if a parent/guardian or approved adult is not at the bus stop. Any adult who is approved to receive students must be listed on the student's emergency form. If there is no parent/guardian or approved adult at the bus stop when the bus arrives to receive a pre-kindergarten or kindergarten student, the student will be returned to the school. Students in grades 1-12 are released from the bus without a parent/guardian or approved adult at the bus stop.
Transportation staff are committed to and encourage communication with parents. Unfortunately, Bus Operators are not able discuss concerns while stopped at bus stops. It is unsafe for buses to be stopped on roadways, often blocking traffic, for long periods of time to talk with parents. Therefore, parents are encouraged to contact Bus Operators by telephone and/or to set up conferences with Bus Operators through the School and/or the Transportation dispatch offices to discuss concerns.
You can reach the transportation department by calling:.
Crystal River Compound - 352-795-0057
Serving: CRPS, CSES, RCE, CSMS, CRMS, CRHS/HA, and REN/WTC/Academies for CRMS/CRHS zones
Lecanto Compound - 352-746-2714
Serving: CRE, FRE, HOM, LPS, LMS, LHS, CREST, and REN/WTC/Academies for LMS/LHS zones
Inverness Compound - 352-344-2193
Serving: FCE, HES, IPS, PGE, IMS, CHS, WTC Transition Academy and Teen Parents, and REN/WTC/Academies for IMS/CHS zones
Thank you!
The Transportation Department