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TRANSPORTATION

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TRANSPORTATION

Forest Hills Public Schools provides safe, reliable, and efficient transportation for all eligible students within the district. Our dedicated team of drivers and staff ensures timely service while prioritizing student safety and well-being. Families can access routes, schedules, and updates through our user-friendly transportation portal.

TRANSPORTATION OFFICE STAFF

CARRIE WHIPPLE

Director of Transportation

800000
Miles That Our Buses Travel Annually To Serve Our School Community
68
Square Miles That Our Buses Cover To Pick Up Students
#
Of Students We Transport Daily

POSITIVE BUS BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

Parents: Please go over the following rules with your children so they know what is expected when they ride a school bus. We ask that you help them understand that riding a school bus is a privilege.
BUS EXPECTATIONS

PERSISTENT

RESPECTFUL

INCLUSIVE

DEPENDABLE

EVERY DAY!

PERSISTENT

  • Wait patiently 10 feet back and wait for your driver’s signal to board
  • Politely load and unload your school bus, BE SAFE!
  • Sit back to back, seat to seat, and feet toward the floor
  • Stay safe, keeping everthing inside the bus and out of the aisle

RESPECTFUL

  • Listen and follow directions from your driver
  • Keep your hands, feet and all your belongings to yourself
  • Use an inside voice; only the person in your seat should hear you
  • Help keep your bus clean; food and drinks are for home or school

INCLUSIVE

  • Be welcoming to everyone
  • Make room for others to share your seat
  • Always use kind words and actions
  • Do your part to make the bus a better place for everyone

DEPENDABLE

  • Arrive five minutes early to your bus stop
  • Be ready to board in a single file line when your bus arrives
  • Stay seated but ready to exit at your stop
  • Electronic devices are for quiet personal use only

FAQs

Is Forest Hills Required to Transport My Child to and From School?

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School districts are not required to transport general education students. If a school district elects to provide transportation, it must comply with statute MCL 380.1321. Under Article 3 of the Revised School code, a school district is obligated to provide for the transportation of a special education student if the Individualized Educational Plan Committee has determined that the transportation is a specialized service which is included within and necessary to carry out the student’s Individualized Educational Plan.

How Are Bus Stop Locations Determined and Why Might They Change?

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Bus stops are determined based on where students live along with application of our home to stop distance parameters (see “how far does my child have to walk to get to a bus stop”). Stops are placed in neighborhoods, subdivisions and along public and private streets as centrally located throughout these areas and in accordance with state pupil transportation law.

There may be a variety of circumstances that cause a change to a bus stop location. There are legal requirements for a bus stop as provided in MCL 257.1855 such as stops being a minimum of 200 feet apart. Other factors include student ridership, route time, and visibility. Periodically changes in stop locations are necessary due to environmental changes (trees, signs, poles or other obstructions) that impede visibility or cause other compliance issues.

How Far Does My Child Have to Walk to Get to a Bus Stop?

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There is not a legal requirement for maximum walking distance to a bus stop. Forest Hills uses the following distances as guidelines when establishing bus stop locations:

  • Elementary (K-6) – 1/2 mile
  • Secondary (7-12) – 3/4 mile

It is important to note that there may be cases where these distances are exceeded. Walking distances are measured along public streets and walkways using GIS map data within our routing software program. In some cases, live measurement is used to verify distances if there is a question. In such cases, measurement is done with a manual measuring device from the center of the driveway to the home using the shortest walking route to the bus stop location.

What About the Safety of My Child Getting to and From the Bus Stop?

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It is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian to ensure the safety of their child to, from, and while at the bus stop. Forest Hills provides transportation as a non-mandated service and has established placement of bus stops in accordance with the requirements of the law.

Where Can I Find Additional School Transportation Information?

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Additional transportation information may be found on the Michigan Department of Education’s Pupil Transportation website and from the following key groups and organizations that partner with or support pupil transportation:

  • Michigan Association Pupil Transportation
  • National Association for Pupil Transportation
  • American School Bus Council
  • Office of Highway Safety Planning – School Buses are Like Traffic Lights

MY RIDE K-12

Easily find your student’s bus route, receive real-time updates, and get notified about changes or delays. The My Ride K-12 app is designed to help parents and students stay informed about their school transportation schedules.

APPLE iOS APP ANDROID APP

Why Are We Requiring Students to Scan a Card to Get on and Off the Bus?

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The district is always looking for ways to keep students safe and the Traversa Telematics program does just that. It allows us to ensure students are boarding the correct bus and getting off at the correct bus stop, as well as help drivers know if their student count is at zero upon the completion of their run. In the rare event a significant bus accident should occur, we would know which students are on the bus at that time.

How Do I Get a Card for My Student?

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Cards will be distributed at the schools after the school year begins. For the first few weeks of school bus drivers will “load” students on and off the bus using the secured tablet on the bus.

Can My Student Still Ride the Bus if They Have Misplaced Their Card?

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Yes. On a temporary basis, drivers can manually “load” a student on and off the bus until your student’s card is either located or replaced.

How Do I Get a Replacement Card if My Student’s Card is Lost or Broken?

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Students should report a lost or broken card to their school office, the school will put in a request for a new card. Transportation will fulfill the request and send the card to the school for distribution to the student.

I’m Trying to Register for the My Ride K-12 (Traversa Ride 360) App and It’s Asking for My Student’s Unique Information. What is That and Where Do I Locate It?

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The unique information needed to sign up for the My Ride K-12 (Traversa Ride 360) app is your student’s district ID number and their date of birth. If you need help with locating your student’s district ID number, please contact your student’s school office.

If I Move Within the District and Have a New Bus Stop, Do I Need a New Card?

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No. Your student’s existing card will be updated with the new information.

Please retain their current card.

My Student Has Different Bus Stops on Different Days. Will Their Card Reflect Both Stops?

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Yes. Cards are programmed based on the schedule provided by the parent(s) to the Transportation office.

I Have a Family Emergency and Need My Student to Ride a Different Bus. What Should I Do?

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As a general rule, day-to-day bus route changes are not allowed. However, if an emergency arises that requires a change, parents should contact the Transportation office at 616-493-8785 for approval of the exception.

Does the My Ride K-12 (Traversa Ride 360) App Tell Me Whether or Not My Student is on the Bus?

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Yes, the app shows when your student entered and exited the bus.

Does the My Ride K-12 (Traversa Ride 360) App Have Push Notifications That Can Alert Me to Changes in My Student’s Bus Arrival Time or Whether or Not My Student is on the Bus?

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Yes! You can sign up for push notifications directly in the My Ride K-12 (Traversa Ride 360) app.

ROUTE & SAFETY INFORMATION

Bus Safety

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The Forest Hills Transportation Department has adopted an approved uniform hand signal for all students who may have to cross in front of the bus. At the beginning of each school year, students in grades K-5 are taught the proper way to safely cross in front of the bus. Parents are asked to please review the following procedures with their children before school begins.

When students have to cross the roadway in front of the bus, they should:

  • Exit the bus and always walk to the front of the bus.
  • Be at least ten steps in front of the bus before starting to cross the roadway.
  • Wait for the approved signal (if appropriate) from the driver before crossing.
  • Stop at the traffic side of the bus and look left, right, and left to be sure it is safe to cross.
  • If it is safe to cross, walk across the roadway. DO NOT RUN.

Transportation Department Goals

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Our goal is to provide students living within our 68 square miles with safe and reliable transportation to and from school every day. Annually, our fleet travels approximately 800,000 miles, providing services to our school community. While maintaining the highest safety standards, we continue to strive for efficiency by finding better ways to route our buses in order to reduce mileage and time.

As part of the services we provide, we’re pleased and proud to provide transportation for a large number of academic and athletic trips and perform many other behind-the-scenes functions for the district. In addition, we maintain an excellent rating in the annual bus safety inspection conducted by the Michigan State Police.

Mission Statement

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The Forest Hills Public Schools Transportation Department will strive to provide safe transportation to and from school. Each driver will maintain high professional standards and positive student relationships.

IMMERSION BUSING

Immersion busing operates a bit differently than traditional routes. Instead of neighborhood pickups, immersion students are assigned to designated community stops. This system helps bring together students from across a wider area, supporting access to specialized programs. Because immersion students often travel farther to reach their schools, it’s common for them to have longer bus rides. While the commute may be a bit extended, it ensures that students can participate in these unique and enriching educational opportunities.

BUS DRIVER APPRECIATION

Let’s take a moment to appreciate our incredible bus drivers; everyday heroes who keep our Hawks, Huskies and Rangers moving safely and smoothly. Through early mornings, late nights, and all kinds of weather, they show up with dedication, patience, and a steady hand at the wheel.

BUS DRIVERS WANTED

Looking for a great job? Consider joining the FHPS transportation team as a bus driver! Forest Hills Public Schools needs to increase our pool of school bus drivers available to our school district. Driving a school bus is a part-time job, requiring 2-3 hours in the morning and 2-3 hours in the afternoon (180 days). In addition to the benefits listed below, bus drivers serve as important role models for the children of our community.

APPLY TODAY

REQUIREMENTS

BENEFITS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

BUS DRIVER ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT

REQUIREMENTS

  • Must hold or be willing to obtain: a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with “P” Passenger endorsement and “S” School Bus endorsements and pass a DOT physical.

BENEFITS

  • Starting pay of $21.63 for applicants for regular routes without experience
  • Sub bus driver rate is $21.13 per hour
  • Sign-on bonus of up to $1500 for qualified applicants
  • Up to 8 hours of work per day
  • Flexible schedule (ex: AM or PM Routes only, Specific days only)
  • 10 months of work per year
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance available to qualified employees, including full family.
  • Paid training and CDL testing
  • Field trip supplemental opportunities
  • Being a part of a world-class school district team
  • Work in other district positions to create a full-time job

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Forest Hills Public Schools offers the 18-hour classroom training required by the State of Michigan. All applicants are required to be fingerprinted and receive a full background check, drivers are enrolled in a mandatory drug and alcohol random testing program and receive six hours of continuing education every two years. Every applicant receives comprehensive, behind-the-wheel training to ensure that the high standards of the district are met. Forest Hills Public Schools provides transportation in a 68-mile area encompassing Ada, Cascade, Grand Rapids and Kentwood.  In addition, we provide academic, athletic and extra-curricular trip transportation. Our #1 goal is to transport all eligible students to and from their destination in the safest and most cost-effective manner.

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