Transportation

TEST from published to draft and schedule

Please consult the School Bus Route Map link below for bus route and stop information.  Student Clever login credentials will be required to access bus route information. 

The Transportation Department is responsible for pupil transportation operations and transportation planning.  Currently, Huntsville City Schools employs the Apple Bus Company as our pupil transportation provider. 

• For all other questions regarding bus routes, please contact Apple Bus using the information below

Apple Bus Customer Service Office: (256) 361-0919

Links

• School Bus Transportation Comment Form
• School Bus Route Map

To ensure the safety of our students, the Bus Route Map requires one of two logins:

• Parents & Students will be able to login using the student's Clever login credentials.  If needed, assistance obtaining this login information is available by contacting your child's home school.
• If your student is new to Huntsville City Schools, you will need to contact your child's home school to determine what bus they will be riding and the location and time of the nearest bus stop.
• Faculty & Staff will be able to login using the same credentials used to access HCS email.

Stopfinder

Huntsville City Schools is pleased to announce the release of Stopfinder, a new bus route notification app developed by Transfinder and available on both iTunes and Google Play.  Stopfinder allows parents to have peace of mind about not missing bus arrivals by notifying when a bus is approaching assigned stops, as well as alerting parents when any changes occur, such as the bus being delayed.  With advanced features such as the ability to easily monitor multiple children, establish geolocation alerts, and temporarily or permanently grant access to family members or other caregivers, Stopfinder makes it easy for parents to keep up with their child’s location during transit.

Parents with registered bus riders should receive an email invitation with instructions for registering a student with Stopfinder.  Parents with registered bus riders who do not receive an email should contact their child's school to verify that the email address on file is correct.  Once the school verifies the email address, parents can reach out to Apple Bus Customer Service at (256) 361-0919 for further assistance. 

• Stopfinder Website
• Stopfinder App (Apple)
• Stopfinder App (Android)
• Stopfinder FAQ (Includes video tutorials and common questions)

Documents

• 2022-23 School Bus Transportation Guidelines.pdf
• 2022-23 School Bus Transportation Exception Procedures.pdf
• 2022-23 School Bus Transportation Exception Request Form.pdf

Transportation Coordinator:

Scott Gillies
scott.gillies@hsv-k12.org
Office: (256) 428-8352

Bus Safety Protocols

Health & Safety

• Bus drivers will be wearing face coverings.
• HCS requires students to wear face coverings in order to board the bus and enter the school.
  • If a student boards the bus without a face covering, the driver will issue the student a disposable mask.

Sanitation Protocols

• To the maximum extent practicable, bus windows will be open one notch to enable air circulation.
• In the event of a vomit or other bodily fluid spill on the way to school, driver will contact dispatch, who will contact HCS transportation coordinator, who will contact the school staff to ensure that a custodian meets the bus to clean the spill before student egress.  If custuodian is not available, driver or monitor will clean spill using on board spill kit before student egress.
• In the event of a vomit or other bodily fluid spill on the way home from school, driver or monitor will clean spill using on board spill kit before student egress, and inform dispatch to have cleaning crew ready at the yard.

Entry & Exit

• All students are encouraged to practice social distancing at the bus stop.
• Students will board the bus at their assigned stop, checked in in by the driver on the roster.
• Driver will apply hand sanitizer to each student as they pass the driver seat, using a hand-held pump bottle.
• Student will proceed to the farthest empty seat, as directed by the driver or monitor, filling the bus from back to front, ensuring that students do not pass other students.
• Students remain seated for the entire bus ride. The students should sit as close to the window as possible.
  • If public health situation requires reduced capacity (one student to a seat), co-habitating students may sit two to a seat.
• Exit from the bus will be front to back, at the direction of the driver or monitor. Students will remain seated in their seats until called forward by the driver or monitor, in order to prevent crowding in the aisle.

Conduct

• If directed, students who refuse to keep their face covering on or wear one at all will be issued a Student Conduct Report (SCR) by the driver.
• Students who engage in conduct that places the health of other students at risk issued a Student Conduct Report (SCR) by the driver.
• Students will remain seated the entire bus ride from entry to exit. Students who do not follow rules will be issued a Student Conduct Report (SCR) by the driver.
• Student Conduct Reports (SCRs) will be turned in to the school leadership time by the HCS transportation office for determination of appropriate action.