Transportation 

Important Bus Announcements

Bus Concerns

We are committed to addressing bus concerns in as timely a manner as possible.

If you have a complaint or concern, please contact your child's principal and she/he would be happy to assist you.  If unable to reach them, please call Central Office at (508) 832-7755.

If you would prefer to e-mail, please do so at apsbus@auburn.k12.ma.us and include your child’s name, school, grade and bus number, as well as your name and contact number so that your child's principal or Central Office can respond to you.

Transportation Policy

RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR APS BUSING

• Paper Bus Applications WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED at the Superintendent’s Office at 5 West Street, Auburn.
• We encourage you to complete the 2023-2024 Bus Application electronically.
• Please complete your Bus Application electronically, via mail or in person at 5 West Street with Payment (if required).  If the required payment is not received with the Bus Application, your child/children WILL NOT be registered for busing.
• Cash, Check or online payment will be accepted.  Please make checks payable to “Auburn Public Schools” and reference your child’s name(s) in the memo section of the check.  If you decide to pay online through Unipay Gold, please attach your receipt to the Bus Application as proof of payment.  
• As mandated by state law, the Auburn Public Schools are only required to bus students for the following reasons:  students in Grades K-6 who live two miles or more from their assigned school and students who have a transportation component in their Individual Education Plan (IEP).
• Distance from school is determined using the distance from the home address to the school with Google Maps.
• As mandated by state law, students can walk up to 1 mile to the assigned bus stop. Bus routes are not created to reflect street to street or door to door service. The safety responsibility for escorting the children to and from all assigned bus stops and the monitoring of students while at the bus stop shall rest with the parents/guardians of the children involved.
• School Choice students are not permitted to ride the school bus.
• Students are expected to follow all school-based behavior conduct rules while riding on the school bus.  The District/School reserves the right to suspend a student’s ability to ride the school bus if their behavior is deemed unsafe to themselves or others.
• Please be advised that all District buses are equipped with audio and video surveillance equipment that is regularly reviewed. A completed bus application indicates your knowledge of this fact and grants your consent.
• Bus Pass & Bus Routes will be available for pick up at 5 West Street on designated days in August or mailed home in August.  Please note that bus routes may NOT be revised due to late applications.
• The Auburn Public Schools reserve the right to make changes to bus routes and stops throughout the year, as necessary.
• All bus fees are non refundable.
   

1. What form of identification will be provided to bus riders?
   • In mid to late August, bus passes will be mailed to all registered students. The bus passes will indicate the child’s name, bus number, grade, and the assigned school. Beginning on the first day of school, each student is required to carry the bus pass. Not doing so could result in exclusion from the bus.
2. Where will my child be picked up?
   • The bus number will be indicated on the bus pass that is issued to your child. Copies of the bus routes will be given when the passes are picked up. As students are not automatically entitled to street to street or door to door pick up and/or delivery, your child may have to walk to a common bus stop. The safety responsibility for escorting a child to and from the bus stop shall rest with the parents/guardians of the child involved. This includes escorting the child where there are no sidewalks or the sidewalks are only on one side of the street, where the bus stop is on the opposite side of the street, where road construction is in progress and there are traffic or railway concerns.
3. Can my child be picked up or dropped off at a stop other than his/her assigned home bus stop?
   • Subject to the criteria listed below, you may request an alternative bus stop other than your home bus stop.
     • The arrangement is permanent for the academic year and is the same for all school days.
     • There is space available on the bus.
     • Only one alternate stop will be considered.
4. Can my child, on occasion ride home with a friend who takes another bus?
   • Except in the case of an emergency, an eligible bus student may only ride on his/her regularly assigned bus. A note from a parent/guardian must be presented to a school administrator clearly stating the emergency before any request can be honored.
5. What if I only need the bus one way or only 2 or 3 days a week?
   • The cost for all students is the same. The amount of time you use the bus does not matter because bus costs cannot be prorated according to varied daily usage.
6. What about emergency early dismissal days?
   • If you are not purchasing a bus pass for your child, and you are not entitled to free bus transportation, you must make emergency dismissal plans in the event of an early school closing. The Auburn Public Schools will not have sufficient seats on its school buses to provide every child a bus ride home in the event of an emergency. Parents or their emergency designees must be prepared to pick up the child.
7. Is my child subject to school bus rules?
   • All students who ride the bus are responsible for the rules and regulations that are outlined in your school’s student handbook. Students who fail to adhere to the rules and regulations can be suspended from the bus or lose their bus riding privilege. Should such disciplinary actions be necessary, bus transportation fees will not be refunded.