Transportation 

Important Bus Announcement 

Bus routes for the 2018-2019 school year have been posted. They can be found below. If you have any questions, please contact Sharon O'Connell at Central Office at 508-832-7755.  Thank you. 

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 Ms. Sharon O'Connoll at Central Office at (508) 832-7755.

If you would prefer to e-mail, please do so 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 Ms. O'Connell can respond to you. Her e-mail address is soconnell@auburn.k12.ma.us.

Transportation Policy

The Auburn School Department will be charging an annual transportation fee of $100.00 for students who wish to take the bus transportation. A family cap of $250.00 has been approved by the School Committee. Massachusetts General Law (MGL ch.71, sec. 68) requires that school systems provide transportation to town resident students in kindergarten through grade 6 who live more than two miles from the school they attend. Students living less than two miles from the school will be given a pass on a first come first serve basis upon the availability of seats on the bus.

In order to register for bus transportation, a Transportation Application form will need to be submitted. This form is a requirement for all bus riders and must be returned NO LATER than June 1, 2018 so that we may work on making the bus routes as accurate as possible.

All students who live two miles or less from the school they attend and all students in grade 7-12, regardless of where they live, must pay the transportation fee in order to ride the bus to and from school. The transportation fee can be waived for students who are also eligible for free/reduced lunch. If you believe that you may qualify for this waiver please stop into the Superintendent’s office at 5 West Street and complete the waiver form.

1. Who is eligible for free school bus transportation?
   • As mandated by state law, only Auburn students
     • in grades K-6 who live more than two miles from their assigned school
     • who have a transportation component in their individual Education Plans (IEP)
     • who are eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the guidelines of the National School Lunch Program and who apply for a waiver of the bus fee on that account. Reduced lunch receives a reduced fee.
2. What is the school bus transportation fee?
   • Students who live in Auburn and who are not eligible for free school bus transportation will have the option to purchase a bus pass. Passes are $100 per student with a family cap of $250. If a seat is not assigned, the fee will be refunded; otherwise, the fee is non-refundable and will not be prorated in any manner or for any reason. The purchased seat is not transferable to another route.
3. What form of identification will be provided to bus riders?
   • In mid to late August, bus passes will be made available for pick up at your child’s school. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.

2018-2019 Bus Application

The application can be found below.