Transportation Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can my child take the bus to school?

A: Generally, a student must meet one of three conditions to qualify for and be assigned transportation:

1. Live at least 1.5 miles from their school
2. Be required to pass through an area identified in an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Serious Safety Hazard Finding
3. Have an IEP-prescribed transportation requirement.

If your student meets at least one of these requirements and is not currently assigned to a bus route, you may inquire with District 21 by contacting your child’s school.

 

Q: I think my child may have left something on the bus. What do I do?

A: You may contact First Student, Inc. at 847-541-0220 and request that a staff member check your child’s bus for a lost item. Please know your child’s bus route number in advance of contacting First Student.

 

Q: Why is my child’s bus late?

A: Although District 21 makes every effort to have its buses run on time each and every day, weather, traffic, mechanical issues and unforeseen incidents are some of the things that can cause delays in the arrival of school buses.

 

Q: The bus drives right past my house. Why can’t it stop at my house?

A: District 21 does not offer door-to-door regular transportation service due to financial and logistic limitations. Having a unique bus stop for each student would add significant time to all routes, necessitating the addition of many more expensive bus routes.

 

Q: Why am I unable to see the bus stop from my house?

A: It is not possible to select stops based on the personal situation of each parent when routing students. Parents are asked to meet their child at the bus stop.

 

Q: Why doesn’t the bus wait at the bus stop for my child?

A: If a bus is delayed at one bus stop, it means that it will arrive later at the remaining stops. For this reason it is expected that students be at their bus stop when the bus arrives. District 21 asks that its students be present at the bus stop at least 10 minutes early.

 

Q: Why does the bus have so many students on it?

A: District 21 attempts to make the best use of taxpayers’ money by constructing the most efficient bus routes possible however, the district consistently assigns fewer students to its bus routes than the law permits.

 

Q: We live on a cul-de-sac or a dead-end street. Will the bus come down our street?

A: Buses are usually not routed into cul-de-sacs or dead-end streets for safety reasons. In many cases, our large buses are unable to turn around at the end of a cul-de-sac or dead end street. Driving a bus in reverse while students are on board is prohibited in most cases by the bus company.

 

Q: My child carries a large musical instrument and/or heavy backpack and appears to be the only student using the stop. Why can’t the bus stop be moved closer to our home?

A: Bus stops are centrally located for all students along a route and are never placed based on personal situations. Bus stops are not changed to accommodate one or more students because that may displace other students further from their home.

 

Q: My child is starting kindergarten. Can he or she take the bus? Will the bus pick my child up in front of our residence?

A: Kindergarten students, like all students, are eligible for transportation services if they meet one of three conditions:

1. Live at least 1.5 miles from their school
2. Be required to pass through an area identified in an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Serious Safety Hazard Finding
3. Have an IEP-prescribed transportation requirement.

Kindergarten students will be picked up and dropped off at their designated bus stop along with all other students. An adult must meet the child. If no one is present to receive the student, the student will be returned to the school and the parent will be required to make arrangements to pick up their child.

 

Q: Can my child ride the bus home with a friend?

A: For safety and logistic reasons, students may only ride the bus route to which they are assigned. Only students who qualify for transportation and are assigned a bus route may be transported on a bus.

 

Q: Who do I contact with my transportation-related question?

A: If you are wondering the location of your child’s bus or would like to report a problem, you can contact First Student, Inc. at 847-541-0220. For general questions, or in the event you are unable to reach First Student, Inc., you can contact District 21 at 847-520-2705.