1. ONLINE BUS RIDER REGISTRATION FORM

To enhance student safety, Transportation Services continues to issue bus ID cards with RFID chips to tap on/off at assigned stops for arrival/departure from school. Parents must sign up their children to ride the bus (morning, afternoon, or both) using the form to inform Transportation if the student qualifies for service. This helps improve student ridership assignments and balance out routes. The 2025-26 School Bus Registration Form is available on the OCPS Parent Portal. The online form is quick and easy to complete and eliminates the need to submit paper copies that may get lost. Families are encouraged to register.
Parent Portal: https://parents.classlink.com/ocps
School Bus Registration Form: Instructions PDF

2. STUDENTS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR BUS SERVICE

Eligibility is determined by Florida Department of Education Administrative Rule 6A-3.001(3), which states:

• Reasonable walking distance is more than 2 miles between home and school, or more than 1½ miles between home and assigned stop.
• Distance is measured from the closest pedestrian entry point of the residence to the assigned building or stop.

Transportation’s first objective is to transport all eligible students as defined and funded by the state. The “Space Available” program is considered only after the first 4 weeks of school. Requests for open seats may be reassessed and offered to students residing less than the eligible distance if resources allow.
The District’s Safety Office also partners with local agencies to review intersections, crossings, and provide crossing guards.

3. STUDENTS NOT ARRIVING TO SCHOOL ON TIME

The nationwide bus driver shortage continues to affect Florida districts. The routing team must make two trips to ensure students arrive on time. While not ideal, this is the most viable solution given current availability. Once school starts, ridership counts help adjust pick-up/drop-off times to minimize disruptions. The district continues recruiting to fill vacant positions. Concerns should be shared with the appropriate member for further research and corrective action.

4. WHY ARE BUSES MAKING TWO TRIPS TO HIGH SCHOOLS?

Due to the ongoing bus driver shortage, some buses must make two runs (double backs) to high schools. Creating routes with fewer drivers is complex and requires creative solutions to serve multiple schools under OCPS’s three-tier bell time system.
Last year, afternoon runs were designed so the last student stop was closest to the next school. This meant some students arrived first in the morning and departed last in the afternoon. Afternoon buses arrived 30–35 minutes after the next school’s dismissal. Time differences will continue to be reviewed and adjusted where possible.

5. ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS GETTING HOME LATE

The shortage affects all school levels. High school buses making two trips in the morning also need to make two trips in the afternoon, delaying arrival to elementary and middle schools by 30–40 minutes. If two runs are no longer necessary, they will be adjusted as soon as possible.

6. PARENTS NOT RECEIVING A LATE BUS NOTICE

The first weeks of school are hectic due to traffic and students learning routes. Transportation Services sends late notices via the ParentSquare app.
If parents aren’t receiving messages, they should confirm their contact info is current in Skyward.
There is also a Bus Delay Dashboard on the OCPS website to keep parents and schools informed.
Bus Delay Dashboard: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=0a21175ddb3f4d4684b411d8bdcfad45