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Transportation


All sign ups for the 24/25 school year need to be submitted by June 1, 2024. If you are submitting after June 1 you will be added to the nearest group stop.

School of choice/out of district students will be assigned to an in district group stop only if there is room on the bus. 

All band and orchestra students: All instruments must be able to fit comfortably on the lap of the student. 

Bus Information & Bus Tracking

JPS uses My Ride K-12 and in-vehicle GPS geolocation to provide parents and students with real-time access to bus stop locations, transportation routes, pick-up times and more. You can register your account, add your students, and access tracking and bus information.

Download the My Ride K-12 App:
Please note: The Android link only works on mobile devices

JPS Bus Rider Video

Key Info

Jenison Public Schools has over 33 buses and special transportation vehicles to provide safe and reliable transportation every day for over 2,400 students across 16 square miles. JPS consistently receives top marks for safety and reliability from the Michigan State Police Bus Inspection Team.

  • School transportation is provided for students living within the Jenison School District who reside more than 1.5 miles from the school they will be attending.
  • Students who live within 1.5 miles of their school building are in that schools "Walking Area" and are not bussed.
  • Elementary school students who use District buses must ride them weekly. Transportation is not available for short-term or special occasions.
  • Bus Stop Locations: 
    • Elementary School Students:
      • To receive a bus stop location within 0.50 miles walking distance of your home, students must ride the bus at least 3 times per week in the AM and 3 times per week in the PM.
    • Jr./Sr. High School Students: Will be assigned a bus stop location within 0.50 miles walking distance.
    • Parents are responsible for ensuring their students get to and from their assigned bus stop safely.
  • Bus routes are subject to change every year.  We advise all parents/guardians to review busing information prior to the 1st day of school.
  • Transportation is provided for JASPER (Jenison After School Program for Education Response) students. Click Here to learn more.
  • It's important for all parents and students to be familiar with the rules and expectations for riding school transportation. Please review these rules and expectations by clicking here.

FAQ

Are school districts required to transport my child?

School districts are NOT required by law to transport regular education children. Michigan Compiled Law (MCL) 380.1321 outlines the obligations of the school district IF its board of education elects to provide transportation. Under Article 3 of the Revised School Code, the school district is obligated to provide for the transportation of a special education student if the Individualized Educational Planning Committee (IEPC) has determined that the transportation is a specialized service which is included within and necessary to carry out the student's IEP.
Jenison Public Schools provides transportation to students who live outside of the walk area (1.5 miles) for the school they will be attending.

Is there a law about how far my child has to walk to the bus stop?

No law specifies the maximum distance a student may walk to the bus stop.

The walking distance to a bus stop for any Jenison Public Schools student will be no more than 0.5 miles for elementary students and 0.5 miles for secondary students, based on a measurement of the shortest practical roadway that can be traversed by a requested school bus as determined by the school district.

Is there a specified distance that must exist between school bus stops?

The lights on a school bus that are used to notify other traffic of an upcoming stop must, by law, be activated 200 feet from the stop. Thus, bus stops must be at least 200 feet apart.

When should my child be at the bus stop in the morning?

Bus riders need to be visible and outside five to ten minutes prior to the bus stop arrival time. This allows for some variation in the bus route due to unanticipated events.

The bus goes right by the house. Why can’t the bus stop and pick-up my child?

There are many factors that should be taken into consideration when school administrators establish the placement of school bus stops. The basic legal factors are spelled out in MCL 257.1855, but the primary concern is visibility of the bus to other traffic and the consideration of stopping distances necessary for other motor vehicles in order to accomplish safe loading and unloading of the children. In general, state law requires 400 feet of clear and continuous visibility on a highway or roadway where the speed limit is more than 35 miles per hour, and 200 feet where the speed limit is less than 35 miles per hour. There is no state law that specifies a maximum distance between stops.

Why do pick-up/drop-off times vary, especially at the beginning of the school year?

At the beginning of the school year, bus routes are developed based on known/provided information given to us for routing. However, it is only after bus routes get underway that Transportation Services learns where added efficiencies can be found or stops can be removed. From the time bus information is made available to parents, about two (2) weeks prior to the start of school, until approx. mid-to-late September, bus pick-up and drop-off times may vary. Parents/guardians are asked to be patient as bus drivers learn their new routes and become familiar with their new students. Once the school year gets underway, buses generally run on time with exception to weather conditions, road construction, no adult present at the bus stop, a student who becomes ill, mechanical problems, etc. Transportation Services highly recommends for every parent to create an account on Parent Bus Tracking System. This GPS tracking system allows parents to see exactly where their child's school bus is on the route and estimated time of arrival to their stop

What about neighborhoods without sidewalks?

It is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian to see that a child gets safely to and from the bus stop. The school district provides transportation as a non-mandated service and establishes placement of the bus stops in accordance with the requirements of the law.

Is there a maximum riding time for school busses?

There is no maximum riding time in the law for children in kindergarten through grade twelve. Child care licensing regulations establish a maximum riding time of 60 continuous minutes for the transportation of preschool children.

Contact Transportation 
Phone: 616-457-3740
8375 20th Ave.
Jenison, MI 49428
Phone: 616.457.8890
Fax: 616.457.8898
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