443-984-2000
Update - Week of August 29, 2022
City Schools has adjusted bus routes at the schools listed below. Read our First Week of Transportation Update to see the updated routes.
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Beechfield corner to corner
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Charles Carroll Barrister Elem corner to corner
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Cross Country swing space
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Dickey Hill corner to corner
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Furley corner to corner
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Gardenville corner to corner
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Graceland Park corner to corner
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Gwynn Falls Elementary corner to corner
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Highlandtown swing space/corner to corner
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Holabird corner to corner
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Johnston Square corner to corner
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Medfield Heights corner to corner
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Montebello swing space/corner to corner
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Moravia Park corner to corner
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Morrell Park corner to corner
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Mount Washington corner to corner
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Roland Park corner to corner
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Samuel Coleridge Taylor corner to corner
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Sinclair Elementary corner to corner
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Thomas Jefferson corner to corner
Contact Us
Our Transportation Team is here to answer your questions or concerns. Call 410-396-7440 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday - Friday (excluding holidays and office closures) or email transportation@bcps.k12.md.us.
Students are eligible for transportation based on the distance from home to school:
- Elementary school students who live more than 1 mile from their neighborhood school receive yellow bus service.
- Middle school students who live more than 1.5 miles from their neighborhood or citywide school (selected through middle school choice) receive a One Card for use on the MTA.
- High school students who live more than 1.5 miles from their school receive a One Card for use on the MTA.
In addition, students may be eligible for transportation services if they
- Do not have a safe route to walk
- Have an Individualized Education Program (IEP)
- Are homeless
- Receive English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services
- Are in pre-k
- Have a 504 plan
School bus service may also transport students and staff to and from extracurricular activities. Transportation is not provided by the district for students who attend charter schools. If your child attends a charter school, check with the school to find out if transportation services are available.
Helpful links
MTA One Card
Middle and high school students who are eligible for transportation get a One Card for travel on the MTA.
- The One Card is valid from Monday to Friday between 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., except when schools are closed for holidays or teacher professional days.
- Students have four 120-minute travel windows when they can use the One Card to get on a bus or enter a Metro station or Light Rail. For example, if a student’s first use of the One Card is at 7:00 a.m., he or she can travel with unlimited transfers until 9:00 a.m.
- The One Card pays the MTA fare just like a ticket and identifies the rider as an eligible City Schools student. One Cards must therefore not be shared with classmates, friends, or relatives.
- Students who do not have their card when boarding MTA transport will have to purchase a ticket or pay the full fare. (Students who lose their One Card should notify their school as soon as possible and may be subject to a $5.00 replacement fee for each occurrence of a lost fare card.)
- For travel to or from official school- or district-sponsored events after 8:00 p.m. or on weekends, students will be issued “one student fare” tickets. These are valid after 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and can also be used on Saturday or Sunday.
Safety
Please note that no one aside from students assigned to the school bus and the driver may enter or be on a bus unless City Schools' Director of Transportation gives approval. This include parents and other family members.
About our buses and drivers
City Schools buses and contract buses are inspected thoroughly three times a year in accordance with guidelines established by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. School bus drivers must satisfactorily complete an extensive and comprehensive training program to become certified and eligible to drive, and they must complete annual in-service training. In addition, drivers are required to meet health and driving-record standards. Drivers and bus aides are subject to a background check and a drug and alcohol screening.
School bus rules and guidelines
Behavior on school and MTA buses is governed by City Schools' Code of Conduct. In addition, students who travel on MTA must abide by MTA rules of conduct.
Before loading
- Be careful walking to the bus stop.
- Be ready to board the bus at least 10 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
- Stay out of the street while waiting to board the school bus.
- Conduct yourself in a safe and orderly manner while waiting at the bus stop.
- Do not approach the bus until it comes to a complete stop.
- Carefully enter the bus and move quickly to your seat.
On the bus
- The driver is in complete charge of the bus and students must respect his or her authority.
- While the bus is in motion, students are to sit facing forward in the seats that have been assigned by the driver or school administrator.
- Students may converse in a normal manner. Name-calling or loud, profane, or obscene language is not permitted.
- Students must not extend any part of their bodies through the school bus windows.
- Students may not eat, drink, smoke, or play radios, tape recorders, CD players, etc., while on board school buses.
- Books, coats, school equipment, and musical instruments may be transported on the bus provided they can be secured in the seat and not placed in the aisles. For other objects, the driver may request written approval from City Schools' Transportation department.
- Students must cooperate in keeping the bus clean and must not damage it. Any malicious or willful damage to a school bus will result in immediate withdrawal of transportation services for the student or students involved. In addition, the cost of repairing the damage must be satisfactorily settled.
- Students are prohibited from throwing items out of the bus windows.
- Pushing, shoving, and fighting are prohibited.
- Absolute silence is necessary when approaching a railroad crossing.
- In case of an emergency, students are to remain in the bus unless otherwise instructed by the driver.
Leaving the bus
- Students should remain seated until the bus comes to a complete stop.
- Students should move a safe distance away from the bus as they unload, and never go under the bus for an object.
- Students who must cross the street due to the location of their residence must move at least 10 feet in front of the bus before attempting to cross. Before crossing, students must look in both directions to be sure that no traffic is approaching.
FAQs
How do I find out if my child is eligible for transportation?
The transportation coordinator at your child's school can discuss with you the standard transportation criteria that students must meet to be eligible for services. Note that if your child has an Individualized Education Program and you feel that he or she should receive transportation, please contact the IEP chair at your child’s school to schedule an IEP meeting.
Is approval for transportation services permanent?
No. If transportation is approved for the current year, the request must be resubmitted each year. (In the case of students with IEPs, the need for continuation of transportation service will be discussed at the annual IEP review meeting.)
What if I think my child should receive transportation, but he or she is not on the list to do so?
If your child is not on the list for transportation services, the transportation coordinator at your child's school can give you the reason that your child is not eligible.
How do I find out my child's bus route?
If your child has been assigned to a bus, you should receive a letter in the mail or a telephone call from City Schools giving you pick-up and drop-off information. If your child has been assigned to a cab, you should receive a telephone call the district or the cab company to schedule pick up and drop off. If you have not been contacted or need more information, please call City Schools at 443-984-2000.
My address has changed. Who do I contact?
Contact your school to report the change and to find out what documentation is necessary to verify the change.
Will the bus wait for my child if he or she is not at the bus stop on time?
No. Students should be at the bus stop at least 10 minutes in advance of the scheduled pick-up time.
How long should students and their parents/guardians wait if the bus or cab is late?
If the bus has not arrived 15 minutes beyond the designated arrival time, please contact City Schools at 443-984-2000.
How can I confirm my child's drop-off time?
Contact the company that is transporting your child. If you still have concerns after speaking with the company, contact City Schools at 443-984-2000
What happens if I am not at the drop-off location to meet my child?
Someone must be available to receive your child at the drop-off location. If not, you will receive a letter stating that we were unable to drop off your child. After three such letters, you will receive a letter of termination of transportation services.
Can my child be dropped off at a location other than the corner-to-corner stop that was designated?
No, students cannot be dropped off at any other location unless it is one of the designated stops on the route.
Can I accompany my child on his/her bus ride to school?
The only parents who can ride the bus are those whose children are in the early learning Parent and Infant Early Stimulation (PIES) program.
My child is nonverbal. How can I ensure he or she gets on the right bus?
For the first days of a new school year, please put a name tag on your child so bus and school staff are alerted and can ensure he or she gets on the right bus and is let out at the correct stop.
My child left something on the bus or in the cab. How does he/she get it back?
Drivers check their vehicles after each run. Forgotten items are taken back to the school or turned in to the bus or cab company office. Contact your child’s assigned bus or cab company to ask if something was left behind, and please help ensure that items can be returned by labeling your child’s belongings with his or her name and school.
