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School Bus Routes and Stops

Bus Routes

Bus routes are designed in accordance with regulations and recommended practices of the New York State Department of Education, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, New York State Department of Transportation and the policies of the Board of Education of the Bedford Central School District.

The primary goal in establishing bus routes is the safety of students, other motorists and the general public. Bus routes shall be designed to achieve maximum efficiency with a minimum fleet of buses consistent with providing reasonably equitable service to all students. Routes will be designed to employ, as nearly practicable, the full carrying capacity for each bus route. 

The policy of the Board of Education provides transportation for all resident students living more than one-half mile from their school of attendance. Bus routes shall be established over the most direct public roads suitable for bus travel to serve those students eligible for transportation. Buses will only be routed on roads that are maintained by town highway departments unless the lack of maintenance makes it unsafe for drivers and students to be traversing these roads.  Examples of unsafe conditions are flooding, road erosion, fallen trees/power lines, ice, snow and mud.  Buses will not be routed on roads that have not been dedicated and/or maintained by town, county and/or state highway departments.  Turn-arounds will not be established unless adequate space is available to safely execute a turn around.  Generally speaking, cul-de-sacs, dead end streets and loop streets will not be serviced by school buses. 

Bus Stops

Authorized bus stops will be located at safe intervals in places where students may be loaded and unloaded, cross roads/streets and await the arrival of buses with the utmost safety allowed by road conditions. Among the factors considered in the placement of bus stops are the concentration of students in the area, anticipated traffic volume, the presence of traffic control devices, speed limits and bus turn-around requirements.  Per New York State recommendations, where possible, the distance between consecutive bus stops will be a minimum of 300 feet for the safety of the students, the bus and other motorists. Whenever possible, bus stops will be placed at the intersection of two streets.

Students should arrive at their assigned bus stop five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time. Students should not wait indoors as this affects the schedule and timeliness of the bus route.

Students must ride their assigned buses and get on/off at their assigned bus stop.

If you have a question or concern about your child(ren's) bus stop please contact the bus company or the Transportation Department. While we understand the challenges faced by parents/guardians, the following do not warrant changes being made to a bus stop: not being able to see the bus stop from the home; elderly or disabled parent, grandparent or day care provider; day care provider who cannot walk to the bus stop due to other children in the facility; darkness/weather conditions or previous stop location.    

Below is some additional information from the New York State Education Department regarding bus stops (Source: School Law 39th Edition)

57:42 Are there guidelines a school district must follow in designating pick-up points?

A school board is authorized to exercise discretion with reasonable care in designating pick-up points after considering and balancing issues of student safety, convenience, routing efficiency and cost (Appeal of Poonwassie, 61 Ed Dept Rep, Dec. No. 18,123 (2022); Appeal of Freeman, 60 Ed Dept Rep, Dec. No. 17,980 (2021); Appeal of Grocholl, 59 Ed Dept Rep, Dec. No. 17,804 (2019)).

To afford the greatest possible protection to school children, the school board or district superintendent may designate drive-off places on public highways for school buses to drive off the highway to receive or discharge students (3635(5); see 57:47). However, the fact that a pick-up point is located on a heavily traveled road or may require students to wait or travel on unlit narrow roadways with no sidewalks or walkways, or that the student's home is in a remote location, is insufficient to prove that the pick-up point is unsafe (Appeal of Grocholl; Appeal of Weinschenk, 47 Ed Dept Rep 518 (2008); Appeal of DiNapoli, 38 Ed Dept Rep 269 (1998); see Appeal of Freeman).

Similarly, the mere presence of parked vehicles near a pick-up point or running water in the area, such as a creek, do not in and of themselves establish the existence of a hazard necessitating changing the pick-up point (Appeal of Grocholl). Also, a generalized risk, such as a sex offender living within three miles from the pick-up point, is not a basis to set aside a district's determination on the pick-up location (Appeal of Impellizeri, 59 Ed Dept Rep, Dec. No. 17,701 (2019)).

57:43 Who is responsible for ensuring a student arrives safely at a pick-up point?

It is the responsibility of the parent, not the school district, to see that his or her child reaches the pick-up point safely (Pratt v Robinson, 39 N.Y.2d 554 (1976); Appeal of Freeman, 60 Ed Dept Rep, Dec. No. 17,980 (2021); Appeal of Grocholl, 59 Ed Dept Rep, Dec. No. 17,804 (2019). However, a district may not require parents to transport their child to a pick-up point, which is farther away than the distance limitations for pick-up points set by the district policy (Appeal of Zwickel, 42 Ed Dept 346 (2003)).

57:44 Is there a maximum distance that a student can be made to walk to a pick-up point?

No. The school board may establish, through adoption of a policy, the maximum distance a student may be required to walk to a pick-up point. This policy may be applied to side roads as well as to the distance from the student's home to the school itself. For example, if a school policy provides that a student who lives more than 4/10ths of a mile will be transported to school, then students can be required to walk up to 4/10ths of a mile to reach the pick-up point. (Appeal of Marsh, 36 Ed Dept Rep 134 (1996).

Transportation To/From a Friend's House

Students may be permitted to ride a bus other than their assigned bus or to ride their assigned bus to a different stop. Requests are reviewed on a first come first served basis and are subject to available space on the bus they intend to ride.

For students in Kindergarten through Grade 8, a request must be submitted to the students' school through School Dismissal Manager. If approved, the school will notify the bus driver. Students are not permitted to ride a different bus or get on/off at a different stop without prior permission. Telephone requests are not acceptable.

For students in grades 9 through 12, a request must be submitted to the Transportation Department via email. Telephone requests are not acceptable.

Alternate Stop / Daycare Transportation

If a permanent bus stop change is needed due to a change in alternate stop or day care arrangements, a written request must be submitted to the Transportation Department. Please refer to the page at left titled Alternate Stop/Day Care Transportation for additional information and a link to the Alternate Stop/Day Care request form. 

Change of Address

If your permanent home address has changed, you must update your address through the BCSD Central Registrar (914) 241-6107.

Student Drop-off Procedures

FOR PARENTS OF KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS:
Our bus drivers have been instructed that it is our policy NOT to let kindergarten students off of the school bus unless there is an adult to meet them.  If your kindergarten student is going to be met by someone other than a parent/guardian, written authorization indicating who is permitted to meet your kindergarten student at the bus stop must be provided. If your kindergarten student is permitted to be met by an older sibling, that sibling MUST be in 6th grade or older.  Kindergarten students that are not met at the bus stop as required will be returned to their elementary school at the end of the trip. Please refer to the page at left titled Student Drop-off Authorization for additional information and a link to the Student Drop-off Authorization form.

FOR PARENTS OF STUDENTS IN GRADES 1 - 5:
Generally speaking, students in grades 1 through 5 will be let off of the bus WITHOUT an adult to meet them.  If you would like to request that a student in grades 1 - 5 NOT be permitted to get off of the school bus unless there is an adult to meet them, you MUST send this request in writing to the Transportation Department.  Please indicate who is permitted to receive your student from the bus.  Students who are not met at the bus stop as specified will be returned to their elementary school office at the end of the route.