Transportation Changes
Please visit your child's school to make updates to your transportation arrangements. This includes any changes due to a move in your residence or if you would like transportation to an address other than your residence. You can view your transportation information electronically from home using MPS's Infinite Campus Parent Portal. You will need to create a user account. Your child's school will need to assist with creating a Parent Portal account.
The Department of Business and Transportation Services provides safe, reliable, responsive and efficient transportation services, with students as our central focus. The department's buses travel more than 15 million miles annually. In fulfilling its mission, the department:
- Provides home-to-school and school-to-home transportation services for approximately 51,000 students every school day.
- Offers a flexible transportation system that accommodates varied needs, all within published policies and guidelines.
- Directs more funding to classroom education by reducing transportation expenses.
The department is responsible for the provision of student transportation and the scheduling of all school, athletic and special-busing programs. It also administers Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) ridership programs.
All routing information originates from Infinite Campus, the Milwaukee Public Schools' (MPS) student-information system. Please contact your student's school if your family is moving, is changing child-care providers or if you would like to request a different bus stop. It is the school's responsibility to verify all requests.
The department is open from 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m Monday through Friday during the regular school year. The phone number is 414-475-8922.
General Information
Eligibility
Eligibility for transportation services is governed by MPS Board of School Directors Administrative Policy 4.04. Eligibility is dependent upon the school a student attends and the student's home address. The following criteria are used to determine transportation eligibility:
- A student in grades K-5 must reside one or more miles from their assigned school, outside of the school's designated attendance area and within the school’s transportation region.
- Students in grades 6-12 must reside two or more miles from their assigned school, outside of the school's attendance area and within the school’s transportation region.
MPS charter schools set their own transportation rules. Please contact your student's charter school directly for details. Transportation region sizes differ based on the school type and programs within that school.
Walk Zones
Most schools designate “walk zones,” which typically fall within one or two miles from the school site, depending on grades offered by the school. Students living inside a school’s walk zone cannot receive transportation.
Moving
If you move outside of your elementary or middle school transportation region, your child may be provided transportation. If there is no existing bus stop, you must either provide transportation or change your child’s school. You will be asked to select a new school for your child for the following year or to sign a contract that says you will provide transportation.
Bus Stops
Students in grades K3–5 are expected to walk up to 1/4 mile to a safe corner stop. Students in grades 6-12 are expected to walk up to 1/2 mile to a safe corner stop.
Special Education/Access for Persons with Disabilities
Transportation for students with special education needs is provided based upon the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). All district schools serve children with special needs; however, not all services are available at all schools. Parents are advised to work closely with their child’s IEP team to determine which schools are best equipped to meet the needs of the child. Children with disabilities must follow the same rules for transportation as other children, unless the IEP identifies a specialized transportation need or modification. Parents of children with limited mobility should discuss the accessibility needs of the child with the principal/building administrator of the school they wish the child to attend. Children with special needs are also eligible for the Chapter 220 Voluntary Student Transfer Program and for Public School Open Enrollment program.
Homeless Students
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act defines the homeless as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” This definition includes children and youth whose family has lost housing due to economic difficulties and is sharing the housing of others; who are living in motels, hotels, transitional or emergency shelters; or, whose nighttime residence is a place not normally used for housing. Unaccompanied youth and migratory children, who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above, have the same rights.
Homeless children have many rights and are eligible for many services under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. For example, homeless children and youth have the right to stay in the school they attended prior to becoming homeless (the school of origin); transportation from their temporary residence to the school may be provided; Call (414) 475-8911 for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Open AllClose All How do I register my student to receive school bus service?
There is no need to register. If your child is eligible for transportation services and enrolled prior to the start of the school year, MPS will mail a postcard to your residence that provides your child's busing information. All transportation requests submitted after the school year begins will be handled by your child's school.
How do I change my child's bus route or bus stop?
Individual schools facilitate all transportation requests. Schools will electronically request route adjustments for busing changes and notify you when the busing changes have been processed.
What should I do if my child does not arrive at the assigned drop-off point at the expected time?
You should first call the bus company. You can also click the following link - Bus Company Phone Numbers - for a complete listing of bus companies that service MPS.
If you are unsure of the bus company or phone number, please call either your school or the transportation department at 414-475-8922.
Can my child be suspended from riding a bus?
Transportation is a privilege. In cases of bus misconduct, school administrators or the department of transportation can temporarily or permanently suspend ridership privileges. Disciplinary actions are generally progressive in nature, but serious misconduct may result in immediate service suspension. When considering school bus suspensions, MPS follows due-process and just-cause procedures that give all parties an opportunity to be heard.
A bus suspension is not a suspension from school. Parents are responsible for providing transportation for their child if school bus service has been suspended.
Who do I contact if there are problems on the bus?
Bullying and any other behavior concerns should be addressed immediately with school administrators. School bus drivers are responsible for reporting bus misconduct, but do not have the authority to suspend students. Please discuss with your child the importance of reporting issues as soon as they arise. Schools work with bus companies and the department of transportation to address any identified bus-ridership issues.
What can I do if my child is not eligible for busing?
MPS School Board of Directors Policy 4.04 dictates transportation eligibility. If you live outside of a school's transportation region and are unable to provide your own transportation, you may need to find another school assignment. You can click on Find a School for assistance.
Transportation Supervisor:
Ryan Elbert
Transportation Associates:
Southwest Region - Bruce Little
Northwest Region - Stephanie Strong
Central Region - Tracy Johnson
East Region - Carla Knox
High Schools -Kicia Scott
CATP / Athletics / Behavior Management - Lakita Wells
HSV & Cross District - Lisa Sheffield