The primary mission of the Mt. Pleasant Public Schools Transportation Department is to provide a safe and secure method of transit for all riders.

450 S. Bradley Street, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858

989-775-2323 

Request for Transportation & Shuttle Form (Google Form)

Enroll in the My Ride K-12 App Link

MPPS Pupil Transportation Handbook (Google Doc Link)

My Ride K-12 (pdf)

My Ride K-12 Enabling Permissions (pdf)

Permission to Leave Alone Form (Google Link)

Tyler Drive Parent Letter (pdf)

Tyler Drive Scan Card Student Ridership Parent Flyer (pdf)

• Is the school district 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.

• My child is starting kindergarten. Will the bus pick my child up in front of my house?

There are no special laws or regulations for transporting regular education students enrolled in kindergarten. If your district provides transportation, it will be provided in accordance with the requirements of MCL 380.1321, Section 55 of the Pupil Transportation Act, and local District policy with regard to the placement of the bus stop.

• 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. District policy states that authorized bus stops will be available within reasonable walking distance of the home of every resident student entitled to transportation services. Students in non-populated areas can walk up to ½ mile according to Board policy.

• How far are students expected to walk to school?

District policy states that the walk area for the High and Middle Schools is 1 ½ miles from the school. The walk area for elementary students is ¾ mile from their assigned school.

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

The lights on a school bus which 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 a minimum of 200 feet apart.

• What about the safety of my child getting to and from the bus stop? There are no sidewalks where we live and it’s not very safe walking on the busy road we live on.

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.

• My child spends over two hours a day just riding the bus to and from school. Is there a maximum riding time in the law?

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.

• I live in a subdivision. Why won’t the bus pick up at my house?

Due to time constraints, the bus picks up at the entrance to the neighborhood at the main road. Buses only travel into cul-de-sacs if necessary for the route.

• My child missed the bus because the bus was several minutes early.

Many things can affect the arrival time of the bus: traffic, weather, road conditions, or not having to go to the stops of students who are not riding on a particular day. We recommend that students be out at the bus stop at least 5 minutes before the scheduled arrival time of the bus. Also, please be sure your child is waiting outside and not in the house.

• The bus was pulling away as my child was opening the front door. Why didn’t the bus wait just a few more seconds?

Any additional time spent at a bus stop will delay the pickup time for stops farther along the bus route. For example: an extra 30 seconds per stop will add five minutes to the route time ten stops down the road. A few seconds can have a big impact on the rest of the route.

• At what age can my child get off the bus by themselves?

Our long standing policy has been that a child the age of 9 and under must have a responsible person there at the bus stop. There are release forms available on the District website that can be filled out and notarized if a parent wishes for an underage student to be released by the bus driver. The forms are also available at the bus garage and the bus driver.

• Can my child bring a friend home or to school with them on the bus?

Due to the fact that our buses are very full, we do not allow bus passes. Students are only allowed to ride the bus to which they are assigned. Also, they are only allowed to get off the bus at their assigned bus stop.

• What sports equipment is allowed on the bus?

Because of space and safety concerns, skateboards, snowboards, skis and other large equipment items are not allowed on the bus. Balls are allowed only if they will fit completely into a student’s backpack and must remain in the backpack while on the bus. Skates are allowed if they are in a bag made specifically for them.

• We just got back from a several day trip and my child was going to ride the bus to school today, but it didn’t stop at our house.

Our policy is that if your child doesn’t ride for three consecutive school days, and Transportation department doesn’t receive a phone call, we will not stop again until we hear from you.  A phone call from you if your child isn’t riding is greatly appreciated and can save time, and unnecessary miles traveled.