Transportation

Due to increased ridership and bus seating being limited, students are generally expected to ride only their assigned bus. Riding home with friends may not be available unless prior approval has been granted and arrangements have been communicated in advance with the school or the Transportation Department.

On half days, bus drop-off times will be approximately 3¾ hours earlier than the normal afternoon schedule.

For example, if your student’s normal drop-off time is 4:30 p.m., on half days the drop-off time would be 12:45 p.m.

At this time, individual bus stops within the City of Chelsea are no longer available.

Group stops will continue to be used in areas around Old U.S. 12.

City students will walk to the nearest school location and ride a transfer bus to their school building.

All students participating in transfers must be in their bus line at the school transfer site by 7:35 a.m.

• Students should arrive at their bus stop at least 10 minutes before the scheduled arrival time.
• Routes operate in the same order each day (first on in the morning, first off in the afternoon) to keep routes as efficient as possible.

For safety and routing reasons, not all students are picked up directly at their driveways. Some routes use hub stops, and families are responsible for transporting students to and from the bus stop.

To help drivers see students during darker morning hours, we recommend students carry a small flashlight to signal they are present at the stop.
A parent or designated adult (or a sibling/babysitter in 6th grade or older) must meet kindergarten and first-grade students at the bus stop or get off with the student. Families are responsible for providing supervision, safety, and shelter at all bus stop locations.

Students will be picked up and dropped off at their assigned bus stop unless a parent or guardian has requested and received approval for a second permitted riding location.

Morning Transfers (AM):
 Transfer buses will drop students at all schools and provide direct transfers between buildings. Students should be ready to board by 7:35 a.m.
 Please remember that only buses are permitted in bus loop areas at Chelsea High School, Beach Middle School, and North Creek Elementary during drop-off and pick-up times.
Afternoon Transfers (PM):
 PM transfers continue to take place at Beach Middle School. Home buses typically depart around 3:20 p.m.
 Students may transfer to another school following the PM transfer.
Please note that during the first few weeks of school, afternoon routes may run later as students learn their buses. We appreciate your patience during this adjustment period. To avoid delays for other students, please be on time to meet your child’s bus.

To help your child navigate transfers successfully, we encourage families to ensure students know:

• Their home address
• Their bus number
• A parent's contact number

Younger and new students should carry this information in a backpack or planner.