Transportation to Bristol Public Schools is provided by the First Student bus company located at 256 Terryville Rd, Bristol, CT 06010

Bristol Public Schools will provide student transportation under state law and regulation, for all students who qualify. Eligible K-12 students are automatically assigned to neighborhood bus stops. You do not need to request or deny this service. For questions regarding transportation of Pre-K students, please contact Edgewood Pre-Kindergarten Center.

Bus routes are posted HERE  and messaged on Parent Square prior to the first day of school. We do not provide a public listing of Special Education or Preschool Routes. Please contact First Student Transportation, your independent transportation provider, or your child's school for additional information.

A request for a bus stop change must be made and approved by the Board of Education. To request a change, or report an issue please fill out the Transportation Feedback form (link). 

Below are the maximum walking distances for students at each level. Students will generally be eligible for transportation if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Elementary School students (K-5) walk up to one mile.
• K-8 School students (K-8) walk up to one mile.
• Middle School students walk up to one and one-half miles.
• High School students walk up to two miles.

The walking distance is the linear measure between the pupil's residence and the school, from the curb or edge of a public road nearest the pupil's residence to the nearest paved access of the school. We utilize the expertise of the Bristol Police Department Traffic Division to identify safe areas for student passage as walkers.

Bus stops are established to serve neighborhoods or clusters of students within a geographical area according to safety guidelines. Individual house stops are rarely created as they are inefficient and lengthen the time the bus is on the road. Students are expected to walk to their assigned bus stop.

There is a ten-minute window before and after a student’s given pickup or drop-off time. For example, if a student is told their pickup time is 8:30 a.m., the acceptable window for the bus to arrive is 8:20-8:40 a.m. Students should be waiting at the bus stop throughout this period. Students must be fully visible to the driver. If a student remains inside the house or in a parked car, the driver may not stop, and the bus will not return for the student.

Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and all students on special education buses are required to have an adult at the bus stop at all times. The designated person must be visible to the driver. If there is no parent or guardian present upon drop-off, the child will be returned to school or the Bristol Police Department. Older siblings riding the same bus may not stand in for a parent/guardian. It is strongly urged for an adult to accompany any young child at the bus stop, though it is not required for students in grade 1 or above. A child of any age who is uncomfortable getting off the bus may request a ride back to school.

While waiting for the bus, stand in the designated spot only. Do not run on the road or go into private yards or driveways. Be respectful of all property near the bus stop. When the bus arrives, board and take a seat promptly, facing forward at all times. When the bus drops off, disembark and cross the street, if applicable, without delay.

The lack of sidewalks on a street within the walking distance to a school does not automatically qualify a student for bus transportation. Several streets in Bristol do not have sidewalks, which is not considered an automatic provision for bus transportation. We utilize the expertise of the Bristol Police Department Traffic Division to identify safe areas for student passage as walkers.

For safety reasons, Bristol school buses do not enter cul-de-sacs unless the child has a physical impairment that prohibits walking to the entrance corner. The sizes of cul-de-sacs may not accommodate the wide turning radius of a school bus. Snow clearing and snow buildup during winter also pose safety concerns. School bus backing must be avoided, and traveling in and out of cul-de-sacs is time-consuming and costly.

The Board Policy provides daycare transportation in certain circumstances:

• Students must be residents of Bristol.
• The authorized daycare location must be within the student's school boundary and at least one mile away, within the City of Bristol.
• Parents/guardians must fill out a Daycare Transportation form in advance of every school year.
• Daycare transportation must be the same every day of the week.

Transportation will only be approved if the licensed daycare center or private sitter’s residence is within the assigned school district of the parents/guardians’ residence and meets the distance requirement listed above. Each August, students eligible for transportation are assigned stops based on their home address. If alternate arrangements are needed, parents must complete the Daycare Authorization form (link) regardless of whether arrangements were made the previous year. If approved students will be assigned to the closest existing corner stop to the daycare residence.

School bus transportation is extended to students on the condition that they behave appropriately. All buses are an extension of the school day, and students are subject to school behavior standards while waiting for and during transportation. Students violating Bus Behavior Policies may have their bus privileges suspended, making transportation the sole responsibility of the parent/guardian. All buses have video devices. School administration will verify claims of behavior problems by viewing these videos. Due to confidentiality rules, parents may not view videos with other students visible.