As we look ahead to the new school year, we would like to share a few updates the Transportation Department is working on for the City School District of Albany's yellow bus transportation in partnership with First Student.
These updates are intended to improve your overall transportation experience by increasing the efficiency and consistency of our routes, and providing you with a new tool to help you better track your bus on the way to and from school.
Ride 360 – Our new bus-tracking app
The Transportation Department has updated the routing software used to create and modify bus routes. This new software includes the Traversa Ride 360 GPS bus tracking app, which will replace the FirstView app.
Ride 360 allows our Transportation staff more access to update route information in real time. The mobile app and website provide secure access to live bus tracking, including bus locations and estimated arrival times.
Ride 360 automatically updates your arrival time if the bus is early or late, and it will allow you to track your bus from the First Student depot until it gets to your stop, and then on to school. You also can track the bus from school to your drop-off location in the afternoon.
You can download the Traversa Ride 360 app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. It takes just a couple of minutes to sign up.
New bus stop locations
Increasing the efficiency of our routes and lessening the amount of time buses are on the road is a priority for 2023-24. One of our changes will be consolidating student pick-up and drop-off locations.
This may mean that your student could have to walk an extra block or two to and from their stop. This will create fewer stops, allowing our buses to get students to school earlier in the morning and home on-time more often in the afternoon.
All pick-up and drop-off locations will be a quarter-mile or less from your home (students whose Individualized Education Plan [IEP] requires door-to-door service will continue to be picked up and dropped off at home).
Morning sweeper buses
When buses are more than 15 minutes late in the morning, First Student will continue to send
“sweeper” buses to pick up students who may have missed the bus due to delays on our end.
However, if the bus arrives within the designated timeframe – within 10 minutes before your scheduled pickup time or 15 minutes after – and your student misses the bus, a sweeper bus will not circle back to those stops. Please be sure that your student is ready on time in the morning, and please also use the Ride 360 app to stay up to date on your bus’ scheduled arrival time each day.
Make sure your address and contact info are correct in SchoolTool
If you have moved since the end of last school year, please contact our Central Registration office at (518) 475-6125 as soon as possible. Your child’s bus will be routed to the address we have on file for your family in SchoolTool.
If any of your contact information has changed (cell phone, home phone, work phone or email), please contact your child’s school to be sure that your information is updated and correct in SchoolTool.
Bus safety
The same behavior expectations students follow at school also apply on the bus. When students are safe, responsible and respectful, the driver is able to focus on the road and ensure safety for all aboard.
The expectations outlined in our Student Code of Conduct also apply on the bus as well. If a student’s behavior violates the Code of Conduct, they jeopardize their privilege for bus transportation.
We appreciate your partnership in setting safe, responsible and respectful expectations with your child for their time on the bus.
Transportation applications and route info for the new school year
If you need to complete a new transportation application for the 2023-24 school year, please remember that Friday, Aug. 11 is the deadline to get that application in so we can guarantee a bus for your student on the first day of school. We cannot guarantee bus service to start the school year for applications received after Aug. 11.
If you’re not sure if you need to fill out a new bus application, visit our Transportation section or call the Transportation Department at (518) 475-6170.
Please also watch your mail in late August for information about your student’s bus route and scheduled pick-up and drop-off times for the new school year, which begins with a staggered start Thursday, Sept. 7 and Friday, Sept. 8 (depending on students’ school or grade level).
Athletics
The district is working with multiple providers, including First Student and several other area transportation companies, to plan for more consistent, reliable busing for our student-athletes in the upcoming school year.
We know many of you have experienced frequent frustrations with your yellow bus service since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. While many organizations continue to experience challenges in hiring as a result of the pandemic, including the school district and First Student, we expect these updates to lead to improved bus service for you in 2023-24.
Your partnership, and your continued patience, are greatly appreciated as we strive to provide excellent service for your family.
You can reach Transportation Director Durett Miles and our Transportation Department staff with any questions at transportation@albany.k12.ny.us or (518) 475-6170.
