Transportation

student pretending to drive cardboard school bus

We are committed to providing a safe experience for students who ride district school buses.

School bus schedule information is mailed to families before the first day of school. Eligible students in grades K-12 receive a postcard with the student's bus number, pick-up location and pick-up/drop-off times. Bus route and stop information is also available via your Parent Portal (Infinite Campus) account.

If your student gets on a bus at a location other than their home address, such as a daycare location, you need to inform your student's school so arrangements can be made for bus transportation.

The district is responsible for students who are riding the bus. If you do not receive a card in the mail before the first day of school,

You live within the walk zone of your attendance area school,
Your child is attending a school in the district that is outside of your attendance area and is not a magnet school; or
You have a high school student who travels to and from school via independent means and you have opted out of district transportation. Only students who are eligible for bus transportation to the school they are attending will be able to ride the bus to that school.

Click here to view a brief tutorial video on how to view your student's transportation information in your Parent Portal account.

Contact us

For late buses and lost items call Durham Student Services: 763-504-8105.

For students who receive special education transportation services call:

Durham (bus):
- 763-504-8105
CST (van):
- 612-808-8868
SAFETREE (van):
- 763-316-6432
e-FFICIENT (van):
- 763-251-8100
Integrated IST (van):
- 651-217-8109, ext. 1

If you have transportation-related questions please email: Transportation@rdale.org.

Transportation Opt-In 2024-25

Robbinsdale Area Schools (Rdale) is entering the third year of its opt-in transportation system. All families with students enrolled in Rdale schools must fill out the bus transportation survey for the 2024-25 school year. The survey must be completed for each student by Monday, May 20.

To fill out the survey, families must log-in to their Infinite Campus Parent Portal account. For those who haven’t accessed their Parent Portal account before, Rdale has video tutorials demonstrating how to log into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal from a phone or from a computer. Families can also contact district support staff with questions about accessing the Parent Portal at registrar@rdale.org.

The opt-in survey is an annual requirement for all students – both those who need bus transportation, and those who do not, as well as those who receive specialized transportation. Completing one for the current school year doesn’t apply to the upcoming school year.

Even though the opt-in program requires all families to complete a survey annually for each student, it is important to note that every student who is eligible for and needs busing will have transportation to and from school.

If your situation changes, families will be able to make changes to the opt-in form at any time by contacting our Transportation Department at Transportation@rdale.org.

Bus Route and Transportation Information

Bus schedule information is mailed to families in the Robbinsdale Area School district before the first day of school.

Eligible students in grades K-12 receive a postcard in the mail with the student's bus number, pick-up location and pick-up/drop-off times.
If you do not receive a card in the mail before the first day of school,
- you may live within the walk zone of your attendance area school;
- your student is attending a school in the district which is outside of your attendance area (and is not a magnet school) and therefore you are responsible for transportation;
- you have a high school student who travels to and from school via independent means and you have opted out of district transportation.
If your student needs to ride a bus at a location other than their home address (such as a daycare location), please inform your student's school.

How to view bus route information in Infinite Campus

BusZone Tracker App

Robbinsdale Area Schools transportation and bus provider, Durham School Services, have a new mobile app for families: BusZone.

This will replace the Bus Tracker app that families have been using. BusZone has enhanced features that allow parents/guardians to safely and securely check on their child’s school bus. (Check out the BusZone Info Flyer, also available in Spanish) To set up BusZone:

Download the BusZone app from the App Store or Google Play.
Enter the School Access Code: 3103SD281
In the search field, enter the bus or route number you want to follow. Complete this step for all the buses your students ride throughout the week.
Enter your child’s unique student ID. This is the same ID you used in ParentPortal.
Create alert zones around drop-off and pick-up points.
When your child’s bus enters an alert zone, you will receive a notification by email or text.

Visit the BusZone website to read or download a guide for parents/guardians, also available in Spanish. Robbinsdale Area Schools is not responsible for the functions or content of BusZone. Please email buszone3103@nellc.com if you have questions about the BusZone app.

Families are encouraged to remove the previous Durham Bus Tracker app as it no longer displays active information.

Bus Safety for Motorists

Here are a few reminders for drivers sharing the road with buses:

Watch for buses that are loading or unloading children. Be prepared to stop when the bus stops. The most dangerous area around a school bus is the space 20 feet around the vehicle since this radius falls into the driver’s blind spot. Be sure to stop more than 20 feet behind a school bus to allow passengers a safe space for entering and exiting.
NEVER pass a stopped school bus. It’s illegal to pass a school bus that has stopped to load or unload children. This rule includes passing a bus from either direction.
Always maintain a safe following distance. Keep as much space as possible between your vehicle and the bus in front of you. If you’re in front of a school bus, it’s important you’re paying attention to traffic and situations on the road that might cause you to slam on your brakes.
In traffic, avoid “cutting” in front of a bus. Many bus drivers leave a safe following distance between the bus and the car ahead of them to ensure a safer environment for passengers. Even if your car can fit into the space, drivers should always avoid cutting in front of a bus or transit vehicle.

The Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety has additional tips, as well as this video talking about the importance of stop-arm safety.

When to stop for a school bus

Bus Stop Change Request

If you would like to make a request to change your student's bus stop, please review the information below and complete the bus stop change request form:

Any changes to bus stops will happen after Oct. 15, unless it is a safety concern.
It may take up to 14 days for changes to take place after requested.
Buses will not travel into cul-de-sacs, dead-end streets or other areas where the driver cannot safely maneuver the bus. Most private roads are also excluded (i.e. apartment complexes and home associations). These roads are typically not built to the same standard of a public road. Issues such as vehicle weight, road width, congestion, snow clearing, etc., prevents their use. An exception to this may be a bus that is transporting students with disabilities on our special education system. All students, regardless of age or grade who reside in these areas will need to walk to the assigned bus stop regardless of distance.
Availability of sidewalks is not part of the criteria used in establishing bus stops. Much of the Robbinsdale School District attendance area was designed without sidewalks.
Buses drive by many students’ homes every day. The bus driving by doesn't warrant adding/changing a bus stop. Visibility from the home to the bus stop is not part of our criteria for establishing bus stops. Bus stops are collection points in neighborhoods. Statistically, bus stops are safer at the corner than in front of your home. House stops are not only less safe, they are simply not practical for typical busing operations. Again, our special education system would be the exception. We strongly encourage families to walk with and supervise their student at the bus stop as well as meeting their student at the bus stop at drop off.
We are unable to establish stops based on personal circumstances such as employment, daycare, siblings or medical circumstances of another family members.

Bus stop change request form

Request for Closest Bus Stop (Families who Open Enroll)

Robbinsdale Area Schools strives to accommodate as many bus riders as possible. Bus transportation is provided for students who live within our district's boundaries.

Students who open enroll into Robbinsdale Area Schools may request bus transportation using this form. After this form has been submitted, we will look for an active bus route that has room for additional students. The transportation department will process these requests after Oct. 1.

Please note it could take up to 14 days to process these requests. We may not be able to accommodate all bus transportation requests for families who live outside of school district boundaries.

Closest Bus Stop Request Form

Change in Address

Please complete the online address change form with the most accurate information. After completing the form, please email proof of address to enrollment_options@rdale.org.

Proof of address includes:

A utility bill (gas, water, electric, trash) delivered within the last 30 days
Valid driver’s license or state issued identification card
Rent statement dated within the last 30 days
Purchase agreement (signed and dated) for home within district boundaries; or a lease agreement (signed and dated) with lease dates

Childcare Transportation Request Form

Please use this form to request transportation to and from a childcare site. This form is not to be used for Adventure Club.

A separate request is needed for each student. Requests may take up to two weeks to process. We appreciate your patience.

You may call or email enrollment_options@rdale.org or 763-504-8080 with any questions.

Childcare Transportation Request

Walking Distance and Boundary Maps

"Walk zones" are established for each school. Students who live in the walk zone of their enrolled school are not eligible to ride the bus.

Walking Distances to Schools

Elementary School (Kindergarten - 5th Grade): 5/10 of a mile
Middle School (6th - 8th Grades): 7/10 of a mile
High School (9th - 12th Grades): 1 mile

Walking Boundary Maps (PDFs)

Bus drivers

School bus drivers are in high demand, and Robbinsdale Area Schools works with a company called Durham School Services for its student-transportation needs.

Positions offer competitive wages, often come with signing bonuses, and training is paid for by Durham.

If you're interested in becoming a school bus driver, please visit Durham's company website.

Transportation FAQ's

Bus Stops

I operate a home day care and the state requires me to keep the children in view. Can a bus stop be set up at my home?
No. All regular education bus stops are placed at centrally located Intersections. Daycare providers carry the same responsibility as parents/guardians and are responsible for ensuring that students arrive safely at their assigned bus stop.

Can my student get a closer bus stop because of a certain medical condition, such as asthma, broken bones?
Some medical conditions may require an accommodation as a provision of the Rehabilitation Act Section 504 (504 plan), which could make a non-eligible student eligible for bus transportation or warrant a relocated stop for a current rider. Contact the health specialist at your student’s school to inquire about eligibility for a 504 plan.

The bus drives right by my house. Why can’t it stop at my house?
We are a mass transportation system with the guiding principle of safety. We do not have the combination of time and resources to provide that level of service in an equitable manner to all students. Statistics show that it is safer and more economical for buses to stop at corner intersection collector points within a neighborhood.

I feel the bus stop is too far from my home, can the stop be moved closer?
Bus stops are located at centralized locations for efficiency and to allow for equitable placement of the bus stop for all registered students. The District attempts to keep the number of stops minimized, thus keeping the buses moving and reducing ride times for all students. If you have a concern about your child's safety, you are encouraged to accompany your child to the bus stop.

If you still feel there is a safety concern beyond the line of sight of the bus stop, complete and submit your bus stop change request online. We do not accept bus stop change requests via email or telephone.

I can't see my child at the bus stop, can the bus stop be moved closer to my house?
Due to variances in topography, neighborhood and home design, and other factors beyond our control, line of site is not a criterion to stop creation. Bus stops are designed to be collector points for students. District school bus stops are placed at centralized locations for efficiency purposes and to allow for equitable stop placement for all students. If you have a concern about your child's safety, you are encouraged to accompany your child to the bus stop.

Bus Tracker App

How to Update Your Notification Preferences for Text, Robocalls and Email

If a driver calls out of work, we will work to notify families on the impacted bus route(s) as soon as possible via text message, robocall, email and a notification on the Durham Bus Tracker app.

You should also download the bus tracker because that is being updated as soon as it’s known a route is canceled or delayed.

Please update your contact information to include text message notifications in Parent Portal to receive these emergency notifications.

Late Busing or Missing Information

I am missing busing information. Who should I reach out to?
Our transportation department can assist you. Please contact them at transportation@rdale.org.

Who can I contact about late busing?
For late buses please call Durham Transportation at 763-504-8105.

I did not receive a transportation card in the mail before school started. Who should I contact?
Transportation information is available in your Parent Portal on Infinite Campus. Click here to access or sign up for Infinite Campus. Click here to view a brief tutorial video on how to view your student's transportation information in your Parent Portal account. If busing information is not listed please contact our transportation department at transportation@rdale.org.

Magnet School Transportation

Bus transportation is provided for students enrolled at Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion School, the School of Engineering and Arts, FAIR School Pilgrim Lane, FAIR School Crystal and the Spanish Immersion magnet program Plymouth Middle School. Students who open enroll into Robbinsdale Area Schools may request bus transportation using this form. After this form has been submitted, we will look for an active bus route that has room for additional students.

Postcards with bus information

Preschool and Daycare Transportation

Preschool

To ensure the safety of our youngest learners, please be aware of the following procedures for preschool students.

Students must wear bus tags with their name and correct drop-off information every day for the entire year. It is recommended students wear a bus tag and have a copy of the tag attached to their backpack.
Preschool students are required to be seated in the front seats of the bus.
Preschool students must accompanied at the bus stop for both pick-up and drop-off with a designated adult. The privilege to ride the bus will be jeopardized if this is not followed.
If there is no one at the bus stop to meet the student, the driver will keep the student aboard and will make a second attempt to drop-off, and will also contact dispatch for further instructions. After the second attempt, if nobody is present to meet the student, they'll be returned to school.
If you live within the "walk zone," your student will not have bus transportation provided; your student is required to have an adult escort them to and from school.
Preschool children must be picked up and dropped off at the same location every day.

Daycare

In order to be eligible for busing to and from daycare, your student's daycare must be within the attendance area of your school.

For those families whose students attend before- or after-school care at the YMCA on 42nd Avenue in New Hope, busing is only available for Sonnesyn, RSI, SEA, FAIR Pilgrim Lane, and FAIR School Crystal.

District Menu

Explore More

Schools

In This Section