Student I.D. and/or School Bus Passes
Students are expected to carry their IDs and passes at all times. Ames High School students are required to show their school ID when boarding the bus. Elementary and Ames Middle School students who ride the bus will be issued a bus pass that must be presented when boarding the bus.
Pick-Up Procedure
We operate our school bus schedule off the official U.S. Central time zone clock. Buses must operate on a definite schedule in order to arrive at school on time. Therefore, all students must be ready and waiting at the pick-up point and dressed appropriately for the weather, before the scheduled leave time for their location. The buses will not run early. Drivers will not wait or honk the horn for student not at the pick-up points at the scheduled time.
Parental Responsibilities
It is strongly advised that the parents of young children make arrangements to meet the bus both before and after school while establishing familiar bus riding routines. This time together provides a wonderful opportunity to start and finish the school day on a positive note and ensures safety during the walk to and from the bus stop. There are certain programs that require parents or adults to meet their student at the bus. If your student is involved in these programs, information concerning special transportation procedures will be made available.
Change in Contact Information
If your telephone number or email address changes during the school year please notify our office. The name and phone number of the person listed for contact in case of emergency must be kept current at all times.
Change in Permanent Address
Central Iowa Transit, Inc., must be notified a minimum of five full working days in advance that there will be a change to a permanent address. This is the minimum time required to make changes to routes and notify other students of changes in pick up/drop off times. During busy periods (such as the beginning of school and semester change) five full working days is required to make route changes.
Alternate Temporary Address
Drivers may not deviate from established routes, designate new school bus stops or accommodate special requests from parents. Students will be transported to and from the same location AM and PM. Exceptions may be requested in individual cases and must be approved by the Ames Community School District and Central Iowa Transit, Inc.
Note: Central Iowa Transit, Inc. must be notified three full working days in advance that there will be a change to a temporary address. In addition, the duration of the change must be at least five days. Parents are responsible for transportation of students to and from temporary addresses maintained for shorter periods of time.
Each student is required and expected to use ONLY the bus to which they are assigned. Special requests can be handled individually on a per-ride basis using the following procedure:
- Parents or guardians must call or email us to check load counts. Be ready to give the following information: Your child’s name, the name of the friend that your child will be riding with and the friend’s bus route or address.
- Central Iowa Transit, Inc. will check load counts on the bus in question. The special request will only be allowed if there is an available seat on the bus.
- Your child must bring a written permission slip from you. This slip must be presented to the bus driver when your child boards the bus. The slip must include the following: Your child’s name, the name of the friend that your child will be riding with, the date and your signature. Blanket permission slips will not be honored. There must be a slip each time special arrangements are made.
** For liability reasons, the above procedure MUST be followed. If this procedure is NOT followed, special request will be denied.
Route Information
Routes are prepared for the start of the school year and continue to evolve based on the needs of the Ames Community School District. Route schedules are communicated in the following methods:
- Ames High School - Posted at AHS and online
- Ames Middle School - Listed in the student Infinite Campus file and mailed to home
- Elementary Schools - Mailed to home
- Pre School Programs - Mailed to home
No route changes will be made from 10 days before the start of the school year through the end of the second week of school. At that time route changes will be made on a first-come-first-served basis and any bus stop which has not been used during the first two weeks of school will be removed from the bus routes.
Bus Stops
Bus stops are established in a central location in your neighborhood. They are established with the following in mind:
- The bus stop must conform to state and local laws.
- The stop is established so that the largest number of students has the shortest distance to walk to the pick-up/drop off point.
- No student is required to cross a major roadway.
- No extra stops that would put the bus over capacity are added to the route.
- State guidelines allow for a maximum walk to the bus stop of three-quarters of a mile. Central Iowa Transit, Inc. will not guarantee a shorter walk, but we will make every effort to keep the maximum walking distance to the bus stop at four blocks.
Personal Articles
For safety reasons, students will not be permitted to take any articles on the bus which may cause injury to themselves or to any other rider. This will include, but not be limited to items such as pets, ‘boom boxes’ and objects too large to fit comfortably on the owner’s lap or under the bus seats.
Musical Instruments
In an effort to support the music program in the Ames Community School District, buses will allow student to carry on their musical instruments. Musical instruments must be stored on the owner’s lap or under the bus seats. Larger instruments (such as cellos, bass violins, tubas, etc.) will not be allowed on the bus and must be transported by the parents. In any case, the school bus driver, Central Iowa Transit, Inc. and the Ames Community School District are not liable for any damage to, or loss of, instruments transported on the school bus.