August 2023

Hello Parents/Patrons,

Beginning August 16, 2023, BCISD will be operating a 3 tiered bus system for the 2023-2024 school year. To find an approximate time for your stop, visit Find Your Bus on the Transportation webpage under Departments on Bridge City ISD website.

Buses will be operating during the following times for each campus:

1st Tier BCMS/BCHS 6:00-6:45 AM/2:50-3:25 PM

2nd Tier BCE 6:45-7:25 AM/3:30-4:10 PM

3rd Tier BCI 7:25-8:05 AM/4:10-5:00 PM

Eligible Students may receive transportation to one eligible pick up address and one eligible take home address at the following eligible locations:

1. The student’s primary residence.
2. A state recognized child care provider (including state recognized in-home care providers).
3. A grandparent responsible for providing before and after school care for the student.
   
   Transportation is not provided for transfer students to/from the student’s primary residence. Transfer students may be transported to/from a state recognized childcare provider, parent, or grandparent responsible for providing before and after school care if there is a district-approved stop on a district-approved route serving the campus.

If your student has an IEP that requires special transportation, we will contact you with your student’s bus schedule before the first day of school.

Please refer to your student’s ROUTE number as your student’s bus assignment. Please look for the black number on the sides and rear of the bus for your bus number.

Here are some of the safety precautions you’ll need to be aware of before your student rides the bus: 

• Students are only allowed to ride their assigned bus to/from their designated bus stop. Any change in that assignment can only be made on an emergency basis if a request is approved through the Transportation Department.
• Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students are to be escorted from the school bus by a parent, guardian, or older sibling. If no one is available to escort the student, the student will be returned to his/her campus.
• Bus stops for riders meeting safety and efficiency standards are established by Transportation professionals for each campus. Stops are generally located at corners for elementary students and may be at common centralized locations for middle and high school students.
• Buses are scheduled to arrive at campuses as early as 30 minutes prior to school bell time. It is recommended students begin riding the bus the first day of school so that student bus assignments, student ridership, and seating assignments may be identified and solidified as quickly as possible. For safety reasons, students and parents should arrive at the bus stop 5-10 minutes prior to their scheduled pick-up time but not sooner. Students who are waiting at bus stops shall not loiter, trespass, litter, or create nuisance conditions for residents of the community.
• In order to promote a safe and pleasant ride for students, video cameras may be utilized. All students are expected to adhere to the Bus Safety Rules when being transported by buses or vehicles owned, operated or controlled by the district.
• Please advise your student he/she must properly wear seatbelts while being transported in any seat belt equipped vehicle that is owned, leased or utilized by the district.
• All BCISD students will receive an identification card. ID’s will be required each time the student enters and exits their assigned bus. It is the student’s responsibility to have their ID card in their possession and report any malfunction to their campus staff as soon as possible. By accessing the parent portal, parents may know instantly where and when your child enters and exits the bus as well as the bus location.
• Please visit the Bridge City ISD Transportation Webpage to sign up for the Student ID program ‘parent portal’, free to all BCISD parents. Please take time to review Bus Rules, Student Safety, and Parent responsibilities.

We ask that you reinforce these communicated safety standards with your student to make your student’s ride to/from school safe and expeditious.

Parents, guardians, and persons acting in loco parentis will:

1. Be always responsible and accountable for the conduct and safety of their children at all times prior to the arrival and after the departure of the school bus at the assigned school bus stop
2. Understand and support district guidelines, policies, regulations and principles of school bus safety
3. Assist students in understanding safety rules and encourage them to abide by them
4. Be cognizant of their own responsibilities for the actions of their children.
   
   Understanding this, parents or guardians shall be responsible and accountable for the conduct and safety of their children at all times prior to the arrival and after the departure of the school bus at the assigned school bus stop. Transportation safety and service may be jeopardized by student non-compliance.

For the first few weeks of school, several factors contribute to some delays (traffic adjusting to the buses, student seat assignments, possible overcrowding, route direction adjustments, and delays at our campuses while staff ensures every student is loaded onto the correct bus for their take home route. Realizing this can be frustrating, please understand this is a ‘transition time’ for students, district staff, and patrons, therefore we appreciate each parent’s patience in advance.

You may contact us at (409)735.1583

We are looking forward to partnering with you to make your student’s transportation to/from school a safe, secure, and friendly experience.

Regards,
Bridge City I.S.D. Transportation Staff