What is the phone number for transportation?
The phone number for transportation is: (360) 277-2301
How do I request a new or different bus stop?
Whether you would like to add a stop to a route, or move the location of a stop, all changes to existing routes must be evaluated, and all requests must be made in writing. Once your request is evaluated, we will notify you in writing whether the request has been approved or denied. The easiest way to get us a written request is via email to the Transportation Department.
Please include the following information in your request:
student(s) name(s)
the school(s) of attendance
the grade level(s) of the student(s) using the stop
the specific stop location which will usually be an address or intersection (and you may want to include other identifiers such as "the blue house," or "the driveway near the big rock" etc. name, and phone number (helpful if we have questions)
You may also fax your request to 360-277-2327, or use snail mail to NMSD Transportation, 91 E Campus Drive, Belfair, WA 98528. And finally, you may also give your bus driver your request, and they will get it to our office. Please note that the evaluation process does take time: expect a minimum of one week, and up to a month during our busy fall season. While your request is evaluated, you may transport your student to the closest approved stop, or to school. You may check on the status of your request at any time by calling our office at 360-277-2301.
What happens if my child leaves something (coat, lunchbox, musical instrument) on the bus?
Usually the driver will attempt to return items left on the bus to the student. If the item is unmarked, and no one claims it within a day or two, the driver will take it to the school. If an item is needed immediately, please call our office to arrange a way to pick it up.
Why do I have to be at the stop five minutes early?
There are many factors that may affect the time a driver arrives at a given stop. Traffic volume, traffic signals, weather issues, drivers waiting for dawdling students, or a substitute driving the route may also cause a driver to be late for a stop. These situations plus differences in clock times, have proven over the years that arriving about 5 minutes early gives a student an adequate window of time to ensure they catch the bus.
What do the bus numbers and colors mean?
Regarding bus numbers: each bus is required to have an identification number for use with state reporting. Initially, when North Mason didn't have it's own high school and our students where being transported back and forth from South Kitsap, the "B" was used to identify the bus as "Belfair" and we have never stopped using it. Regarding colors: each bus is made easily identifiable for the younger riders using a color specific to each bus.
Why can't I have a bus stop closer to my house?
Depending on where you live, and how close you are to the school or another bus stop, the location of your house may, or may not qualify for an additional bus stop. We evaluate bus stop requests using criteria developed by the Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction that allows us to objectively determine whether a hazardous walking condition exists that would require additional bus service.
Why is the bus yellow?
The short answer is because it is a very safe color as it is highly visible. In 1939 the color officially known as National School Bus Chrome was adopted at a conference that set national school bus construction standards for the first time.
Stopfinder is a communication tool between transportation and parents, it gives them the information for their students stop with time adjusted for Wednesday and half days and is updated nearly instantly when there are changes to the route. We do not have live gps to track the buses location in real time but hope to in the future.
Please email or call transportation if you are in need of an invite to stopfinder. The invites are sent out periodically but they expire after 48 hours.
