Bus Routes

The Round Rock ISD Transfinder application allows parents to view route information, pick-up time, and drop-off time for their students. This information is updated throughout the year, so parents are encouraged to regularly check their student’s route information during the start of school and if their child does not ride the bus for an extended period of time.

SMART Tag

The SMART Tag system records when students load and unload the bus, providing real-time information to the District transportation department, and you, the parent.

In just three easy steps, the SMART Tag electronic bus transportation system ensures that students get on the right bus and get off at the right stop.

Code of Conduct

Bus Rules
Students are expected to assist district staff in ensuring that buses and other district vehicles remain in good condition and that transportation is provided safely. When riding in district vehicles, including buses, students are held to behavioral standards established in this handbook and the Student Code of Conduct. Students must:

Meeting the Bus

  • Parents, guardians, or other adults are not permitted to enter or ride the bus with their student(s).
  • Passengers must not stand on the traveled portion of the roadway while waiting for the bus.
  • Passengers who must cross the roadway before entering or leaving the school bus shall cross the roadway 10 feet to the front of the bus and only at the direction of the bus driver.
  • Passengers must not approach a moving bus until it stops. Once the bus has stopped, and the driver has signaled, passengers may walk toward the bus to board.
  • Passengers must enter the bus carefully and in an orderly manner as instructed.
  • Once on the bus, passengers must go directly to their seat and be seated properly so the bus may continue the route.

Bus Safety

  • Follow the driver’s directions at all times.
  • Fasten their seat belts, if available.
  • Passengers shall remain seated in an orderly manner while the bus is in motion and until the bus comes to a complete stop.
  • Passengers shall keep arms, legs, heads, and all personal effects inside the bus and out of the aisle.
  • The driver is authorized to assign seats. Students must sit in their assigned seats at all times.
  • Passengers shall not tamper with emergency equipment or emergency exits. Emergency doors and exits will be used in the event of a declared emergency or evacuation drill.
  • Observe the same conduct level as is expected in the classroom.
  • Passengers shall not mark or deface the bus and/or its equipment. Any damage done to the bus is chargeable to the parent of the student responsible for the damage. Do not litter or damage the bus in any way.
  • No student shall take or remove from another passenger, personal effects of any kind.
  • Passengers shall use appropriate language while on the bus and shall not engage in conversation or activities considered to be vulgar, abusive or demeaning. Profanity and obscene gestures are not allowed.
  • Passengers are prohibited from bullying or harassing others.
  • Do not eat or drink on the bus, except for water in a closed plastic bottle.
  • Fighting, horseplay, and throwing objects are prohibited.
  • All items prohibited at school are also prohibited on the bus.
  • No school bus shall transport firearms, flammable materials, explosives, harmful drugs, chemicals or other prohibited weapons (replica or look alike weapons) or any other items that might endanger the life or health of the passengers. Glass containers that would cause injury to passengers, if broken, should be enclosed in another protective container.
  • No student may possess or use any form of tobacco or e-cigarettes in any district vehicle.
  • No animals (living or dead) are allowed on the bus, with the exception of service animals allowed by law.
  • Large, bulky items that cannot fit under the seat or in the lap of the student may be prohibited due to overcrowding of the bus. Arrangements must be made for the transport of these items. This includes large band instruments and school projects.
  • Passengers shall wear classroom-acceptable attire while on the bus.

Departing the Bus

  • When getting off of the bus, students should move quickly, but safely, away from the unloading area.
  • Wait for the driver’s signal upon leaving the vehicle and before crossing in front of the vehicle.
  • The emergency door at the rear of the bus is to be used in emergency situations only. It is not to be used for boarding or departing the bus.
  • Students are allowed to board and depart the bus at designated bus stops ONLY!

Disciplinary Consequences

Misbehavior on the school bus will result in the student being referred to his/her administrator or appropriate disciplinary measures, which may include being deprived of the privilege of riding the school bus. In the event a video monitoring system is used on the bus, the film may be used as a basis for determining disciplinary action. When a student’s behavior poses a threat to the safety of themselves and the other students on the bus, the following is the recommended guide for disciplinary action steps to be taken:

1st Report: Student will be given a warning by the principal. *

2nd Report: Student may be removed from transportation for up to three (3) days. *

3rd Report: Student will be removed from transportation for ten (10) days. *

4th Report: Student will be removed from transportation for a length of time up to the remainder of the semester. *

5th Report: Student may be removed from transportation for the remainder of the school year. *

Based on the severity of the student’s conduct, campus administrators, in consultation with the Transportation Department, may bypass the progressive discipline steps above, at their discretion.

*Restitution for any damages incurred must be made before a student may return to riding the bus.

Transportation Eligibility

Round Rock ISD provides free bus service for students who live more than two miles from their assigned school and for students who live within two miles but along a route defined as “hazardous” to walkers or bike riders. Student bus assignments can be found through the SMART tag Parent Portal.

Arrive at Pick-Up 5 Minutes Early

Times posted on this site reflect the expected time the bus should arrive during good weather. Inclement weather or traffic congestion may cause the route to run later than the posted time. We ask that all students be at their bus stop 5 minutes before the scheduled time to avoid missing the bus.

Contact Us

If you need assistance, please contact Round Rock ISD Transportation by calling (512) 428-2450.

Transportation Brochure

A glance at Service Parameters, Frequently Asked Questions, and SMART tags

Transportation Service Parameters

Bus Route Criteria

Route Design

Bus routes are created to enhance student safety while maximizing vehicle efficiency. Stops are created that allow students to wait off the main roadway for the bus if at all possible. Stops are also created to minimize students walking in highly traveled roadways for long distances without sidewalks. Stops are not placed in dead end streets whenever possible to minimize bus accidents while backing (Backing is a very dangerous maneuver for a school bus). Stops are spread as far apart as criteria will allow in order to decrease the number of stops each bus will make on its route thus minimizing riding time for the students.

Elementary students may be required to walk up to 1/4 of a mile to a bus stop. Secondary students may be required to walk up to 1/2 of a mile. ECHS, Success and RROC students may be required to walk up to 2 miles. Bus routes are designed limit student ride time to no more than 45 minutes one-way if at all possible, however, most students ride under 30 minutes one-way.

The above design criteria is for regular transportation only. Students in special programs are subject to different design criteria. Contact the Transportation Department for additional information.

Regular Service Parameters

Regular Service Parameters

Eligibility

Transportation is available for children who live two miles or more from their assigned school. The distance a student lives from their assigned school is determined by measuring from the curb at the front of the school to the curb in front of their home using the closest paved street. Students residing within two miles of their assigned school may have transportation available if their neighborhood qualifies as hazardous under the district’s hazardous transportation rating system.

Some students who attend more than one school to participate in vocational programs or classes not offered at their school are transported between schools during school hours. Special education students are eligible for transportation if need is established through the Admission, Review, and Dismissal process.

Pick Up Time Criteria

Regular transportation attempts to arrive at every bus stop on time. Due to the variances between individual clocks, students are asked to arrive at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time. Buses will load students and depart the stop. Regular buses do not wait for late students under most circumstances. Special needs transportation follows much the same criteria but will wait up to 3 minutes at the stop for the student to load. All buses will wait 7 minutes at the school in the afternoon for students to board. Students are expected to proceed immediately to the buses. Bus drivers are instructed not to stop or open the door for late students due to safety concerns having students too close to moving bus wheels.

Daily Service Criteria

Regular transportation is scheduled to provide service to student riders. Bus stops that do not have riders for 3 days may be suspended temporarily for lack of ridership to conserve district resources. Infrequent riders should contact the Transportation Department stating their wish to ride when service is needed if their bus stop has historically low ridership to verify stop time and location.

Student safety is the primary concern of the Transportation Department. Statistics show that the most dangerous time for students is before and/or after they are on the bus. The Transportation Department considers the environment and age of the students when placing bus stops. We attempt to place every bus stop at a location with reasonable safety assurances for students. Parents must assume the responsibility for their students traveling back and forth from home to the stop.

Bus Stop Location

Round Rock ISD creates bus stops using the following criteria:

  • Eliminate students crossing busy streets at elementary levels and reduce the number of students crossing at secondary levels
  • Provide students with the ability to stand off the roadway while waiting for the bus
  • Locate the stops to maximize visibility for both students and traffic (100′ minimum visibility)
  • Avoid locations that expose students to traffic hazards and reduce the number of hazards for students crossing the street
  • Place the stops in locations way from non-traffic hazards such as railroad tracks, commercial areas, or areas with bad dogs
  • Place the stops at least 100 feet away from corners if possible to better control traffic in the area immediately around the bus
  • Avoid stops in cul-de-sacs to minimize accident risks caused by buses backing up to turn around
  • Place stops on streets with as little traffic as possible
  • Create a buffer zone between students and the bus both in the neighborhoods and at school to keep students from being struck by the bus

School Bus Danger Zones

The most dangerous time for a student riding the school bus is the loading and unloading process. It is critical that students are visible to the driver and out of the bus danger zones when the bus is in motion. This rule applies to loading and unloading both in the neighborhoods and at schools. If students are crossing the street, they should move immediately out of the danger zone and proceed at least 15 feet in front of the bus before crossing the street.

Infographic showing danger zones as within 15 feet in front of bus and within 10 feet on side of bus.

Service for Childcare Facilities

An approved pick-up or drop-off location is:

  1. The child’s place of residence
  2. The residence of a Grandparent*
  3. A Childcare Facility that is licensed, registered or certified by The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services*

*In order for the Grandparent or Childcare Facility to qualify as an approved stop, it must be within the attendance area of the Student’s Home Campus &/or the Campus of attendance.

To find out in what attendance zone a stop is located, you can enter the address into the School and Bus Route Locator and you will get a list of which campus boundaries encompass that address.

To find out if your chosen daycare is licensed, registered or certified you can visit the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services website. Search for Child-Care Operation

FAQs
  1. What happens if I’m not home to receive my child after school?
    General Education Routes- An adult is required to be at the bus stop for Pre-K students only. However, drivers are expected to use their  best judgement when releasing a child without an adult present if there is normally someone there to receive the child from the bus.Special Education Routes- If your child requires a hand-to-hand or visual handoff and no one is present to receive them from the bus they will be returned to the school. 
  2. Why does it take up to two weeks to begin special transportation services for my child?
    Typical processing time for new special transportation requests is 3-5 business days. During high volume times, such as the start of the school year, processing time may be up to two weeks. When a new student is added to or dropped from a driver’s list, the time of pick-up and drop-off changes for all students. Parents need information as quickly as possible to adjust to changing pick-up and drop-off times. The driver also needs information about their children before transporting them. The time between notice and start of transport allows for necessary information processing.
  3. Who do I call when I have questions or concerns?
    If you have questions or concerns about transportation services for your child, please call the Transportation Department at 512-428-2450.
  4. What if my child misses the bus?
    Should a student miss the bus, it becomes the responsibility of the parent/guardian to provide transportation to/from school. The bus can not return to the bus stop.
  5. What do I need to do if I have a change of address?
    If your child’s pick up or delivery address has changed, please contact the campus registrar to update your address. We can not make address changes in the Transportation department
  6. How do I set up transportation if my student has an alternate address?
    If your student has an alternate address, please contact the campus registrar so that they can notify transportation of your students needs. Transportation is able to accommodate multiple bus assignments for students with more than one residential address.
  7. How is discipline handled on the bus?
    In the event of a disciplinary issue on the bus the bus driver will write a Bus Referral. This referral is submitted to the campus by a supervisor, and disciplinary action is taken at the campus level. More information on Disciplinary Consequences and bus rules are detailed in the Round Rock ISD Student Code of Conduct.

Locations

Transportation East Facility
921 Luther Peterson Place
Round Rock, Texas 78665
Office Main: (512) 428-2450
Fax: (512) 428-2491

Transportation West Facility
7900 Pearson Ranch Rd.
Austin, TX 78717
Office Main: (512) 428-2450
Fax: (512) 428-2465