Transportation

Private/Parochial Required Information Form – Due April 1
If your child currently attends or plans to attend a private/parochial school, the Private/Parochial Required Information Form must be renewed each school year regardless of your transportation needs.  New York State law sets April 1^st as the deadline for this form. Please be sure to review the Transportation Eligibility Guidelines provided above. If you are requesting transportation and forms are received after the April 1^st deadline, transportation may be provided if there is no additional cost to the district.

Transportation to a Childcare/Alternate Site Form – Due June 1
If your child will be utilizing a childcare provider, the Transport to Childcare Form must be submitted each school year no later than June 1st.  Please keep in mind you must meet the districts mileage requirements in order to receive transportation to and/or from your student’s childcare provider (refer to the chart above).   Should your form be submitted after the June 1st deadline, there may be a delay in accurate scheduling.

Opt-Out of partial/full busing needs Form
In an effort to improve transportation efficiency and therefore reduce the student ride times we are requesting parents who do not wish to use district transportation to let us know by completing this form.  By knowing in advance that a student is not riding the bus, it will allow us to create routes that are more accurate by not having unnecessary stops; therefore assist us in getting students to and from school in a more timely fashion.  If during the school year your transportation needs change, you can always opt back in.

K-3 Transportation Release Authorization Form
This form will allow your student to be released at the bus stop without a parent/guardian present.  If no form is received, for the safety of your children, WICSD will continue to reinforce the district rule that no child in grades K through 3 will be let off the bus without a parent or guardian visibly present at the bus stop.  If a parent/guardian is not visible from the bus stop, the child will remain on the bus and considered a lock out.

First Student

First Student in Rochester, NY provides daily student transportation services including home to school transportation, special needs student transportation, management services, routing, sports team transportation, field trips and charter buses.  Their local, modern fleet is operated and maintained in Rochester at various locations throughout the area.  In addition, they provide professional school bus driver training and monitor training at their recruitment center.

If you have immediate transportation concerns before 7:30 a.m. or after 4:45 p.m. please contact:

First Student
Ridge/West Irondequoit Branch
75 Kane Drive Rochester, NY
(585) 342-7665
 

East Irondequoit CSD

East Irondequoit Transportation Department supplies transportation to students in the East Irondequoit Central School District.  West Irondequoit has collaborated with East Irondequoit CSD to assist with the transport of many student’s that attend out of district schools.

East Irondequoit CSD/Transportation Department
125 Kane Drive Rochester, NY
(585) 339-1526

Students who attend West Irondequoit schools and qualify for transportation can view their bus schedules in Infinite Campus through the parent portal.  Bus schedules/passes are not mailed home. Information includes bus number, bus stop location, and the pick-up and drop-off times. Once routes are finalized in August, you will be notified via our mass notification system letting you know when the IC Parent Portal is open and updated.  It is important to check the transportation details early and often, prior to the start of school as changes may occur. 

• Always arrive 5 minutes early to your stop location. 
• Centralized group stops are utilized in an effort to promote efficiencies.
• Please allow a week or so for the bus to get on a regular schedule. Beyond that time, notify the transportation department of any concerns.
• We cannot accommodate changes to bus schedules during the first week of school so drivers have more time to learn routes. Any changes that may develop cannot be implemented until mid- to late September. 

If your student attends a private/parochial/charter or an out-of-district placement school, you will receive your student's bus schedule via the postal mail at the end of August by the servicing bus company (West Irondequoit or East Irondequoit).

Crossing Guard Schedule 2025-2026

Irondequoit Police Department Crossing Guard Coordinator:
Mary Beth Egeling / 336-6000 X 2236 

What's the process for requesting a different pickup or drop-off location for my child?

The Transportation to Childcare Form must be completed at least 5 days prior to the effective date of the change.  The form is available in an online submission version, printable version or you may stop into our District Office at 321 List Avenue to pick up the form.  If you are using the printable version, please refer to the information on the form on where to submit the application.

Will the bus leave my stop without my child if he/she is not waiting at the stop?

Yes!  The student must be waiting at his/her stop at least 5 minutes before the bus arrives regardless of weather conditions.  For the safety of your child do not chase the bus after it has left the stop.  The child would be in the danger zone of the bus and not visible to the driver.

My son/daughter was just going out our front door this morning and the bus driver did not wait.  Why?

Due to schedules and traffic, our drivers are trained in accordance with the operational policy to “make the bus stop, open the door, close the door and proceed.”  For safety and timing issues, we require students to be at the bus stop 5 minutes before the bus arrives.  We do not have the latitude to wait for students to get out of a car, come out of the house, walk from the next yard, etc.

Why do some children have to cross the road to board the school bus?

We are not able to route buses so that all children can board the bus on the door side.  We ask that children wait on the side of the street they reside.  The bus will stop traffic in all directions to accommodate students that need to cross the street safely to board the bus.

I have young children at home and/or I leave home because of work so can the bus stop at my house?

In order to be consistent and fair to all parents in the placement of bus stops, the school district is not able to select bus stops based on personal circumstances such as employment, daycare, siblings or medical circumstances of another family member.

What about the safety of my child getting to and from the bus stop? There are no sidewalks where we live.

Availability of sidewalks is not part of the criteria used in establishing bus stops.  It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to see that the child gets safely to and from the bus stop.

Can a school district suspend bus service for my child?

Yes.  Behaviors which could jeopardize the safe operation of the bus and its passengers could result in the suspension of the offender from riding the bus.

Is my student required to wear his/her seat belt while riding the bus?

No.  Wearing seat belts on the bus is encouraged, not enforced.  Modern school buses are designed to be safe and are built large and heavy allowing students to sit high off the ground.  School bus seats have high backs with ample cushioning that absorb most of the impact in the event of an accident, protecting the children who sit in them. 

Our goal is to make your child’s bus ride to and from school safe and enjoyable.  To help us reach this goal, we would like to provide you with important bus rider information.  Please take time to review the following.

Bus Stop Rules

1. Be at your bus stop at least 5 minutes early
2. Do not wait for the bus inside your house, the driver needs to see you to verify pick up.
3. Wait for the bus at your designated stop, well off the roadway.
4. Wait for signal from driver before crossing the road.
5. Cross in front of the bus, 15 feet ahead of it, so you are visible to the driver.
6. Be alert to traffic when entering or exiting the bus.

Please note: If a bus stop is not used after 5 consecutive days it will be eliminated from the route

Bus Ride Rules

1. Be at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to the scheduled pick up time.
2. Follow the instructions of your bus driver and/or monitor at all times.
3. Large items that do not fit inside a standard back pack.
4. Do NOT eat food or drink on the bus.
5. Keep aisles clear at all times.
6. Remain in your seat while your bus is in motion.
7. Be alert to traffic when leaving the bus.

Behaviors which could jeopardize the safe operation of the bus and its passengers could result in the suspension of the offender from riding the bus.

Lock-Out Procedures

It is District policy that no child in grades K – 3 be released off the bus without a parent/guardian visibly present at the bus stop.  If a parent/guardian is not visible to the driver before the child is released from the bus, the child will be considered a lock-out.

This means that your student will remain on the bus until District Office and/or the Bus Company is able to make contact with a parent/guardian to coordinate a safe drop off.  We will make every effort to return your student in a timely fashion once the driver has completed their route.

If the driver completes his/her afternoon route and contact cannot be made with the parent/guardian, your student will be brought to the Eagle's Care Program (after school care program) located at Rogers Middle School, 219 Northfield Rd where they will safely remain in the care of professionals until parent/guardian is able to pick up student.**

**Fees may apply for this after care service.

There may be times, due to adverse weather or other emergencies, when it will be necessary to close one or more schools. In order to inform the community, the district will contact parents via our automated phone system. We will also alert major television and radio channels (TV 8, 9, 10, 13, 31 and 1180AM and 1370AM) with details of the situation. You can also monitor our social media channels and website via these links:

• Facebook
• X/Twitter

• Site

If the determination to close is made before the opening of school, every effort will be made to notify families by 6:00 AM. There may be times when the start of school is delayed.  If this occurs, all transportation pickups will be delayed by the same amount of time.  The school day would end at the regularly scheduled time.

Please be aware the stop times on your students bus schedules are estimates.  Buses may run early or late depending on many variables including the number of students riding that particular day, traffic, as well as weather or road conditions.

Student safety and welfare is our primary concern when transporting your students to and from school.  Our drivers take the necessary precautions to deliver students safely to their destination.  In some cases this can delay stop times.  We thank you for your patience.