Bus Rider Registration
Rider Registration Process
Salem-Keizer Public Schools requires bus-rider registration for all district students requesting transportation on a regular bus route. Students receiving transportation as a related service to an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will have their request initiated through their teacher or case manager.
The benefits of Rider Registration include
- Enhanced student safety: students board the correct bus, limits bus overcrowding, helps improve student conduct, restricts unauthorized riders
- More accurate communication with parents
- Cost savings from routing efficiencies
Who Needs to Register?
Any transportation-eligible student who wants to ride the school bus to and/or from school needs to be registered. Students must register for bus service every school year.
What does transportation-eligible mean?
Transportation-eligible means that the student lives at a residence within their neighborhood school attendance boundary, and the residence is outside the State of Oregon defined walk zone for that school. The walk zones are 1.0 mile for elementary students and 1.5 miles for secondary students.
When are bus registrations accepted?
Registrations are accepted and processed all year. Please complete online registration for your student through ParentVUE.
Registration Forms
Please complete online registration through ParentVUE as soon as possible.
For the 2022-2023 school year, please use the Busfinder app to check for eligibility. If eligible, a link will be provided to the ParentVUE application.
If you need assistance, please contact your child’s school or Transportation (503-399-3100).
Bus Transportation Frequently Asked Questions
Contact your school or Transportation Services at 503-399-3100.
Except for the start of the school year, students who are eligible should be assigned to a stop within five working days after the registration form is received.
At the start of each school year, bus stops and routes information is released in mid-August.
Visit the Bus Finder app for stop time/location information. For students attending schools other than their assigned neighborhood school, please contact Transportation Services at 503-399-3100 for more information.
Bus Finder is available for bus stop information starting in mid-August for the upcoming school year. During the summer, it can be used to determine eligibility only. If your student is eligible, it will provide a link to ParentVUE, where you can register your student for transportation
You don’t need to fill out a Rider Registration form for bus transportation to sporting events or field trips.
Your student can still receive service. Please turn in a registration form as soon as possible (fill in the start date on the registration form) or at least 10 days prior to the day you need service to start.
There are one-time bus passes available at the school, but there is no guarantee that a seat will be available on any given day. A note from a parent or guardian authorizing the student to go home with a specific student or to a specific address must be presented to the school office staff. Please be aware that if the bus is running at capacity, a one-time pass may not be issued or may be revoked and the student will be sent back to the office to contact their parents for transportation.
If your student will ride the bus to or from school occasionally, they must still register to ride. Please be aware that if any authorized rider does not use a bus stop for an extended time, the stop may be considered for removal. Special circumstances (extended absence) can be accommodated by contacting Transportation Services before the stop is removed. Prior to removing a stop, Transportation Services will check to see which riders are assigned to the stop and attempt to contact the parents and advise them that the stop is being considered for removal. If your student needs to resume riding the bus after their stop has been removed, you will need to submit a new registration form to reactivate the stop.
Registration is an ongoing process. Throughout a student’s time in school, they may move in and out of attendance areas, change day care providers, or need to start, stop or change service levels. Anytime your child’s residence or service needs change, a new registration form is needed. Families will need to register their student through ParentVUE each school year.
State law establishes who qualifies for bus service by defining the distance a student can walk to get to school. If the walking distance between the primary residence and the school is more than one mile for elementary students, or more than 1.5 miles for middle and high school students, the student is eligible for bus transportation.
A student who lives within the state defined walking distance to school may be eligible for bus service if the only walk path available has been deemed hazardous by the district.
In-District Transfers
If the student is attending the school on an in‐district transfer (IDT), the student is not eligible for bus transportation.
Not sure of your status?
If you are not sure about your status, please contact your school, use the Bus Routes finder app, or contact Transportation Services at 503-399-3100.
No, not every student is automatically eligible.
Bus transportation eligibility established by state law
State law establishes who qualifies for bus service by defining the distance a student can walk to get to school. If the walking distance between the primary residence and the school is more than one mile for elementary students, or more than 1.5 miles for middle and high school students, the student is eligible for bus transportation.
A student who lives within the state defined walking distance to school may be eligible for bus service if the only walk path available has been deemed hazardous by the district.