Transportation

The District and its partner Durham School Services put students first by providing safe and reliable transportation to and from school for students who qualify.

Except for bus attendance calls, the District’s Transportation Coordinator is your first line of communication to transportation provider Durham School Services.

Contact: Dee Hehr
Transportation Coordinator
Ames Community School District
Educational Services Center
2005 24th St.
Ames, IA 50010

515-268-6640
Fax: 515-268-6634

If at any time your student will not be riding the bus as scheduled, please notify Durham School Services: 515-233-5424.

Students are not allowed to use bus transportation to ride to a friend’s home that is not on their assigned route.

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Our Transportation Policy

The District provides transportation either directly or by reimbursement according to state law and Board policy, for all resident students, preschool through 12th grade, who qualify.

1. Elementary and middle school students must live more than two miles from the school designated for attendance.
2. High school students, grades nine–12,  must live more than three miles from the school.

Other factors may determine a student’s eligibility for transportation. The District determines eligibility for transportation as students register for transportation services and makes changes in eligibility only at the start of the school year or second semester.

Families MUST apply for busing during registration and re-enrollment each year, even if  they applied for busing in the past.

Please note that applications received later than one week before the start of school are considered late.  Students whose applications are late will NOT be allowed to ride the bus until after Labor Day.

Discretionary Transportation

The District makes transportation available to students who live nearer than the statutory distance.
Busing is NOT guaranteed outside elementary school boundaries.

ALL Northwood preschool students will be charged for busing, regardless of distance.

EK-5 th Grade Students living less than 2 miles from the school of attendance will be charged for
busing regardless of where your student is bused. ACSD has the final determination of
distance. Per Iowa Code, busing is based on the permanent address of the student.

All Students 5 th grade and younger are only allowed one pick up and one drop off. The pick up
and drop off do not have to be the same, but students are only allowed one pick up and drop
off.

6 th -8 th Grade Students living less than 2 miles from the school of attendance will be charged for
busing regardless of where your student is bused. ACSD has the final determination of
distance. Per Iowa Code, busing is based on the permanent address of the student.

6 th -8 th Grade Students from split households may request a second pick up/drop off, but only
ONE pick up and drop off is allowed PER RESIDENCE.

9 th -12 th Grade Students living less than 3 miles from the school of attendance will be charged for
busing regardless of where your student is bused. ACSD has the final determination of distance.
Per Iowa Code, busing is based on the permanent address of the student.

9 th -12 th Grade Students from split households may request a second pick up/drop off, but only
ONE pick up and drop off is allowed PER RESIDENCE.

NO STUDENTS are allowed to ride home with a friend or to get off at a stop other than their
designated stop. NO EXCEPTIONS

Every effort will be made to get bus bills online as soon as possible. Regardless of when the
fees are placed, if you qualify as Discretionary, YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
TRANSPORTATION FEES.

Bus Fees 2017-2018

Those students who qualify for Free and Reduced Meals and fill out the waiver can have the results
applied to busing.

Read More

Bus Rules and Procedures