Click here to learn more about eligibility.
Making sure our students get access to safe and reliable transportation is a priority for Transportation Services. Getting accurate data on how many students utilize their eligibility to ride the bus will help us plan routes more efficiently, helping reduce delays and improve service. This program is designed to gather data from families on which students will use, or not use, their transportation eligibility.
Click here to learn more about eligibility.
Helpful behind-the-scenes facts
Throughout DPS, about 40,500 students are eligible for transportation. With the data we’ve been able to collect, only about 8,750 students are utilizing their eligibility. This means our Routing Department is spending time routing students who don’t plan to use our services.
Transportation Services plans for students who are eligible for services, however we know not every student will ride. Knowing who is utilizing their eligibility to ride the bus will help our Routing Department plan for students who are truly utilizing the service. An accurate count of eligible students would save time and improve efficiency.
Families are being asked to let Transportation Services know if they would like to utilize their transportation by “Opting in” through the Transportation Opt-in Program. Students are automatically opted-out, so if your student would like to utilize their transportation eligibility, families must log in to the Parent Portal to opt their students in.
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If your student is already eligible for transportation, their eligibility does not change. Additionally, if your student is not eligible for transportation, this does not make your student eligible. If your student does not meet the DPS Transportation eligibility criteria as approved by the Board of Education, and you would like them to ride the bus, you can fill out an online Exception Request form via the Parent Portal. Click here to learn more.
The Transportation Opt-in Program simply provides Transportation Services with accurate data on which eligible students will ride and not ride to improve efficiency and services.
If you don’t opt-in, the Routing Department will plan for your student not needing transportation services.
The Transportation Services Routing team will receive your opt-in selection and will begin the process of organizing transportation for your student. Routes for the school year are planned during the summer and families are notified about the bus stops and routes in late July/early August via the Parent Portal. If you change your opt-in selection in July, August or the rest of the school year, it may take the Routing team up to 10 business days to process your change.
If your address changes during the summer, it’s best to wait to change your address until your school is open. This helps ensure that the school has your accurate and complete records. If you have an urgent need to change your address on file during the summer when your school is closed, please send an email with proof of your new address to schoolchoice@dpsk12.org. Address changes can only be made if the appropriate proof of address is submitted. Once your address is updated in our systems, the Transportation team may take up to 10 days to adjust routing and stops accordingly.
Once a student enrolls in a new school, families should log into the Parent Portal to find out if their opt-in eligibility has changed. Please note that it can take a few days for changes in enrollment to result in changes to Transportation eligibility. If your student is not eligible for transportation at the new school and you would like to try to get them on a bus, consider filing an Exception Request to see if the Routing Department can accommodate the student. You can find more information on that here. You can also email questions to transportation@dpsk12.org.
If your student is currently an Exception Rider, you will not be able to opt-in. You will need to file an Exception Request each year your student needs a ride. You can find more information on that process here.
Yes! You can change your opt-in selection as your circumstances and needs change. Please note, if your needs change due to a relocation that takes your student out of the boundary/enrollment zone for the school they are attending, your student may no longer be eligible for transportation. Please review the eligibility requirements for transportation so that you are aware. If your student becomes ineligible for transportation, you will need to complete the Exception Request form.
During June and early July, routes are being planned and changes cannot be made. Otherwise, families can adjust their Opt-in selection throughout the year as often as necessary.
Yes. Understanding whether your student plans to use their DPS-funded RTD pass helps Transportation Services plan the appropriate number of passes to purchase from RTD. High School students are not eligible for transportation via yellow bus. If you’d like your student to ride the yellow bus in place of the DPS-RTD Pass, please complete the Exception Request form.
You can learn more about the DPS-RTD Bus Pass by clicking here.
High School students approved as Exception Riders are not automatically eligible for transportation from year-to-year. You will need to resubmit an Exception Request each school year your student needs a ride. Please see the Exception Request Guidelines for more information on this.
If your student is not eligible for transportation, yet you would still like them to ride the bus, you can file an Exception Request to see if the Routing Department can accommodate the student. To do that, though, the student must meet the following criteria:
Families can complete and submit an Exception Request via the Parent Portal. You can learn more about that process here.
No, if your student receives transportation for special education, you do not need to opt-in, as it is the default option for such students.