According to North Carolina law, there is no requirement for a school district to provide bus transportation for schools.
However, according to Derek Graham, section chief for school transportation services for the N.C. State Board of Education, all 115 public school districts in North Carolina have opted in to provide transportation.
When public schools opt in, they have to provide transportation for all students who live 1.5 miles or more from school, he said, and they must provide a bus stop within one mile of all students living in that area.
The rules and conduct on buses varies from district to district, and routes are created by the superintendent to maximize the number of students the routes can serve and minimize costs.
The pick-up of disabled children is considered on a case-by-case basis and can be brought to the attention by appeal to the local board for its consideration.
School districts do pay for ferry fees, but the buses do not take ferries to get to students, Graham said. Instead, students have to meet the bus at the pick-up site at a designated time.
Related links:
Do school bus drivers in New Hanover County drive their buses home?
Why isn’t there a direct bus line from the UNCW campus to downtown Wilmington?
Date posted: December 1, 2010
User-contributed question by:
Jean
Are there any links available showing where if a school district has opted in to providing transportation they are then required to have a stop within 1 mile?
Here’s a link to the busing FAQs for New Hanover County Schools. It includes explanations about bus stops being required to be within a mile of the child’s residence and more: http://www.nhcs.net/transportation/Documents/FAQ_Parents_Aug2007.pdf