Student Eligibility
Transportation is available for MISD students who live two or more miles from their assigned school as measured through the routing system. The distance a student lives from the assigned school is determined by measuring the shortest route that may be traveled on public roads as defined in the routing system. Students residing within two miles of an assigned school designated for school bus transportation will not be eligible for transportation.
Pick Up Time Criteria
Regular transportation attempts to arrive at every bus stop on time. Due to variances between individual clocks, students are asked to arrive at the bus stop 10 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time. Buses will load students and depart the stop. Regular buses do not wait for late students. Special Needs Bus Transportation uses the same standard but will wait up to two minutes at a stop for a special needs student to load. Students are expected to proceed immediately to the bus. Bus drivers are instructed not to stop or open the door for late students once the bus begins to move for safety reasons. MISD strongly discourages students from approaching a moving bus.
Bus Route Criteria
Route Design
Bus stop guidelines for regular transportation:
Elementary school - bus stop will average up to .20 miles (1056 feet) if the area permits.
Middle school and High school - bus stop will average up to .50 miles (2640 feet) if the area permits.
Bus routes are created to enhance student safety while maximizing vehicle efficiency. Stops are created at locations that allow students to wait off the main roadway for the bus if at all possible. Stops are not placed in private gated communities, cul-de-sacs or dead-end streets. Bus stops will be located at the corner of intersections and middle of the block that match the distance guidelines. The above criteria apply to regular education students only. Special Program stops will have a consolidated bus stop such as elementary schools. Special needs stops are subject to different criteria.
Bus Ridership
School buses are rated by manufacturers to have a capacity of three riders per seat. McAllen ISD has adopted maximum ridership per bus at three riders per seat at elementary levels, two riders per seat at middle school levels, and two riders per seat at high school levels.