Transportation

22727 Griswold Road  South Lyon, MI  48178   (248) 573-8900bus

Bus Stop Locations
The two fundamental criteria used in determining a bus stop location are safety and efficiency of scheduling. Safety of bus routes and bus stops must meet state laws related to school bus transportation.

It is important that parents and/or guardians assume the responsibility of safety at bus stops, including getting children to and from a bus stop.

Students are required to be at their stop location 10 minutes before the scheduled pick up time ready to load the bus when it arrives and not waiting in vehicles.  This helps to ensure route efficiency.

All bus stops will continue to comply with the District walk to stop policy. SLCS Board Policy regarding transportation.

Joint Family Bus Requests (New Form)
Requests for bus pick-up/drop-off for joint family situations can be made by filling out the Joint Family Request Form and submitting to the Transportation Department via fax, email or mail. 

Be specific on the days of week the student will need to be transported to each address location. Both parents must agree to the requested busing schedule – either by both parents signing the Joint Family Request Form, or by both parents sending an email to dispatcher@slcs.us concurring to the requested bus schedule. 

Students will be routed to the established stop based on parents’ primary address in Skyward unless a Joint Family Request Form is submitted. 

Details on filling out the form and submitting parental agreements are on the Transportation website. 

Please Note:  Routing can only be done to and from the address of the home school boundary.  A parent’s address outside of the home school boundary is considered School of Choice; there is no busing for School of Choice.  Requests must be submitted every year - they do not carry over from year to year. 

The Transportation Department will make every effort to process Joint Family Bus Requests as soon as possible. There is not a three week waiting period for these requests; however, the sooner you are able to submit these requests, the more quickly they can be processed.  Please make alternate arrangements until you receive notice from our department that the busing schedule is set for your child/children. 

Fax: 248-486-5381
Email: dispatcher@slcs.us

Students Ride Assigned Buses Only
Students are only permitted to ride their assigned bus. We do not allow students to ride home with friends for study groups, parties, scouting, practices, sleep-over’s, etc. Requests to ride unassigned bus are NOT permitted at dismissal time.

Bus Loops at High Schools & Middle Schools
Cars are never permitted in the bus loops. Please use the schools designated student drop off locations when driving your child to school. 

Students Entering/Exiting the Bus at School
Once a student enters the bus at school in the afternoon, they cannot exit it until their assigned stop. Occasionally students forget that they need to stay after school for a meeting or are getting picked up from parent/guardian. Parents must be visible to the driver, and an administrator must approve the student’s exit. Please make every effort to arrange pick up with your student before the start of the school day. In unforeseen circumstances, please call the school before dismissal time to inform the office staff that you will be picking up your student.

Emergency Bus Passes
Emergency bus passes will be considered providing space is available on the bus. Emergency situations must be approved by the transportation department. Contact the transportation department between 5 am and 5 pm to speak with a dispatcher about an emergency bus pass request.

Please note: A student getting on an unassigned bus with a hand written letter from the parent, requesting permission to ride, will be sent to his/her designated bus. Parents must call the transportation department at least one hour before dismissal time to get prior authorization for the student to ride an unassigned bus.  Remember, availability of space on the bus will be determining whether or not authorization is granted.

Transportation Code of Conduct
Avoiding driver distraction is the highest concern. Students and parents should understand that distractions are dangerous and it is very important that students maintain control of impulses and voices while riding the school bus.

The expected behavior of the student rider is found in the Transportation Code of Conduct. We encourage parents to review these responsibilities with their children to insure that their privilege of riding is not lost.

Items That Can Be Transported on a School Bus
The only items that can be transported on a school bus are those that can be held in the lap of the student.

Please note: Glass containers, lacrosse/ hockey sticks, baseball bats and balloons are not permitted.

Eating on Bus
Food and beverages are not allowed on the bus. Buses transport 60 plus students per route and it is impossible for the driver to keep students with food allergies safe from exposure when a student is eating on the bus. It is imperative that students leave their lunches in their backpacks or contained until they are off the bus.  Contact the transportation department if you have any questions.

Mobile Device
Cell phones may be transported on the bus, but may not be turned on or used while on the bus, unless given specific permission by the driver. If such permission is given, cell phone calls may not be made or received while the bus is underway.  

Items Left on the Bus
Items of value, such as electronics, purses, wallets, are brought in to the transportation department for safe keeping until the driver goes back out. Students are encouraged to ask their bus driver about the lost item. Parents are encouraged to call the Transportation Department to see if the lost item has been found.

SCHOOL BUS STOPS: WHAT EVERY Motorist MUST KNOW
Every motorist plays an important part of School Bus Safety. Make sure you know what to do when approaching a school bus with the overhead or hazard lights flashing.  

SCHOOL BUSES WITH OVERHEAD RED AND YELLOW LIGHTS
(With or Without Bus Stop Signs)

  • Yellow lights are flashing - prepare to stop
  • Red lights are flashing - stop no closer than 20 feet from the bus.
  • Red lights turned off - proceed.

SCHOOL BUSES WITH OVERHEAD RED LIGHTS
(With or Without Bus Stop Signs)

  • Red lights are flashing and bus is moving - prepare to stop.
  • Red lights are flashing and bus is stopped - stop no closer than 20 feet from the bus.
  • When red lights are turned off - proceed.

ALL SCHOOL BUSES
Yellow hazard warning lights are flashing - proceed with caution.

It is not necessary to stop for a school bus that has stopped on the other side of a divided highway where the road is separated by a barrier, such as a concrete or grass median, island, or other structures that separate the flow of traffic. Use extra care around buses and in school zones. Children are small and hard to see and may dart into the street or out from around parked vehicles.

*AAA Michigan, 1994
*State of Michigan, What Every Driver Must Know. November, 2011. pp 116-117.http://www.michigan.gov/documents/wedmk_16312_7.pdf 

Transportation Staff
Kelli Spalding – Manager of Transportation Services
Stephen Reynolds - Assistant Manager of Transportation Services
Chuck Fuhst - Fleet Supervisor 
Mike Katchever - Mechanic 

We currently have a team of 45 dedicated School Bus Drivers and 5 Paras.

South Lyon Transportation department is looking to hire several more drivers for our growing community.  Interested applicants should call the transportation department or stop by the Griswold Operations Center to apply.

From all of us at South Lyon Transportation- Have a safe, fun and productive school year!

Transportation Hotline: 248-573-8251 
Main Phone: 248-573-8900
Fax: 248-486-5381
Email: dispatcher@slcs.us
Mail: 22727 Griswold Rd, South Lyon, MI 48178