2025-2026 School Times

Bell Times

During the 2024-2025 school year, BPS announced it would begin the process of transitioning to a two-tier bus system after a months-long process of community collaboration and feedback collection. Implementing the new system will require schools to adopt new start and end times, effective August 19, 2025. 

Rationale 

Ongoing transportation challenges such as bus driver shortages, long ride times, and inconsistent pickup schedules led to a review of BPS transportation operations. The district enlisted Transpar, a transportation consulting firm, to evaluate the district's busing. Their report identified a two-tier system as a cost-effective and sustainable solution. 

Benefits

The new schedule is a response to ongoing transportation challenges like bus driver shortages, long ride times, and inconsistent pickup schedules. 

With the two-tier system, families can expect several benefits:

• Shorter bus rides: No student will be on a bus for longer than one hour. 
• Later elementary pickups: No elementary student will be picked up prior to 6:30 AM.
• Fewer buses needed: The district will reduce the number of buses needed to transport students by nine.
• End-of-day supervision reduced: The majority of buses will now be on-site at dismissal, eliminating lengthy waits for students and reducing the need for after-school supervision.
• Separated transportation tiers: Elementary and secondary students will be separated into different routes.
• Reallocated funding: The new system will reduce overall transportation costs, allowing the savings to be directed to in-school aide support.