LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) unveiled their latest transportation plans for the more than 65,000 students traveling to and from school this upcoming year.
The district will have all of its 771 routes covered when buses roll out for the beginning of the school year Aug. 11.
“Transportation is one of our most basic but critical functions, ensuring that we get kids to school and home again safely,” JCPS chief operations officer Chris Perkins said. “We’re proud of the dedication and work that goes into carrying out this responsibility, especially in these unique circumstances that require additional measures to protect our students and staff.”
Students riding the school buses must adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines including:
- All students must remain masked on the bus, unless they have a completed medical waiver on file.
- Drivers will have masks available if students don’t have one when they board the bus. Hand sanitizer will also be available.
- Drivers will clean seats and high-touch areas in between routes.
- Windows will be open when possible.
- Students will be assigned seats, to help with contact tracing in the event there is a positive case reported.
Buses can and will operate at full capacity, with no restrictions on seating per CDC guidelines.
Perkins noted the district has implemented initiatives to increase the number of bus drivers. JCPS hosted several job fairs to find drivers and made a $6 shift differential for this school year.
“Incentives like these have helped JCPS keep most of our experienced drivers and recruit new ones for the upcoming school year,” Perkins said. “We’re also grateful for schools being flexible and collaborating with us to ensure we have every route, for every child who rides a bus, covered as we start the school year.”
JCPS has programs to help families get specific information on the child's bus number and stop.
Beginning Aug. 9, parents will be able to dial 485-RIDE to speak with a member of the JCPS team who can provide important information on transportation-related questions.
The hotline will be available throughout the week at the following times:
- Monday, Aug. 9 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Aug. 10 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Wednesday, Aug. 11 6 a.m.-7 p.m. (or final clear)
- Thursday, Aug. 12 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (or final clear)
- Friday, Aug. 13 7 a.m.-5 p.m. (or final clear)
Families can also check out the JCPS Bus Finder on the district’s website.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.