Gwinnett School Buses Get Jumpstart

Although the school doesn’t officially start until Monday, Aug. 8, Gwinnett school buses will be on the road this week Aug. 1-5, Gwinnett County Public Schools announced. All GCPS bus drivers will run their assigned routes during actual drive times in the mornings and afternoons Tuesday through Friday to prepare students and families for the start of school.

Drivers will display school names on cards in bus windows to help parents identify their child’s bus. Practice runs may be limited on Thursday as drivers participate in back-to-school activities at local schools and mandatory safety training sessions.

Here is some useful information for parents and students provided by GCPS Transportation Services: 

Extra waiting time recommended in first week:

On the first few days of school, GCPS officials recommend that parents have students at the bus stop approximately 15 minutes before their scheduled bus arrival. To ensure the safety of students, especially young students who are new bus riders, drivers will go through additional procedures before releasing students at their bus stops. This means that many buses may run behind schedule the first few days, especially on the afternoon routes.

Number to call if child doesn’t get off bus:

 If, for some reason, a child does not get off his or her bus at the scheduled bus stop, parents or guardians should call 770-338-4800.

Number to call regarding special education transportation questions and services: 770-513-6881.

Bus route and bus stop information:

At the beginning of the school year, local schools provide families with bus schedules and route and stop information.

If parents need assistance in resolving a pick up/delivery questions during the school year:

Parents should call the school their child attends. Often they will have the needed information. If they do not have the information, the school is best equipped to contact the appropriate transportation department individual for a quick response.

Transportation Alternate Address Form or Transportation Parent Authorization Form needed for service to other addresses:

All students will be picked up and dropped off at the bus stop serving their home address. Exceptions are made for those students who have a documented disability that requires a change or those who have an Alternative Address Form or a Transportation Parent Authorization Form on file. These forms identify alternate pickup and/or delivery (within the attending school zone) at an address designated by parents for child-care purposes. For questions on these forms, parents or guardians should call 678-226-7036.

Fast facts about GCPS Transportation Services:

More than 120,662 GCPS students are bused twice a day, making the Gwinnett school system the second largest transporter of students in the country. GCPS Transportation Services:

• Operates 1,834 school buses.
• Runs 7,534 routes per day.
• Makes 47,267 stops twice per day.
• Drives over 130,800 miles per day (the equivalent of more than 30 round trips to Los Angeles
• per day).
• Drives more than 23,500,000 miles per year.

The school bus is 13 times safer than any other form of transportation, according to the Transportation Research Board.