IMPORTANT LINKS
Who to Call
Families should be prepared to experience very high call volume during the first week of school and there is a chance you won’t be able to get through to someone right away. Please read reference the links below for “Who to Call,” for assistance.
- For non-urgent matters (i.e. bus applications, changes to transportation, and other non-urgent questions or concerns), the best timeframe to contact the transportation department and reach a member of the team would be between the hours of 9 – 1:30 pm.
Important Information Regarding Bus Routes for 2024-2025
Our Transportation Department hasn’t released the bus routes for the 2024-2025 school year yet. Once routes are finalized in August, 2024, bus information will be available via email, Stopfinder Parent App and through the Aspen Family Portal. We encourage families to check their inboxes to review this information. In some instances, these messages make their way to the spam/junk folders so please check there if you haven’t received the message in your general inbox.
You can also find your child’s bus route information on the Aspen Family Portal. For guidance on how to access this, please see these instructions in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Important Reminders from our Transportation Team:
- Due to traffic fluctuations in Salem, buses can typically arrive anywhere from 10 minutes early to 10 minutes late on any given day. Students should arrive at least 10 minutes early to their bus stop. If the bus is more than 10 minutes late, you can call the transportation department for an estimated arrival time.
- Please expect additional delays during the first few days/weeks of school until routes settle and students become familiar with their route. There might also be changes to bus routes during the first few weeks of school until all necessary adjustments are made.
- Kindergarten and 1st Graders cannot get off the bus without a parent/guardian present! Please plan accordingly so that you are at the bus stop to receive your child(ren).
- Students will receive their bus passes at school on their first day.
- Please read the Transportation Handbook for all information regarding your student(s) bussing.
Parent/Guardian Expectations for Salem Public Schools Transportation
- The district will make every effort to provide families with a copy of their proposed route and schedule 1 week in advance of their child’s scheduled first day of school;
- If buses are delayed by more than 15 minutes, families should be informed via GPS app, text, phone call, or email;
- If a bus is involved in any sort of crash or accident, parents should be notified by text or phone call as soon as the scene is secured by Salem Police and details are communicated to the SPS Director of Transportation;
- Families should be notified of any permanent changes to routes via GPS app, text, phone call, or email;
- If a parent/guardian calls the SPS transportation office due to a delayed bus or related issue, the transportation office should be able to locate buses in real time or provide an immediate call back (within 30 minutes) if warranted.
Field Trip Request
Download our field trip request form.