New Jersey Department of Education

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who is entitled to transportation?

Public

All resident public elementary school students (grades K–8) who live more than 2 miles from their school and all public secondary school students (grades 9–12) who live more than 2 ½ miles from their school are entitled to transportation. These students are said to live "remote from school."

Nonpublic

Whenever a school district is required to provide transportation to students attending regular public
school programs, resident students attending nonprofit nonpublic schools who meet the same distance requirements are also entitled to transportation services.

Special Education

In addition to the above requirements, any student with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that requires the provision of transportation services is eligible to receive the services specified in the IEP (N.J.S.A. 18A:39-1

Q. How is the distance between a student’s home and school measured?

A. Measurement is made by the shortest distance along public roadways or walkways between the entrance to the student’s home closest to the roadway or walkway to the nearest public entrance of the school building.

Q. Who is responsible for transportation to charter and choice schools?

Charter

The transportation of students to and from a charter school is the financial responsibility of the board of education of the school district in which the student resides. If the charter school is located in the resident district, students are transported in the same manner as regular public district students. If the charter school is outside the resident district, the resident district may pay aid in lieu of transportation (AIL) if the cost of transportation will exceed the annual AIL amount. Students who reside less than remote from their charter school are eligible for transportation in accordance with the policies of the district board of education in which they reside.
The transportation of students to and from a choice school is the responsibility of the board of education of the school district in which the student resides.

Choice

The resident school district is financially responsible for providing transportation to enrolled choice
school students who are eligible for transportation.

Q. Do choice and charter students submit the nonpublic transportation forms (B6T and B7T)
to the resident district?

A. No. There are forms specifically tailored for choice and charter school students — the nonpublic forms cannot be used. The Commissioner-prescribed forms for charter and choice students are located on the student transportation Procedures and Related Documents webpage under the sections for Charter and Choice Transportation. Once completed, the forms shall be submitted to the student’s resident school district.

Q. How do I request transportation for my nonpublic school child?

A. The nonpublic school is responsible for distributing all nonpublic forms, as prescribed by the Commissioner, to the parents. Parents submit their applications to the nonpublic school and the
nonpublic school administrator submits to each resident school district.

Q. Are there any limits on nonpublic school transportation?

A.Yes, there are several limits on nonpublic school transportation. They are:

• The school must be a nonprofit school;
• The school must be located within the state, except for certain counties of the third class (Warren County);
• The school may be located no more than 20 miles from the student’s home;
• The cost of the transportation may not exceed the annual maximum expenditure set by law each year ($1,177 for the 2024-25 school year);
• Students must be in grades kindergarten through grade twelve; and
• Students must meet the entrance age requirements for the public school students in the resident school district.

If the cost of the transportation to be provided to the nonpublic school student will exceed the annual maximum expenditure, then the school district may not provide the transportation, but instead must pay the student’s parent or legal guardian that amount in lieu of providing transportation.

Pursuant to the annual Appropriations Act for the 2024-2025 school year, transportation services
are also extended to students living in third-class counties or second-class counties with a population of
less than 235,000 who reside no more than 30 miles from their nonpublic schools located within the state. This applies only to Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Salem, Sussex and Warren counties.

Q. Are districts required to provide busing due to hazardous walking conditions?

A.Boards of education are not required to provide busing for students solely for hazardous routes. However, they have the discretion to designate hazardous routes and provide transportation accordingly, at their own discretion and expense (no state funding is provided for these students). Districts are permitted to charge the student’s parents or legal guardians for this service. Municipalities may also contract with boards of education for this service and charge the parents. The term for transportation services that require a fee is called subscription busing.

Q. Is it a district's responsibility to provide transportation for students who live less than remote from school when hazardous road conditions exist?

A. Boards of education are not required by law to provide busing for students who live less than remote from school even for safety reasons. However, boards are permitted, at their own discretion and
expense, to provide transportation for students who reside less than remote from school and may charge the student's parents or legal guardians for this service. Municipalities may also contract with boards of education for this service and charge the parents. This transportation service is called Subscription Busing.

Q. Where can I purchase subscription busing?

A. Subscription busing may be purchased from your own school district, another school district transporting students to that school, or a coordinating transportation services agency (CTSA) providing busing to that school. A board of education or CTSA may provide this service at their own discretion.

Q. Who is responsible for safe travel along public roadways or walkways?

A. Case law has long held that safety along public roadways and walkways is a municipal responsibility.
It is for this reason that municipalities install sidewalks, traffic signals and signs, and paint crosswalks. Pursuant to Section 40A:9-154.1 of the New Jersey statutes, school crossing guards are appointed
by the municipality and are under the supervision of the chief of police or other chief law enforcement officer.

Q. How long may a school bus be used to transport students in New Jersey?

A. School buses exceeding 25,000 pounds can be used for 20 years from the date of manufacture, or until the end of the school year in which that date occurs. Type “S” school vehicles shall not be used for student transportation purposes beyond 12 years.

Q. Are school buses required to be equipped with passenger seat belts?

A. All vehicles manufactured after October 1992 are required to be equipped with lap-type seat belts or other child restraint systems. All vehicles manufactured after 2021 will be required to be equipped with three-point lap and shoulder belts.

Q. What is being done to ensure that students are safely transported to and from school?

School buses are inspected at least twice each year by special school bus inspection teams from
the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.

School bus drivers are required to hold a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with passenger and school bus endorsements, and are, therefore, also required to meet federal standards for alcohol and drug testing. These standards include testing upon initial employment followed by random tests. In addition, school bus drivers must undergo a criminal background check upon initial employment and at the time of renewal of their CDL, and submit an annual driver’s abstract (i.e., a history of motor vehicle violations).

They must also undergo periodic Department of Transportation (DOT) physical examinations:

• every two years for drivers under 70 years old;
• every year for drivers aged 70 through 74; and
• every six months for drivers 75 years and older.