Student Transportation

Walking Distances

The walking distance for grades 6 and below will not normally exceed 1 mile from their primary residence to the school or designated bus stop. Students in grades 7-12 may walk up to 1.5 miles from their primary residence to the school or designated bus stop. These distances may be slightly expanded or contracted to conform to natural boundaries such as housing areas or neighborhoods. In locations, such as Okinawa, having middle schools, which include grade 6 (i.e., grades 6-8), the walking distance criteria shall be the same as the criteria for grades 7-12.

Student Transportation / Daily Commutes

This is defined as the transportation of students from their assigned bus stop to school at the beginning of their school day, mid-day, and the return to their assigned bus stop at the end of the normal scheduled school day. Maps illustrating bus stops and commuting zones are available at the base housing office and the STO office.

Only one trip to and from school per day is authorized for each student.

Transportation is not authorized to take students to their homes or to eating facilities for their mid-day meal.

Only students attending DoDEA schools, bus drivers, dispatchers, STO personnel, assigned safety/security attendants, community bus monitors, and security personnel assigned by the installation commander are authorized to ride daily commuting services. Additional authorized passengers are U.S. Military Police and host nation police while in the performance of their official duties, and persons authorized in writing by the DoDEA Principal or his or her designee, the contracting officer, or the STO.

Other Student Transportation Authorizations

Daily round trip transportation may be provided to students residing outside the commuting area but are transported at their own expense to an existing school bus stop within the commuting area.

Non-federally connected, space-available, tuition-paying students may be permitted to utilize school bus commuting services on a space-available basis. Even though space-available service may be initially provided, it may be withdrawn at any time.

Off Base Transportation Availability

Transportation is available for many off base housing areas around installations with schools; however, before signing a lease for an off base house please check with the STO to ensure transportation is available in that area for the school you plan your child to attend.

A map and/or narrative description is used to identify the commuting area for each school is available at each STO.

Lost Items

The DoDEA Pacific South STO has the following procedures in place for handling, storing, and discarding items that are lost and found on the school bus:

Everyday items: The STO stores everyday items such as clothing, backpacks, books, and water bottles at its office throughout the week. Everyday items left on the school bus are returned to the school and placed in Lost and Found on a weekly basis.

High-value items: The STO stores high-value items, such as phones and cameras, in a locked and secured area at its office. After 1 week, unclaimed high-value items are turned over to Military Police.

Items Containing PII: Items containing Personally Identifiable Information, such as ID cards, will be stored in a secure location at the STO. STO employees will make three attempts to contact the owner’s parent/sponsor to return the item. If the item is not retrieved after 1 week, it is turned over to Military Police.

The STO does not directly discard items found on the bus; however, items schools often donate unclaimed items in the Lost and Found a period of time.