Frequently Asked Questions

To request bus service for your child, complete the bus rider registration form found within your child's Skyward account. Prior to school starting, the form is part of the New or Returning student process in Skyward. Once school starts, the form will be available within the forms sections of your chidl's Skyward account.

Once transportation has been requested, it could take up to 5 school days for service to begin depending upon the availability of a bus route and stop for your child.

Bus service is available free of charge to students who reside two-or-miles from their campus of attendance.

Bus service may be available for a fee to students who live within two miles of their campus of attendance. This optional service is made available as an alternative for parents who are unable to transport their own child or who choose for their child not to walk or bike to school. Please see the section on bus fees and eligibility for more information.

All bus routes are designed to operate as efficiently and effectively as possible while still meeting students’ needs. When a route change is necessary that will affect pick-up/drop-off times and/or bus numbers, parents will be notified by email at least 24-hours prior to the date of the change.

If students are not present at a bus stop for three continuous weeks, the bus stop will be discontinued without notice to the parents. Parents must contact the Transportation Department to resume service to that stop.

If your child attends classes at both Turner HS and either Pearland or Dawson HS, we can arrange for bus service to accommodate.

If your child begins their day at one campus and ends at the other campus, please register your child for bus service through Skyward and then complete the form found at the following link: https://pearlandisd.transfinder.com/formfinder/Survey.html?c=pearlandisd&t=85fd4135klru so that we can be sure they are scheduled appropriately.

Once the request is submitted, it may take several days to schedule the service based upon the availability of a route and stop to serve the student.

In certain circumstances, the number of routes to cover (due to employee absences, routes without a regularly assigned driver, etc.) may exceed the available staff resources to cover those routes. When this happens, adjustments are made to combine the uncovered route assignment with another route. In some cases we are able to do this without causing a significant delay to either route, however this is not always possible.

When a planned delay to a route will exceed 15 minutes we will post the delay to our website and send a StopFinder notification out to the parents of students on the affected route.

There may be unplanned delays that happen during a route as a result of traffic, blocked railroad crossings, mechanical issue with a bus, weather conditions, etc. Notifications will not be sent out for these unexpected delays when the anticipated length of the delay is not expected to be greater than 15 minutes.

In most cases, the bus number and the route number will match.

At times, a spare bus may be used on the route in place of the regular bus due to maintenance or other scheduling conflict.

When a spare bus is used, the regular bus number will be displayed on the black and white placard near the entry door of the bus. Students should be trained to always look at this placard to ensure they are boarding the correct bus.

In both of these images, the route is 309. 

Pearland ISD buses are equipped with climate control that is designed to mitigate the extreme temperatures (both hot and cold) outside of the bus.

The air conditioning is not designed to cool to the same level as in a car. The continuous opening and closing of the entry door allows cool air to escape making it difficult for the system to keep up and maintain a comfortable temperature.

Given the extreme heat that we face in southeast Texas, there may be times in which it seems that the system is not working.

The driver is responsible for safety and discipline on the bus. Misconduct and safety violations by students are reported to the Transportation Supervisor who assumes responsibility for taking proper action. Students who do not behave properly may lose the privilege of riding the bus. The district has the right to deny transportation to students whose behavior jeopardizes others' safety.

Pearland ISD buses are not permitted to operate on private property, including gated communities and apartment complexes. Neighborhoods that are under construction pose a safety hazard for large vehicles like school buses. Thus, buses do not travel through areas where heavy construction is present.

If school is in session, the buses will run. The superintendent decides whether to cancel school or dismiss early. The district will use its own communication channels and alert local radio and television stations if there is a change to the regular schedule.

During hazardous weather, students will not be dismissed from school unless the transportation director determines it is safe for children to travel to their homes. During flooding, buses will travel as close to the normal bus stops as possible without jeopardizing student safety. Parents should be aware of flooding conditions and make arrangements to meet their children at the bus stop when possible. Any students who are unable to be safely delivered home will be returned to the school for parents to pick up. In rain or cold weather, students are still expected to be at their bus stop.

Drivers and passengers are subject to audio and video monitoring according to Texas Education Code section 26.009(b)(1). Video recordings may be viewed by Pearland ISD employees if necessary to perform their job duties in the best interest of students. Parents are not permitted to view the recordings through the Transportation Department because it may infringe on the privacy of other students, as protected under the Family Education Rights to Privacy Act (FERPA). Video recordings will be strictly controlled by the Transportation Department to ensure confidentiality. As with any piece of technology, there may be instances in which a malfunction results in video or audio not being available in a particular situation.

Articles that are left on the bus will remain on the bus for the student to retrieve the next time he/she rides. Lunches that are found in the morning will be sent to the school as soon as possible. If parents wish to pick up an item at the Transportation Department, they may do so during normal office hours. However, the Transportation Department does not maintain a "Lost and Found."

If your child is assigned to the Alternative Learning Academy (ALA), bus transportation is not available to your child during the duration of the assignment.

If your child is a bus rider prior to being assigned to ALA, he or she may resume riding their bus route upon completion of the ALA assignment and return to his or her home campus.

If the ALA assignment was made as a result of a transportation-related incident, bus service may be further interrupted as part of resulting disciplinary action.

Please contact the Transportation Department for questions regarding student transportation or bus discipline. Transportation employees will gladly provide the information you need. Campuses handle general discipline, not bus discipline. Transportation may be reached at 281-485-3562.