Frequently Asked Questions

Is my child eligible to ride the school bus?

It shall be the policy of Eagle Bus Service to provide school bus transportation to and from school for all enrolled students.  We do not provide door-to-door service. Cluster meeting points are preferable because they minimize the time students spend on the bus and the pick-up and drop-off times are consistent each day.  All bus stops will be available to all parents. Parents may choose the stop most convenient for them. Established stops will not be changed unless identified hazardous conditions or other identified special circumstance, require change. Students in grades K-12 who reside beyond established stops should be car riders to school, or they may walk or be transported to their assigned pick-up/drop-off location.

How do I arrange for my child to ride the school bus?

From the Transportation Portal home page, click the map image to find the stop most convenient for you. Next, view the bus schedule for that stop. Then click the green "register" button to complete the registration process.  You will receive a confirmation email with links to the bus portal for schedule information. If your child is a special needs student please contact his/her special needs teacher or case manager to arrange alternate transportation services.

Will the bus transport my child to and from a daycare facility?

If you use a childcare facility (daycare) that is within the school attendance area, within the route, and space is available on the bus, daycare students may ride the school bus. No stops will be added and no routes will be altered in order to accommodate daycare students. Please contact the transportation office (704-509-9110) to check your child's eligibility for daycare school bus transportation. To determine eligibility the Transportation Department will need the exact address of the childcare facility.

Do elementary school students and middle school students ride the same bus?

School policy will determine whether or not to allow elementary students to be transported with middle school or high school students.

How are bus stops determined?

Routes are designed to serve all students in an area in a safe and reasonable manner. Every effort is made to establish school bus stops near where students live. Additional considerations include keeping stops consistent for morning and afternoon routes. Stop locations and distances may also vary depending on the number of students in the area and the area type (urban/rural) being served.

How do I request a bus stop be added or changed?

Once stops are established and schedules are set, no new stops will be added. Established stops will not be changed unless identified hazardous conditions or other identified special circumstance, require change. Students in grades K-12 who reside beyond established stops should be car riders to school, or they may walk or be transported to their assigned pick-up/drop-off location. 

Contact the transportation department 704-606-5661 for questions about any particular stop. Each request is evaluated, which often includes a visit to the area by transportation administrators before a decision on the request is made. If a stop change is approved it typically takes 3-5 school days to implement. This allows us to notify other riders of the change and, when necessary, a bus or buses to be rerouted.

What do I do if I think my child's bus stop is in an unsafe location?

Call 704-606-5661, email info@theeaglebus.com, or fax (980-422-0087) the request to our transportation office. Transportation administration will investigate the concern and provide a response following the investigation.

I have a special needs child. How do I arrange for transportation services?

Contact your child's special needs teacher or case manager to begin the process for alternative transportation services. 

I don't feel comfortable sending my child down the street to catch the bus. Why can't the stop be at my house?

Safety is our primary consideration when determining bus stops. The bus driver follows set procedures in executing each stop including stopping, observing, opening the door, boarding or releasing passengers, closing the door, etc. It is safer for stops to be distributed along a route to provide optimal distance and time for the driver to complete all safety action steps. More stops also increases the length of the bus ride.

Finally, we believe there is safety in numbers. Many students and parents find walking/waiting in groups provides extra security.

I cannot see my child's bus stop from my house. Should this be a concern?

Visibility from home to the bus stop is not part of the transportation criteria when establishing bus stops. Bus stops are collection points within a neighborhood or shopping center. If a parent/guardian is concerned about watching their child at the stop, we recommend they accompany their child to and from the stop.

The school bus passes right by my house. Why can't the driver stop and pick up my child?

Our buses pass by the homes of many students when traveling to and from school. To stop at individual homes along the way would greatly impact route efficiency. It would add time to the route and students would not get to school on time. 

My child's bus ride seems very long even though we live only 5 minutes from school. Can you tell me why?

Bus routes range from 60-120 minutes in length depending on the school and area/miles covered by the route. Although the time from home directly to school may be only 5 minutes, routing requirements sometimes result in a longer ride. Eagle Bus Service transports an average of 65 students per bus with some buses making 30 stops per run.

What happens when my child is given a "referral" for inappropriate behavior from the bus driver? 

When addressing inappropriate behavior on the school bus drivers use progressive steps for less serious behaviors. Our goal is to share expectations and "remind and reteach." When a student receives a referral that means progressive steps to change behavior have not worked or the behavior was serious enough to warrant a first offense referral.  Check your Student/Parent Code of Conduct for additional information on bus expectations and how violations are handled. (See below)

Are school buses safe?

School buses are thoroughly inspected for safety by the NCDMV each year. Additionally, our buses are inspected by certified school bus mechanics on a monthly scheduled basis and routinely serviced. Traveling in a school bus is the safest form of ground transportation in the world.

Are there areas or roads where no bus service is provided?

Yes, there are certain roads in the district where buses do not travel for a variety of reasons. Some roads are subject to seasonal restrictions due to hazards brought about by ice and snow, while others are year-round restrictions because of the steepness of the road or the inability of a bus to safely travel/navigate the road. If you have questions about a particular road please contact the transportation office at 704-509-9110.

Can a parent or other adult step on or ride the school bus?

Parents and other adults are generally not allowed to ride school buses with the exception of school field trips. School buses are provided for students to ride to and from school . . . not as a form of transportation for parents or the general public.

North Carolina GS 14-132.2, prohibits unauthorized entry into a school bus. Parents are advised not to enter a school bus without the consent of Eagle Bus Service or its authorized agent or employee. Persons violating this rule are subject to a misdemeanor trespassing offense. Conviction may result in fines or imprisonment, or both. Fines may not exceed $1,000. Imprisonment may not exceed six months.

Are there items that are NOT ALLOWED on school buses?

Yes . . . To keep students safe and to follow state law, the following items are not allowed on a school bus: 

• Over-sized objects, such as athletic equipment and large musical instruments that cannot fit safely on a student's lap or between their legs in a seat. Large objects restrict a student's ability to board the bus without harming themselves and others  or damaging the bus. Eagle Bus Service requires objects to sit lower than  the window ledge, which is approximately 29 inches high in a school bus.
• Glass objects such as bottles or jars.
• Open containers of food and drink or gum.

What are some tips for parents to keep children safe and ensuring a positive experience with the school bus?

Children should leave home early enough to arrive at the designated school bus stop ten minutes before the scheduled arrival time of the school bus. Eagle buses operate on a 20 minute window - 10 minutes before or after the scheduled time.

Bus operators activate the red flashing lights at bus stops. Motorists must stop for these lights. Tardy passengers cause motorists to become impatient and some will ignore the lights. For this reason, bus operators are instructed, generally, not to stop for persistently late passengers.

Bus drivers are not required to stop for children waiting on home porches or inside homes.

• Walk with younger children to and from the school bus stop or make arrangements for another relative or neighbor to accompany the children.
• Supervise children to make sure they get to the stop on time, wait far away from the road, and avoid rough play.
• Teach your child to ask the driver for help if he drops something near the bus. If a child stoops to pick up something, the driver cannot see him. A book bag or backpack helps
• keep loose items together.
• Make sure clothing has no loose drawstrings and backpack straps are short, so they don't get caught in the handrail or bus door. Although all drawstrings have risk in snagging, those with buttons at the end of the drawstring are particularly dangerous. NHTSA suggests that drawstrings be cut.
• Encourage safe school bus loading /unloading.
• Work with your child to develop a safe walking route to and from the school bus stop or school that is direct and uninterrupted.