Transportation

Transportation Overview

The Knoch School District encompasses approximately 100 square miles and transports approximately 3,300 students daily. Daily Knoch students are transported to our four public schools and over 30 non-public and special schools.  Noon kindergarten transportation is also provided for our students.

W.L. Roenigk, Inc. of Sarver (724) 353-1515 is the school district's main contractor, with two garages within the school district.  The main garage is at 798 Ekastown Road in Sarver (228 garage) and the other is at 810 North Pike Road in Cabot (356 garage).  Periodically, Roenigk posts information of interest to the community on their Facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/wlroenigk

Busing Restrictions

All students will be assigned one bus stop (home address, daycare, relative’s home, other) for being picked up from and taken to the school in the mornings.  Additionally, students will be assigned one bus stop to be taken from school and returned to (home address, daycare, relative’s home, other).  IF YOUR STUDENT IS GOING ANYPLACE ELSE (other parent’s residence, not going to daycare that day and going home, etc.), guardians must send a note with their student to school.  That note must include the guardian’s signature and the address of where they are going.  See the Bus Notes section of the Knoch School District website.  An alternate address for childcare purposes may be added to your student’s transportation file.  Bus notes are for childcare purposes only.  Requests for students to be dropped off at a friend’s house, a job site, a training facility, etc. will not be honored.  Only in cases when a guardian has requested a secondary address and that location is for childcare will the student be dropped off anywhere but their assigned bus stop location.  We will not be accepting weekly, monthly, or year-long calendars marking when a student is to go to a secondary location.  A Bus Stop Change Form must be completed and on file with the Knoch School District Transportation Department for any consideration for a secondary stop.  Only one secondary stop per student will be accepted.  The Bus Stop Change Request Form can be completed electronically, it can be printed from the District webpages under District Forms, or a hard copy can be obtained from the school office.  Bus Stop Change Forms may be delivered/ emailed to [email protected] or delivered to the Administrative Offices at the District in care of Transportation, 328 Knoch Road, Saxonburg, PA 16056.  Please call Transportation with any questions:  724-352-1700, ext. 5601.

Bus Safety

The school district contracts approximately 70 school buses and vans on a daily basis traveling approximately 7,000 miles a day, equaling 1.2 million miles a year.  Over 2,800 bus stops are made each day by our drivers, equaling about 500,000 stops per year.  And with all that activity, according to the National Safety Council, the national school bus accident rate is 0.02 per 100 million miles traveled, the lowest for ANY form of transportation.

Safety of all students and the driver is the chief concern in the daily transportation of students who ride District-provided transportation. Through the cooperation of all students and parents/guardians, the safe delivery of all students to their destination can be successfully achieved.

Parents should discuss safety issues with children and encourage them to be safety-minded at their bus stop and during the bus ride.  Parents and students should keep the following bus safety issues in mind:

• arrive at the bus stop at least ten (10) minutes prior to the bus pickup time;

• always walk to the bus stop, even when late – never run;

• always avoid the danger zones of the bus by staying at least 10 feet from the bus at all times;

• leave items that may drop around or under the bus alone;

• be alert to motorists when getting on and off the bus, especially if crossing a roadway;

• always keep hands and head inside the window at all times;

• never throw objects out the window of a bus;

• stay in the assigned seat at all times;

• never create distracting behavior and loud noises;

• and allow the driver to perform his/her job without disruption unless an emergency arises.

By following these simple safety suggestions, the bus ride to and from school can be a pleasant and safe experience for all.