Frequently Asked Questions

We are experiencing a significant driver shortage, and we are still not able to transport the number of students we had been transporting prior to the pandemic. Last year, we did our best to keep routes covered. We're fortunate to have licensed drivers like bus mechanics and office staff who routinely pitch in to help, but this left other critical services and jobs unattended. We continue our hiring efforts to secure quality bus drivers.

We offer sign-on bonuses for experienced CDL holding applicants, as well as referral bonuses for Rockwood employees who provide a referral for someone who is hired. We have top-paid wages in the area, along with great working conditions and an award-winning fleet.

We want to reiterate that this is not a financial issue. If we had enough drivers, we would not be considering implementing these changes. We would be doing a great disservice to our families by having routes established without having enough staff to drive those routes.

The no-transportation zones will vary by school, but for the most part, they are approximately one mile from school. As a point of reference, the state of Missouri requires that public school districts provide transportation for those students who live more than 3.5 miles from their school. The district is only considering reducing transportation for those who live approximately one mile from their school and in instances where it is deemed safe to walk. Additionally, we will not be traveling into many private subdivisions to save time on some of the more rural routes to allow those buses to pick up more students than in previous years. We are limiting the cul-de-sacs we service as they require more time. Many days there are delays as cars or work trucks block them and the buses can not get through.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has guidelines that allow students to walk up to 3.5 miles to and from school.

With the reduction of bus routes due to the ongoing driver shortages, we will not be allowing guest riders. Only in emergency situations will we consider allowing a guest rider.

Please allow 72 hours after your submission and check My Ride K-12 for your child’s updated bus information.  If you are requesting an alternate address, you will receive an email confirmation once your request has been processed.

Elementary students will be assigned seats. Knowing where students sit on the bus helps the driver with student management.

There is a good chance your bus stop and bus number will be different this year. Your student may have a longer walk to their bus stop this year. This is a result of the severe shortage of qualified bus drivers. We have had to route the district more efficiently this year in order to pick up more students in a shorter period of time. This has resulted in the consolidation of bus stop locations. Many of our buses will no longer go into subdivisions as they have done previously. Bus stops may be at the entrance to subdivisions, for example. Please understand these changes are being made out of necessity. This is the only way all of our eligible students will get picked up in a timely fashion and delivered to their schools on time. Thank you for your understanding as we work through this continued driver shortage.

Rockwood School District allows for the distance to a bus stop from home to be the following:

• Approximately three-tenths (3/10) of a mile for elementary students.
• Approximately five-tenths (5/10) of a mile for secondary students.

Rockwood bus stops are generally located at corners or intersections, which is a safe option due to the slowing of traffic. The designated area for bus stops must be within a bus length to the corner, which is approximately 40 feet.

Cul-de-sacs are generally avoided as a standard-size passenger bus requires 115-foot radius to safely turn.

Private roads are also avoided because they may not be maintained reliably and require permission from the owners to travel them. The road must be wide enough for the bus and oncoming traffic to safely pass each other at any point in the road and also provide for safe visibility.

In addition, Rockwood works with local police departments to ensure bus stops are not located near homes of registered sex offenders.

The Rockwood School District Board approves school bus routes in August prior to the start of the school year.

Rockwood Transportation utilizes routing software to determine the most efficient routing system for Rockwood school buses, and then recommends these routes for Board approval.

Missouri law requires that all bus stops be a minimum of 500 feet apart. Under Missouri State Law, students living more than three and one-half miles from school must be provided transportation service.

If a student leaves something on their bus, please call 636-733-8500 or 636-733-8515 in the Fenton area.

Rockwood Transportation will send a text message to the parents of students on the delayed bus routes caused by poor weather conditions or other situations. Text messages will be sent via our ParentSquare, our new automatic notification system.

As always, if parents have concerns about the bus delay and require immediate status information, they should call Rockwood Transportation at 636-733-8500.

Our Rockwood school bus drivers utilize a bidding procedure that is based upon multiple factors and aligns with union guidelines. The focus is to ensure an experienced, highly qualified school bus driver for every route.