Transportation

Kirby School District 140 owns and operates its own transportation system.

• School bus transportation is provided free of charge to Kindergarten through eighth grade students living one and one-half (1.5) miles or more from the school they attend.
• Students in Kindergarten through eighth grade living between seven-tenths (.7) and under one and one-half (1.5) miles from the school they attend are considered Optional Bus Riders.

Please note, Transportation is not provided to Preschool students.

All students are assigned a bus status code based on distance.  In accordance of Article 29 of the Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/29-3), the distance shall be measured from the exit of the residence property to the point where pupils are normally unloaded at the school attended by determining the shortest distance on normally traveled roads or streets Pupils can also be required to walk up to one and one-half miles from their residence to a pick-up point regardless of the distance traveled by bus. 

Bus Status Codes:

• Walkers: Students living less than seven-tenths (.7) of a mile from the school they attend are not eligible to ride the bus.
• Legal Riders: Students living one and one-half (1.5) miles or more from the school they attend are provided free transportation.
• Special Education: Students who are transported due to Individual Education Program requirements.
• Hazard Riders: Students living less than one and one-half (1.5) miles from the school they attend but are eligible for free transportation due to a hazard as approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
• Optional Riders:  Subject to availability, students living between seven-tenths (.7) and under one and one-half (1.5) miles from the school they attend are eligible for transportation at an annual fee established by the Board of Education.

Questions? Please contact the Transportation Department at 708-532-8539.

Bus Routes

In establishing the bus routes, it is our responsibility to schedule the safest and shortest route to and from the school building which your child attends. Please make sure that your student is at their assigned bus stop 5-7 minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time each day. Assigned bus routes are those located closest to the student's home address. 

Your child’s bus information can be found in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Select More in the left index, then select Transportation. We reserve the right to assign bus stops if necessary. Students will not be able to change bus routes. 

Actual stop times will vary for the first several weeks of school as route patterns are established, and the students adjust to boarding and getting seated.

If you intend to meet your child at the bus stop, review with your child your plan in the event you are either not at the bus stop or not at home after school on “normal” days. Preparing your child for such instances can be a positive and reassuring experience as well as a great safety procedure.

AM Band Bus

If your child is a bus rider and participates in the morning middle school band program, an AM Band Bus is available. The AM Band Bus stop is located in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Select More in the left index, then select transportation. Please note that your child’s AM Band Bus Stop may be different from their regular school-assigned AM Bus Stop. This service is available on days when there is band practice. 

Middle School Activity Bus

On days when student support occurs, a daily activity bus will depart from the two district middle schools at 4:10 p.m. An activity bus is an option for bus riders only. Please note that the middle school activity bus stop may be different from a child's regular bus stop.  A list of these stops can be found in your child's school office or by calling the Transportation Department at 708-532-8539.

Child Care Transportation

Transportation for students to and from a child care provider’s residence will only be provided to individual child care providers within the school boundaries and within the normal established transportation routes.  Applications for this service can be obtained by calling the Administration Building at 708-532-6462.  Applications will be accepted based upon availability. A $75.00 administrative fee will be assessed in addition to other fees necessary for the transportation.  

No bus service will be provided to and from Day Care Centers.

Students in Kindergarten through eighth grade living between seven-tenths (.7) and under one and one-half (1.5) miles from the school they attend are considered Optional Bus Riders. 

Subject to availability, parents/guardians of Optional Bus Riders will have the opportunity to pay for bus service at an annual fee established by the Board of Education of Kirby School District 140. Please note, optional transportation is not provided to Preschool students.

Optional transportation requests are taken on a first-come, first-served basis and routed if/when space becomes available. Please email Carly Grad at cgrad@ksd140.org or call the Transportation Department at (708) 532-8539 as soon as registration opens to get placed on the waiting list. Families must be registered in order to request optional bus service. 

2023-24 School Year

Families who register their students and request optional transportation between April 11, 2023 - May 31, 2023 will receive a fee discount.

• Optional Transportation Fee:     
  • Discounted Transportation Fee, if registered and placed on the optional transportation waiting list on or before May 31, 2023: $800
  • Transportation Fee, if registered and placed on the optional transportation waiting list after May 31, 2023: $900

2024-25 School Year

Families who register their students and request optional transportation between April 2, 2024 - April 30, 2024 will receive a fee discount.

• Optional Transportation Fee:     
  • Discounted Transportation Fee, if registered and placed on the optional transportation waiting list on or before April 30, 2024: $800
  • Transportation Fee, if registered and placed on the optional transportation waiting list after April 30, 2024: $900

The number of Optional Bus Riders assigned to bus routes is determined on a case-by-case basis and varies on availability by the school and routes each school year. 

When the Transportation Department assigns a bus route to an optional rider on the waiting list, the Business Office will contact the family regarding payment of transportation fees. Families must register their student and pay their fees or set up a payment plan in order to receive optional transportation. Installment plans for transportation fees are available through our Business Office (708-342-5513).

Please email Carly Grad at cgrad@ksd140.org or call the Transportation Office at (708) 532-8539 for more information.