Transportation FAQ's

Parent(s)/guardian(s) must come in to the District School where each student is enrolled or would be enrolled (for charter and non-public schools.)  The address registration locations are listed below.  You will need to bring a valid Photo ID or Pennsylvania Driver’s License and two current utility bills.

Parents/guardians MUST register their student at least one week prior to the need for transportation. During the beginning of the school year, more time is necessary because so many families are enrolling students.

There are no special laws or requirements for transporting students enrolled in kindergarten.  Bus stops are school board approved stops thought to be in a safe place for all students, grades K – 12.  Kindergarten students must be escorted to the bus stop and met at the bus stop in the afternoon.

After students are registered with the School District, an alert is sent from our school offices to the Transportation Department to set up transportation for the student.

You will receive a bus letter by mail.  You may also receive a phone call from Krise Transportation.

You can do this by filling out a Transportation Complaint Form. The completed form can then be emailed to bus@phsd.k12.pa.us or faxed to 412-793-6285.

Request or Complaint Regarding Student Transportation

The Penn Hills School District, as a courtesy, will work with families to provide pick-up and drop-off at approved daycare centers located within the boundaries of our District. In this regard, we ask that you assist us in establishing and following a regular and structured schedule to facilitate monitoring by our staff.

Penn Hills School District provides transportation to over 4,500 children to school each day.  It is not possible to put all stops within sight range.  Parents should use good judgment by either going to the stop with the child or work with other families in the neighborhood to support safety.

Buses are not routed into subdivisions or cul-de-sacs for safety reasons.  A few safety concerns are:  different styles and sizes of buses makes maneuvering in a cul-de-sac or narrow roads difficult, backing up a bus is avoided when possible and parked cars and other obstacles create road hazards that may not be seen until after entering the cul-de-sac or subdivision.

The safety and security of our students is of the utmost importance. In case of an emergency, it is imperative that the district and the transportation contractor know who is on the bus, and when and where they got on/off the bus.  Phone calls will only be accepted in emergencies and will not be accepted in non-emergency situations.  Passes will only be approved for existing community stops on existing routes and if there is available capacity on the bus.  Penn Hills is not responsible to transport students to alternate stops for sleepovers, birthday parties, provide transportation to work, etc.

Families are responsible for their child’s behavior to and from the bus stop and while at the stop.  If inappropriate behavior is reported to the bus driver, they will turn this information over to the school for investigation.  Families are financially responsible if their child causes damage to private property.

The behavioral expectations on the bus revolve around the individual rights of every person on the bus, including the driver and the collective rights of students and the driver as they pertain to safety.  Anything that jeopardizes the safety of individuals is viewed as serious.  When there is a bus infraction, a bus incident report is turned in to PHSD administration.  Buses have video cameras, which can be used to verify incidents.  Our goal is not to deny any student transportation to and from school, but we must maintain safety for all students, the driver and other motorists.

Krise Transportation office hours are 5:00 AM – 5:00 PM.  They can be reached at 412-793-7000, ext. 1602.

The higher frequency of stops makes the motoring public impatient.  This results in people driving around the bus, a dangerous situation.  It also delays the bus by increasing the number of stops and makes the students ride longer.  Stops are placed to be convenient for groups of students in the subdivision.

In order to be consistent and fair in placement of bus stops, Penn Hills School District is not able to establish stops based on personal circumstances. 

Complaints can be submitted by filling out a Parental Concern Form.  The completed form can be emailed to bus@phsd.k12.pa.us or faxed to 412-793-6285.

Parental Concern Form

Please use the Transportation Help Request Form.