In accordance with state law, N.J.S.A. 18A:39-1, all public elementary school students (grades K-8) who live more than two miles from their assigned school are entitled to transportation. These students are said to live "remote from school."

Whenever a school district is required to provide transportation to students attending regular public school programs, students attending nonpublic schools who meet distance requirements are also entitled to transportation services.

Any student classified with special needs who either meets the distance requirement or for whom transportation is required in the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) must be transported.

Measurement is made by the shortest distance along public roadways or walkways between the entrance to the student's home and the nearest public entrance of the school building. This measurement is for eligibility purposes only and is not necessarily the travel path to or from school.

Hanover Township Public Schools offers transportation called Subscription Busing. Subscription Busing is available for students who reside less than remote distance from school for a yearly fee. The program is offered for Bee Meadow School, Mountview Road School, Salem Drive School, and Memorial Junior School.

A new application must be filled out every spring for the next school year. Priority seats go to students who live remote from school. Remaining seats are made available to subscription riders on an existing established route.

If a bus is full and a new student moves into the district and lives remote from school, the last subscription rider added will be removed and the prorated dollar amount will be returned.

Every effort is made to accommodate all students who desire subscription busing. The number of applications received will often exceed the number of seats available. Excess applications will be denied or placed on a waiting list.

The Parent Portal in Genesis (on the Student Summary page, next to the Student Attendance record) will show the bus assignment. The bus tab includes the bus route, bus stop, and estimated pick-up and drop-off time. Parents will also find the link to their child's bus pass on this page.

Students receiving transportation through their IEP eligibility should communicate any change requests with Special Services.

All general education transported student change requests must be submitted via the Transportation Change Request Form for review. This form is located on the district website under Transportation Services.

A parent or guardian must be present at the bus stop for Kindergarten and 1st grade students. At least one parent or guardian should be present at the stop for children in grades 2 through 3.

If a parent or guardian is not present when the bus driver arrives at the stop with the child, the driver will return the child to school.

Students are only allowed on the bus they have been assigned to. Violation of this policy will result in a suspension of transportation privileges:

The Parent Portal in Genesis will list the pick-up and drop-off location and the scheduled time for your child's pick-up and drop-off.

Bus timing varies slightly from day to day due to unpredictable traffic patterns throughout the district. Students assigned to an AM route should be at their assigned bus stop 10 minutes before the scheduled time.

All school vehicles are required by law to undergo quarterly maintenance (oil, fluids, brakes, etc.) and a twice-yearly 900-point State Inspection by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The inspection process includes the bus and all associated paperwork: parts and fluid purchases, repair requests and results, quarterly maintenance records, and all driver records. Buses either receive a new 6-month sticker, a 30-day repair notice, or a red sticker (bus is taken off the road).

Bus drivers are also required to conduct a pre-trip and post-trip inspection before and after each route.

Bus drivers hold a special license called a CDL (Commercial Driver's License). Applicants must have a safe driving record with no criminal convictions, pass a special CDL physical, pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol test, have fingerprints taken for State and Federal review, have a promise of employment from a school district or contractor, and pass a written test.

The written test requires knowledge of bus inspection, pupil safety, and braking procedures. Applicants then complete 30 hours of behind-the-wheel training, learn to complete a pre-trip inspection, and take a driving test in the vehicle they will use.

Once licensed, drivers participate in yearly random drug and alcohol testing, a license review every six months, a CDL physical every two years, and fingerprinting at each license renewal.

The district participates in the Safe Routes to School Program. Walking or bicycling is encouraged for students who live within walking or biking distance and have a safe route to travel.

Walking and bicycling provide physical activity, decrease congestion and pollution, and promote healthy habits. Please refer to the district's policies on transportation for more information regarding liability and safety tips.

Please contact the Transportation Department via email at transportation@htps.net.

The district's transportation policies and regulations (3500 series) are available on the district website. The state also provides information regarding transportation at nj.gov/education Transportation FAQ.