Transportation

Durham School Services, a national leader in student transportation, operates bus services for Ames Community School District. The District provides transportation either directly or by reimbursement according to state law and Board Policy 711.1, for all resident students, preschool through 12th grade, who qualify.

Notification of Bus Issues and Route Delays

Parents and guardians whose students ride the bus can sign up for alerts about route delays and other issues.

Durham Text Message Bus Alerts

Translations:

Arabic: Durham Text Message Bus Alerts
Chinese: Durham Text Message Bus Alerts
Spanish: Durham Text Message Bus Alerts

Transportation Eligibility

  • High school students (grades 9-12) must live more than three miles from the school.
  • Other factors may determine a student’s eligibility for transportation. The District determines eligibility for transportation as students register for transportation services and only makes changes in eligibility at the start of the school year or second semester.
  • Families MUST apply for busing during registration and re-enrollment each year, even if they applied for busing in the past.
  • Please note that applications received later than one week before the start of school are considered late. Students whose applications are late will NOT be allowed to ride the bus until after Labor Day.
  • Discretionary transportation service may be available at a fee approved annually by the Board.
District Boundaries

Bus Fees

Round Trip

  • Single Student – $177.40/semester
  • Second Student – $132.95/semester
  • Third Student – $106.45/semester
  • Year annual cost (single student) – $354.80

One Way

  • Single Student – $106.45/semester
  • Second Student – $79.77/semester
  • Third Student – $63.87/semester
  • Year annual cost (single student) – $212.90

Those students who qualify for Free and Reduced Meals and fill out the waiver can have the results applied to busing.

Bus Rules and Procedures

The safety of each student who rides the school bus depends on the cooperation and skills of students, parents, and school bus operators. We encourage families to remind their students that school bus drivers have the same authority as classroom teachers. They may give instructions, assign seats, and initiate disciplinary measures.

Students are not allowed to use bus transportation to ride to a friend’s home that is not on their assigned route.

Contact Us

Brent Fogarty

Transportation and Teaching & Learning Assistant
District Office

If at any time your student will not be riding the bus as scheduled, please notify Durham School Services: 515-233-5424.