The Transportation Department prides itself on getting our students to and from school and school related activities safely and efficiently. We travel over 200,000 miles a year transporting 1,800 students each day. To keep pace with such a complex transportation system the school department has implemented Versatrans, a routing software program to ensure the safe, efficient and total accountability of all eligible students who ride a bus.Versatrans allows us to accurately and conveniently develop routes while tracking eligible bus students. Board of Education Policy stipulates that K-5 students can walk up to a mile and 6-12 can walk up to 1 1/2 miles. The safety and accountability of eligible bus students is the hallmark of our department and the implementation of this program ensures that philosophy. We are asking for your help to ensure the safety and security of South Portland students. Only students who are eligible to ride the bus will be permitted to board the bus. Students who walk to an established bus stop but are not eligible to ride the bus will be denied entry onto the bus. Drivers will have a list of students who are eligible to ride the bus and only those students will be permitted to board. This change is occuring now because the Versatrans system permits us to schedule buses so that we maximize their usage by eligible students and to immediately contact parents or guardians should there be a need to do so. Your help by explaining the eligibility procedures to your child will be greatly appreciated.

If your child is eligible you will receive a postcard with busing information by the second or third week of August. If you have questions regarding your child's eligibility you may contact the Transportation Department at 767-7714. Thank you very much for your support of this request.

Ron Deegan

Transportation Director