Transportation

What is a No Bus Zone?
A No Bus Zone is an area where students are automatically not eligible for bus transportation because they live close to their school:

• Within 1 mile driving distance of an elementary school

• Within 2 miles driving distance of a middle or high school

To create the new no-bus zones, we started with a transportation audit conducted by CESO, a professional consulting firm. They recommended using a 1-mile driving distance from each school—not a 1-mile circle, but the actual roads students would take to get to school. This method is more accurate and family-friendly than just drawing a circle around the school, especially in neighborhoods with winding roads or limited walking paths.

After the maps were generated, our team manually reviewed and adjusted them to make them more consistent and easier to understand. For example, if most of a cul-de-sac was outside the no-bus zone but one house fell inside it, we adjusted the map so the entire cul-de-sac was treated the same—based on the majority. These edits helped us create zones that are clearer and more equitable, while still allowing us to reduce bus routes and manage rising transportation costs.

The 1-mile (elementary) and 2-mile (secondary) distances are approximate and may vary slightly due to street layouts and routing logistics. Distance estimates from Google Maps or other tools may not align with district-defined boundaries and should not be used to determine eligibility.

• No Bus Zones are based on each individual student, not the household. That means if siblings attend different schools, one may get busing while the other may not.

• Zones are based on the student’s school of attendance, not their home address alone.

• No Bus Zones are set and do not allow for exceptions based on nearby streets or intersections.

No Bus Zone maps are posted below for each school. 

No-Bus Zone Alice SmithNo-Bus Zone Eisenhower No-Bus Zone Gatewood No-Bus Zone Glen Lake No-Bus Zone Hopkins High School No-Bus Zone Meadowbrook No-Bus Zone North Middle School No-Bus Zone TanglenNo-Bus Zone West Middle School  

If your student rode a general education Hopkins bus this year no action is needed. Your student will automatically be routed for the 2026-27 school year. We will send route details, including stop locations and pickup times, no later than Monday, Aug. 17, 2026.

If your student did not use district transportation during the 2025-26 school year and you would like to request a route for the 2026-27 school year, you may do so by completing this form. 

Forms must be completed by Wednesday, July 15, 2026. 

• Resident families: Transportation is available. Please complete this form before Wednesday, July 15, 2026 you will receive your route details no later than Aug. 17, 2026. 

If you reside in a no-bus zone, please review information about our Pay-to-Ride program below. Not sure if this applies to you? You can check your status on our website.

Pay-to-Ride program (new for 2026-27)

We will launch our Pay-to-Ride program in fall 2026. You will receive updates and information including rates, payment methods and financial aid options as the start of the school year approaches. This program applies to:

• Families living in a no-bus zone for the school your student attends. Not sure if this applies to you? You can check your status on our website. Stops for families in the no-bus zone will be assigned within the standard district walk-to-stop distance. 
• Students who have transferred to a school within Hopkins (other than their assigned school) not including students who are enrolled in a language immersion program.

Students will continue to receive free transportation from the start of the school year until the Pay-to-Ride program launches. When the program launches, your family will have a grace period to review the information and decide whether to enroll or opt out.

Special Education/Special Services

 If you have a child with special needs requiring transportation different from the regular bus services, please work with your child's special education case manager. You may also contact special services at 952-988-4042.

Equity Options Students

 Hopkins Public Schools offers transportation for approved students in eligible neighborhoods in Minneapolis. To find out if you are eligible for this transportation program, please visit the Equity Options web page to review the eligibility guidelines.

For the Blended Learning option in-person learning days, transportation is available for Hopkins Public Schools residents and familes who are eligible and approved for the Equity Options transportation program.​ 

Open-enrolled/out-of-district families (those not eligible for Equity Options) are responsible for providing transportation for their student on in-person learning days. ​​ There are times when Open-enrolled/out-of-district families are eligible to take the bus from an existing bus stop. Please reach out to VirtualEDU staff for more information.

VIrtualEDU online and blended school site is located in the Hopkins East Building, 5300 Glenwood Ave, Golden Valley, MN, near Hwy. 100 and Glenwood Avenue. Learn more about VirtualEDU online and blended learning school.

Special transportation arrangements may be considered for students attending licensed daycares. Please contact the Transportation Office at SchoolBus@HopkinsSchools.org.

Standard Bus Stops will be established where:

• School bus eight-way lights can be seen by motorists at the front and rear of the bus, at least 100 feet in a speed zone of 35 m.p.h. or less, and at least 300 feet in a speed zone of greater than 35 m.p.h.
• Bus drivers do not need to negotiate a backup turn around
• Routes are clearly visible and recognizable to bus drivers and substitute bus drivers who might not be familiar with the bus route
• For bus stops located on county roads, the school bus eight-way lights will be activated 300 feet prior to the scheduled stop location

The school district expects our drivers to arrive at the scheduled bus stop at the times specified on the driver's official route copy, within reason. Routes may run a few minutes early or late due to unexpected traffic patterns and other uncontrollable circumstances. We ask that families have their child out at the scheduled bus stop no later than 5 minutes before the scheduled stop time and that they wait at least 10 minutes after the scheduled stop time to ensure their child is at the bus stop when the bus arrives.

For the safety and comfort of themselves and everyone on the school bus, students are responsible for following bus safety and behavior guidelines plus instructions from the bus driver. We ask that you discuss with your child the following basic guidelines for safe bus behavior. Please remember — bus transportation is a privilege, not a right. This privilege will be withdrawn for inappropriate behavior.

During the first week of school, students will receive training in bus safety and appropriate conduct. The following are the rules of safe behavior:

1. Students shall remain a safe distance back from the roadway while awaiting the arrival of the bus. They should refrain from destructive or dangerous behavior at the stop.
2. Students shall enter the bus in an orderly manner and go directly to a seat and remain seated until the destination is reached. The bus driver is authorized to assign seats if necessary.
3. Students shall keep their hands, arms, and heads inside the bus.

4. Students shall not throw objects in, around, or out of the bus.

5. All articles such as athletic equipment, books, musical instruments, etc., must be out of the aisles. If the items are too large to be kept out of the aisle, the article is too large to be transported on the school bus. For safety purposes, articles that create a hazard will not be transported.

6. The emergency door must be used for emergencies only. Students shall not touch the safety equipment.

7. The school bus shall be tobacco- and drug-free.

8. No weapons or look-alike weapons will be allowed on the bus in accordance with the school district's weapons policy.

9. Students shall follow all directions given by the bus driver.

10. Students are to be courteous to other students, other adults, and the bus driver, and refrain from profane language.

11. There shall be no eating or drinking on the bus except on field trips or co-curricular trips when prearranged and supervised by a teacher or coach.

12. There shall be no animals of any kind on the bus.

13. Students who must cross the street at a bus stop shall not do so until they receive a signal from the bus driver. If crossing a street is necessary, it shall always be done 10 feet in front of the bus. This means that the student should be able to see the face of the bus driver. The driver shall hold the bus with warning lights flashing and the stop arm extended until the crossing is completed.

14. Students shall refrain from dangerous behavior including pushing and shoving in school bus loading and unloading zones. Students shall enter and leave the bus in an orderly manner.

15. Students will be held responsible for any damage to the bus, and they will be expected to make restitution.

16. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to review with their student on a timely basis the rules for bus ridership. It is expected that the parent or guardian will support the school in enforcement of this policy.

• Stay out of the school bus Danger Zones.
• Wait for the driver's signal before crossing the street, and always cross 10 feet in front of the bus —you should see the bus driver's face. 
• Never stop beside or reach under the bus — if you drop something, tell the driver, or wait until the bus leaves before picking it up.
• Please dress your child in warm and protective clothing during the winter months.

Students who are open enrolled live outside of the Hopkins School District boundaries. You can view district boundaries and check your address here. 

Open enrolled families are responsible for providing transportation for their students. You may apply for space from an existing in-district stop as capacity allows, but transportation is not guaranteed. 

In-district transfer students are Hopkins resident students who attend a different school than their assigned neighborhood school. You can view district boundaries and check your address here. Students who attend a language immersion program are NOT considered in-district transfer students.

Open enrolled families are responsible for providing transportation for their students. You may apply for space from an existing stop as capacity allows, but transportation is not guaranteed.