Transportation - Otter Lake Elementary

Providing safe and efficient transportation of students to and from school.

The White Bear Lake Area Schools Transportation Department serves over 3400 bus stop locations within our 45 square mile district community each day.

Busing information

Aside from the exceptions listed below, all elementary and middle school general education students will automatically be assigned to a bus route. A transportation form is only required for those grades K-8 students who are attending a daycare within the district (form is here). Students in grades 9-12 at White Bear Lake Area High School or the Area Learning Center (ALC) who are eligible for transportation MUST REGISTER for bus service (form for all schools is here, Spanish version is here).

The walking distances are 1 mile for elementary students and 1.5 miles for secondary (middle school and high school) students.

If you have moved over the past year, please make sure that you email transportation at transportation@isd624.org with your new address to ensure we are routing your students to and from the correct address.

Busing information will be posted on the students' student information profile by August 29. Families of Early Childhood or SpEd students will receive an email or phone call with their student's busing information.

If you have any questions in regards to these topics, please email transportation@isd624.org.

Getting to School Safely

Rules & Responsibilities

Students receive training during the first few weeks of school:

transportation by school bus is a privilege not a right;
district policies for student conduct and school bus safety;
appropriate conduct while on a bus;
the danger zones surrounding a school bus;
procedures for safely boarding and leaving as school bus;
procedures for safe street crossing; and
school bus evacuation and other emergency procedures.

Passenger Rules
Parent Responsibility

School Bus Safety video

Stop for school bus stop arm

Trespassing on school buses

There is a new trespassing on school buses law that is now in effect. Minnesota Statute 609.605, Sub. 4 C, “Trespass on school, A person who boards a school bus when the bus is on its route or otherwise in operation, or while it has pupils on it, and who refuses to leave the bus on demand of the bus operator, is guilty of a misdemeanor.” Please be aware that the driver is in charge of the bus. If they ask you to get off - please follow their directions. If you do not is considered a misdemeanor.

Walking/Biking Tips

One key factor in keeping kids safe as they walk and bike to school is teaching them safety skills. Parents can influence how their children behave on their way to school. Here are some safety guidelines every parent should know:

If kids will be walking to school on their own, parents should go with them the first few times. This way, they can identify dangers and direct children to the safest possible route.
When it comes to crossing streets, children need to be aware of all the different ways cars can cross their path. Parents should explain the rules of the road and give children real-life examples while families are out walking together.
Explain any pedestrian signals or other traffic controls that they may encounter along the way. Parents should make sure their children know how important it is to cross streets at the appropriate times in the appropriate places.
Parents should make sure that their kids’ bikes are the appropriate size and have fully operational brakes, chains and reflectors.
A child should have a certified bike helmet and know how to wear it properly.
Parents should teach their children hand signals if they are old enough to ride their bikes with traffic.
Parents should teach their children how to deal with strangers and safe places to go if they need help on their route to school.
It is recommended that parents walk and bike with kids often. They can demonstrate good behavior and show their children that physical activity is an important and fun part of life!

Credit: Minnesota Safe Routes To School Program

Click here to see Safety Tips

Bear mascot and driver standing outside bus

Transportation Department Contacts

WBLAS Transportation (Buses Numbered 1-99)

Dispatch Office:
651-653-2734 (office)
651-653-2756 (fax)
email: transportation@isd624.org

Dave Johnson, Director of Transportation
13411 Fenway Ave. N
Hugo, MN 55038
651-407-7570 (office)

Router
651-653-2737 (office)

Contracted Transportation (Buses Numbered 100-199)

First Student
2331 Leibel Street
White Bear Lake, MN 55110
Phone: 651-407-9080 (office)
Fax: 651-407-9083
www.firststudentinc.com

Driver Concerns:

If you have a driver concern, please contact the bus company.

Buses Numbered 1-99: contact WBLAS at 651-407-7538.
Buses Numbered 100-199: contact First Student at 651-407-9080.

If you are not sure who to contact, please call the Transportation Department at 651-407-7538.

Forms

Policies

FAQs

How are pick-up and drop-off locations chosen?

The order of pick-up and drop-offs of students is designed to be the most efficient and within the shortest possible time. Students who are first on in the morning will not necessarily be the first off in the afternoon if it is a less efficient way to run the route. In general, the farther students live from school, the longer their bus ride will be. The length of the bus ride is determined by both the distance from school and the number of stops made. It takes a considerable amount of time to make thirty stops for 50-60 students for example. For this reason, we are making every attempt to minimize the number of bus stops and to keep them at corners.

How are routes designed?

Bus routing is designed with buses traveling main roads through neighborhoods and with students picked up and dropped off at central locations. Bus stops are located at corners or intersections whenever possible and are usually central to where students are coming from. Some house stops are made on very busy roads or mid-way on long streets. Bus stops will generally be closer to student's houses for younger students. Older students are expected to be able to walk farther to bus stops.

Why do some children have to cross the street to board the bus?

We are not able to route all buses so that children can board the bus from the door side. We recommend that children wait on the side of the street that they reside. The bus will stop traffic in all directions to accommodate students that need to cross the street to board the bus. You should instruct your student to wait for the driver's signal before crossing in front of the bus.

We live on a cul de sac. Will the bus come down our street?

Our neighborhood has no sidewalks and has hills and curves. Can we have an additional bus stop so our children do not have to walk to the existing stop?

The bus goes right by my house. Why can't it stop here?

School bus stops are placed in central locations to shorten route length and times. Transportation services makes every effort to see that these stops are safe and have appropriate walking routes to them. In many cases a bus will stop at a front door if there is no appropriate stop within a reasonable distance. By law, school buses must also have at least one-three hundred feet between stops (determined by a road's speed limit). The higher frequency of stops made by the bus increases the dangers for an accident because of impatient motorists and increasing the number of stops, makes the student ride time longer.

I own a daycare and need the stop at my house because the State requires me to see the students at all times. Why can't the bus stop be located at my house?

I have young children at home and/or I leave home because of work.

Why can I not see the bus stop from my house?

Activities Bus Schedules

Boundaries

The Walk Boundary distances are calculated from our computerized routing software. Distances are measured from the edge of the school to the end of the student's driveway along the path a student could actually walk.

Grades K-5 - 1 mile
Grades 6-12 - 1.5 miles

Busing boundaries are limited to the school attendance areas for all regular education students.

Attendance Area Lookup Tool

* In the Fall of 2024, WBLAHS students in grades 9-12 will come together at WBLAHS, the former WBLAHS - North Campus site. Sunrise Park Middle School students and staff will move to the former WBLAHS - South Campus building, which has seen renovations and gym and classroom additions. South Campus will be renamed Mariner Middle School to honor the building’s origin as Mariner High School. During the 2024-25 school year, Sunrise will get multiple renovations in order to house the Senior Center and Early Childhood programs that are currently at Normandy Park Education Center, the Transition Education Center that is now located in a leased space in Hugo, and district offices moving from District Center, which will allow Central Middle School to expand and take over the building.