The big, yellow bus can be an exciting and new experience for many kindergartners. If possible, bring your children to the DPS Countdown to Kindergarten event at the Museum of Life and Science in the summer, where students have the chance to learn about buses, talk to Buster the Bus, and take a short ride with their families. The N.C. School Bus Safety website has a great safety center with interactive activities for kids to learn about bus safety.

There are also many things you can do at home to help your child prepare for the bus. Talk about how to enter and exit the bus safely by holding onto the handrails. Practice walking to and from the bus stop, so it is a familiar sight. Tell your children how important it is that they wait on the sidewalk until the bus stops before they walk into the road. When the driver opens the doors, then it is safe to get on the bus. 

Make sure you know what time the bus will pick up your child in the morning and drop them off in the afternoon. Try to arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes early to avoid any rushing or running in dangerous traffic situations. Finally, greeting your children with a smiling face as they get off the bus is a great way to end the school day!
 
Please visit the DPS Transportation website or call 560-BUSS (2877) for more information about applying for bus transportation, stop locations, schedules, and more.