Transportation | Bus Services

If your child’s bus is late and you would like to check its status, or if you have questions about late service transportation or need assistance after 4:30 p.m., call Missouri Central, the transportation provider, at (314) 428-2400. The dispatcher will be able to check on the status of the route. They are in constant radio contact with bus drivers and can also track our buses by GPS. Missouri Central has staff on duty until 5:45 p.m. When calling Missouri Central, if you get no answer or a busy signal, please call back, as they are on the phones assisting other parents.

For all other matters, please call Missouri Central at (314) 983-5396 or send an email.

• Due to variations in weather and traffic, a bus may arrive at a scheduled pick-up stop within a five-minute window (earlier or later) of the time listed on the bus route schedule.
• Drop-off times are difficult to estimate because variables affect these routes. If a bus is running more than 15 minutes late, a ParentSquare voice message will be sent to your primary phone number as listed on Infinite Campus. This information will also be emailed.

Track your child’s bus more efficiently using the “Here Comes the Bus” app. You will need the Ladue Code (30256) and your child’s student ID number (which can be found in Infinite Campus, ParentSquare, or obtained from your school registrar). The app is available to download on iPhone and Android devices.

Please note that pick-up and drop-off times are now noted separately on the bus routes. 

Due to variations in weather and traffic, a bus may arrive at a scheduled stop within a five-minute window (earlier or later) of the time listed on the bus route schedule. Therefore, parents/guardians are asked to ensure a student is at his/her assigned stop at least five minutes before the scheduled pick-up time and to wait at least five minutes after the scheduled time to inquire about a late bus.

Safety is our primary concern, and we thank you for trusting the district with transporting your child safely to and from school. With safety in mind, we are continuing to require the use of the following two forms.

• Permission to Release – For Kindergarten and First-Grade Students Only. Students in kindergarten and first grade must be met at the bus stop at drop-off, and will only be released to people on record as having permission to meet them. Please complete the Permission to Release form and submit it prior to the beginning of school as instructed on the form.
• Bus Pass – This form is required at those times when your child must ride a bus that does not cover their usual route. For your request to be considered, this form must be completed and returned to your child’s school secretary 24 hours prior to the requested change. Please note that bus passes may not be available on all routes if there is a concern about having available space.

For both time and cost efficiency, the district adheres to the following basic guidelines in determining bus routes and stops:

• Bus Transportation is not provided for students living less than one mile from their school.
• For grades K-8, if a cul-de-sac, or neighborhood, is less than a half-mile deep from the main entrance, when practical, students will be picked up and dropped off from the entrance to the subdivision or street. Students will not be required to travel more than a half-mile to the bus stop.
• For high school students, if a cul-de-sac, or neighborhood, is less than a mile deep from the main entrance, students will be picked up and dropped off from the entrance to the subdivision or street.
• No individual house stops will be made unless specifically required by a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP), or if there is a safety concern, as determined by law enforcement officials, regarding a student’s ability to walk safely to the closest stop.

Early Dismissal

The district offers late service transportation for high school and middle school students as outlined below. Please note: Late service transportation buses do not follow normal morning and afternoon home-school routes. Late service buses primarily drop students off at main intersections, and drop-off times may vary widely depending on the number of students using the service and where they reside.

If you have questions about late service transportation or need assistance after 4:30 p.m., please contact Missouri Central at (314) 428-2400.

High School

Late service transportation is provided daily, except on Early Release days.

• Activity buses are provided Monday - Thursday at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
• The 4 p.m. bus will pick up students in front of the Performing Arts Center. The 5:30 p.m. bus will pick up students in front of the Nielson Gym Lobby.
• Activity buses will not be provided on Fridays or on Early Release Days. 
• Transportation is provided at dismissal for athletes going to the West Campus for sports practice. Please contact the Activities Office for the bus number.
  • Please note that there is no bus home from the West Campus after practice.

Middle School

Late service transportation is provided on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with buses leaving the school between 4:30 and 4:40 p.m. Five buses serve the entire district.

If you are interested in more information, below are the three district policies regarding buses and transportation:

• Student Conduct on School Transportation
• Student Transportation Services
• School Bus Scheduling and Routing