From time to time, special circumstances may exist that make your family's needs unique. Bus stops are created to make routes efficient and safe. It is our policy to create group stops whenever feasible so we can pick up as many children as possible at each stop. Door-to-door stops increase the time of bus runs, and are therefore avoided unless necessary. A bus stop that is not located in your line-of-sight from your home does not constitute a hardship. A bus stop may be around a curve or corner from your home, or across the street, if it is more sensible when creating an efficient bus route. If you feel you have an extraordinary circumstance that needs to be accommodated, please contact us to discuss your situation.
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Bus information for 2022-23 school year were posted in Aspen on August 15, 2022. Please check your family Aspen account. If you need a password reset, please visit our self-service password tool: APS Password Self-Service. If you do not know your Aspen Family Portal login information, please email infosys@andoverma.us.
If you are a custodial parent/guardian and would like to request your child's full bus route to be emailed, please contact Cindy Button.
Some families will experience a change in bus number and/or bus driver. Some bus routes may also have changed. It will be important that you review all information posted for this school year.
For eligible students in grades K-5, please call your school and they will contact Central Office to set up school transportation. Please note that it takes several days before transportation will begin.
For eligible students in grade 6-12, contact Cindy Button, Transportation Manager, by phone at 978-247-7065 or email cindy.button@andoverma.us. If your student is in grade 7-12, the bus pass fee will need to be paid before it can be issued. If you utilize transportation after the start of the school year, the bus pass fee will be pro-rated according to the Transportation Policy.
Seating on the bus is typically assigned by age/grade level with the youngest students taking the seats in the front of the bus and older students moving towards the rear of the bus.
In general, all students are expected to board the bus and sit in an appropriate seat. Students are expected to remain seated at all times, facing forward and speaking quietly only to other students who are next to them. Click here to view Student Conduct on Buses.
Please contact the principal where your student attends school to voice your concerns.
Students should be at the bus stop 10 minutes prior to the posted arrival time. If the bus is late, we ask families to wait at least 10 minutes after the posted time. Construction, detours, traffic, trains and inclement weather are all factors in arrival and departing times. Parents/guardians are responsible for students’ behavior while waiting at the bus stop.
The district policy is kindergarten students need to be escorted to and from the bus stop by a parent/guardian or responsible adult. Kindergarten students WILL NOT be released in the afternoon if there is no parent/guardian at the stop and in clear view of the driver. They will be returned to school and will need to be picked up there. Parents/guardians are responsible for students’ behavior while waiting at the bus stop. Click here for more “Kindergarten Bus Information.”
Each year, as the bus population changes, it may become more efficient to have a group stop in a slightly different location to accommodate the most children in one stop. Unless you are in a unique circumstance, bus stops can and will be moved to make routes more efficient.
Unfortunately, it would add a considerable amount of time to bus routes if we agreed to such requests for everyone.
No. Bus stops will likely be farther from your house than they were for elementary school. The buses have to provide service to the entire town for elementary, middle and high schools. It isn’t possible to provide the same level of neighborhood service as student’s transition to middle and high schools. Students in grades 7-12 may be as far as 1 mile from their bus stops. Click here For the School Committee guidelines for Student Transportation. (EEAA)
The policy currently adopted by the Andover Committee states, students in grades K-6 are eligible to ride the bus if the distance from the student’s residence to school exceeds 1.5 miles. Students in grades 7-12 are eligible to ride the bus if the distance from the student’s residence and school exceeds 2.0 miles. This distance is determined by using our in-house program called "Versatrans." By using only one source for all calculated distances, we are able to eliminate questionable distances caused by using different programs like Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, or MapQuest.
The Andover Transportation Department evaluates every proposed school bus stop for safety. The Department considers if the bus stop needs to be driver door side pickup/drop off or not. We evaluate the walk to the bus stop, and the proposed areas where students will stand and wait. The Transportation Department receives support and collaborates with the Andover Police Department’s Safety Officer.
Eligibility for bus transportation is determined based upon a student's permanent residence. If a student who is not eligible goes to another family's home or to a relative's home after school, that student is not eligible for bus transportation, even if the friend’s or relative's home is more than 1.5 miles from school (or in a safety zone). It will become the responsibility of the relative or friend to provide transportation to or from school, or for the parents/guardians to make other transportation arrangements, if the friend or relative is unable or unwilling to provide transportation.
No. We only transport students from their permanent residence to and from school. Parents must make arrangements for other transportation.
No. Riders in grades 6-12 are required to have a bus pass, however, only riders in grades 7-12 are required to purchase a bus pass. There is no fee for a bus pass for grade 6. In addition, all students will be assigned a specific bus number which will be printed on their bus pass. Students must ride the bus they are assigned each day. Students will not be permitted to ride on a different bus. Click here for Bus Pass information.
No. We contract buses for the school year. Bus passes allow for school transportation service for the entire school year.
If your family is eligible for Family Financial Assistance, you may have your bus fee waived. If you feel you do not qualify within the free or reduced lunch guidelines, financial assistance may still be available to you if you meet the income requirements. Click here for the Waiver Income Guidelines. Information and application can be found here. Please note you must submit a new application each school year even if there have been no changes in your status.
Please call the transportation office at 978-247-7065 or email cindy.button@andoverma.us.
Our transportation service is contracted with Trombly Bus. Please contact them directly at 978-937-3422 X2.
Our specialized transportation service is contracted with NRT Bus and OBAS. Please call them directly.
NRT – 978-664-1277 X5
OBAS – 617-832-5620
For specialized transportation, our service is contracted with NRT Bus and OBAS. Please contact them directly at
No, unfortunately in most cases the bus cannot go back and pick up your child. Our buses run on a 2-tier system. If we send a bus back for your student, all of the students on the bus will be late AND the bus will be late for the next tier.
Yes, all of our buses are equipped with surveillance cameras. In addition to the cameras, all buses also have GPS Systems.
NRT and OBAS provide our specialized transportation services. NRT or OBAS will call contact you within 24 hours of when transportation is due to begin with an approximate pick-up and drop off time. Please be ready 10 minutes before the scheduled pick-up time and allow the driver 10 minutes after your scheduled drop off time.
If your student is going to be out of school for a day, please call:
If you require a change your student’s transportation schedule for any reason, please call the Student Services Office at 978-247-7051 or email aguedymar.cedenolabo@andoverma.us
No. Our bus companies will not transport a student who attends a school in a City or Town that has cancelled their Public Schools due to weather conditions. Also, they will not transport a student who lives in a City or Town that has cancelled their Public Schools for the day due to weather conditions. NRT Bus respects the decision of each local area in determining the safety of their road conditions for student transportation. Click here to view NRT’s Snow Policy.
Yes, Andover provides transportation to Montessori, Pike and St. Augustine Schools as long as your student’s permanent address is in Andover. We transport according to Andover Public School calendar.