Perry schools plan fewer bus stops, end front-door pickup for many students

Perry Public Schools plans to reduce the number of daily bus stops and end front-door pickup for many students beginning with the 2026-27 school year.

The district said the changes respond to ongoing bus-driver shortages and overcrowding on the town route during the 2025-26 school year. Daily stops on that route are planned to fall from 218 to approximately half that number.

Community stops will replace many pickups

Students using the town route will be assigned to designated community bus stops rather than receiving pickup at their front doors. Front-door pickup will also no longer be available on several other routes, according to the district’s transportation update.

That means some Perry families will need to get students to a community stop, arrange transportation for students who no longer qualify for bus service or make other plans for the school year. The district has not stated the final number of stops or route assignments.

The district’s planned reduction is not a final published stop count. It described the 2026-27 total as approximately half of the 218 daily stops used during 2025-26.

Eligibility rules will change

Perry Public Schools said students who live within 1.5 miles of a school are generally not eligible for bus transportation. For West Campus students, the district said it would work toward limiting eligibility to students who live more than 1.2 miles away.

The notice does not quantify how many students could lose eligibility under the changes. It also does not say whether the district’s bus-driver shortage has been resolved.

Transportation will no longer be provided for pre-kindergarten students or for students who need transportation to before- and after-school daycare programs. Families affected by those changes will need to make arrangements outside the district’s transportation service.

Deadlines for families

Families were instructed to complete bus requests by July 24, 2026. The district said route information would be sent by August 1, 2026.

The transportation changes apply to the 2026-27 school year and include revised eligibility areas, fewer stops and community pickup locations. Families who rely on school transportation should review their eligibility and plan for the possibility that their previous pickup location or service arrangement will change.