Newsletters 2019-20 Focus: Back to school | Page 3

Transportation
School buses are ready to roll
Important school bus tips from the transportation department
Safety is our first priority
Anoka-Hennepin’s transportation sys-
tem is nationally recognized as a leader
in the industry with innovative solutions,
using the latest technology for bus rout-
ing and discipline issues. The safety
record of our fleet is well above the
national average thanks to dedicated,
well-trained bus drivers, paraprofession-
als, crossing guards, and traffic control
staff. Our mission is to provide safe and
efficient transportation to the students
of Anoka-Hennepin schools.
Bus information cards
Bus information cards are mailed to
homes approximately one week before
school starts. The information on the
bus card will include the student’s name,
address, bus route number, bus stop lo-
cation and bus arrival time. Please make
sure your child brings this card every day.
If you do not receive the bus information
card in the mail, check with the school
office. Schools will also have access to
bus information.
Bus information available online
Student bus information is also
available online at A-HConnect,
ahconnect.anoka.k12.mn.us. Each
family will have an A-HConnect account
established for them at the beginning
of the year. Login information will be
mailed before school starts. If you do
not receive your information or have
questions, call the A-HConnect help
line at 763-506-HELP (4357).
Bus stops
There are more than 17,000 bus stops
in the Anoka-Hennepin School District. If
everyone had a bus stop at his or her
home, the number of stops would more
than double and the number of school
buses needed to transport students
would dramatically increase, along with
the time students would spend on the
bus. Bus stops are designed to be collec-
tor points for the neighborhood and to
safely serve the students in each area, as
well as any students who move in during
the course of the school year.
Why aren’t house-stops used for the vast
majority of regular transportation students?
There are two primary reasons:
• The motoring public is used to seeing
school buses and anticipates they will
slow down and stop at intersections, so
they adjust for that practice and are
more cautious. The car behind, or
approaching the school bus does not
anticipate it will stop in the middle of
the block. When the bus driver slows
mid-block, many motorists try to pass the
bus, putting students in serious danger.
• Most primary-age student fatalities in
the metro area that occurred at the bus
stop happened when the bus stopped
at the student’s house in the middle of
the block. In reviewing the reports,
many times the student saw mom or
dad, the family dog, or a favorite toy,
and ran to it with no regard to traffic
around the bus and/or the “danger
zone” that surrounds it. Experts have
commented that children have a sense
of security when they recognize family
or familiar objects and all the training
they have received on school bus safety
is forgotten.
For more information about buses and
transportation, visit
ahschools.us/transportation
FirstView bus app
Anoka-Hennepin families
have access to their students’
bus routes through the
FirstView bus app. The app
monitors regular school bus
routes in real-time. And, it’s
free for parents/guardians and
students.
While Anoka-Hennepin buses
have an excellent on-time
performance record, inclement
weather and traffic delays may
impact routes. The FirstView
bus app provides bus arrival
times, anticipated length of
|any delay, an estimated arrival
time and if a substitute is
driving the route. Email,
push and/or text notifications
can inform families of such
information instantly.
Go to
ahschools.us/busapp
to learn more or
download FirstView
from the Apple or
Android app stores.
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