Frequently Asked Questions

The Director of Transportation is Mrs. Tracy Spindler, you may contact her via telephone at 201-762-2407 or via email at tspindler@mahwah.k12.nj.us .

As required by NJ State Law (39:3B-11), all buses are equipped with seat belts and we strongly encourage all students to wear their seat belt. The driver is only required to make sure all seat belts are in working condition. It is the parents' responsibility to talk to their child to make sure they use the seat belt whenever they are on the bus. 

Bus passes for each child can be viewed and printed at the District Parent Portal. Students should have this pass with them at all times in order to board their bus. Drivers may make random requests to see a student's bus pass.

Each bus pass will list the pick-up location and the scheduled time for the students' pick-up. Due to unpredictable traffic patterns throughout the district, bus pick-up time can vary from day to day, students must be at their assigned bus stop 10 minutes prior to the scheduled time.

For the safety and well-being of our students, all pre-school and kindergarten students must have an adult meet them at the bus stop for all bus drop offs. In the event an older sibling is on the same route and the parent/guardian has approved that sibling to be responsible to walk the kindergarten student home, a signed letter must be submitted and on file in the transportation department from the parent/guardian. There must be consistency in the person responsible for the kindergarten student. For safety purposes, this should not be a different person each day. If the parent or designee is not present at the bus stop, the transportation office will notify the child’s school . The school shall make an attempt to inform the parent, by telephone, that the student will be returned to their school. The parent will then be required to pick up the student.
In the event there is no administrative personnel at the school to receive the child, the child shall be brought to the local police department.

Students are only permitted to ride a different bus in the case of an emergency.

Drivers do NOT have the authority to change routes, stops or times. If you need any changes to your child’s bus, you MUST submit a written request for changes to your child’s school. They will forward the request to the transportation office for consideration. To insure proper notification to all involved in the bus route changes could take up to 3 days to become effective.

A replacement bus pass may be printed via the Parent Portal or at the school’s main office.

A delayed opening pickup is 2 hours later than the regularly scheduled school time. Buses will pick up students at their regularly assigned stop 2 hours later than the regularly scheduled stop time. Please view the school calendar on the District website for delayed opening pick-up times for  Pre-Kindergarten students.

Late run buses are courtesy buses provided to take home students who participate in club activities, sports, detention, or extra help from teachers after the regular school day. Late buses do not follow the regular to and from school day stops. Buses stop at localized stops in the township to let the greatest number of students off the bus in the shortest possible time. Late bus run times may be longer than to and from school day routes. 

Bus drivers have a special license called a, "CDL", (Commercial Driver’s License). Applicants for a bus driver license must have a safe driving record with no criminal convictions, pass a special CDL physical, pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol test, have fingerprints taken for both State and Federal review, have a promise of employment from a school district or a contractor, and take a written test before obtaining a driving permit. The written test requires applicants to have knowledge of bus inspection, pupil safety, and braking procedures. Driver applicants are then required to have 30 hours of behind the wheel training, learn how to complete a pre-trip inspection, and take a driving test in the vehicle they will be using. Once all of this has been completed and the license has been issued, drivers are required to be part of yearly random drug and alcohol testing, a license review every six months, have a CDL physical every two years, and be fingerprinted every time their licenses are renewed. 

All school vehicles are required by law to undergo quarterly maintenance, (oil, fluids, brakes, etc.), and a twice yearly 900 point State Inspection by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The inspection process not only includes the bus, but all paper work associated with the vehicle, (purchases for parts and fluids, repair requests and result of repair, review of quarterly maintenance records, and all driver records.) Buses either get a new 6-month sticker, a 30-day repair notice, or a red sticker which means that the bus is off the road. Board of Education vehicles have always passed inspection with a new 6-month sticker.

Please visit the Transportation Waiver & Reinstatement Page for more information.