Pittsburgh Public Schools students and students who attend private, parochial, and charter schools are eligible for transportation based on the distance between their home and their assigned school. Transportation eligibility is measured from the nearest point where a private way or private road connects the student's residence to the nearest point where a public road touches the school grounds. Students in grades K-8 are eligible for transportation if they live more than 1.5 miles from school, and students s in grades 9-12 are eligible for transportation if they live more than 2 miles from school.

Yes. Yellow bus and Port Authority transportation will be provided to eligible  students who attend private, parochial, or charter schools. All students riding yellow busses will be required to wear masks.

The District’s Transportation Department continues to work to gain efficiencies in transportation services to address the seat gap.   Strategies to reduce the seat gap include: 

1. Increasing walk zones to align with state and Board policy;
2. Expanding the use of Port Authority;
3. Implementing a three tiered bussing system;
4. Working with local carriers to promote job opportunities; and 
5. Implementing a new transportation system to optimize efficiencies and  reduce bus stops, bus ride times, and overcrowding.  

  Additional strategies include: 

• Supporting newly added transportation carriers as they complete onboarding of new drivers;
• Transitioning additional middle school students to Port Authority where feasible;
• Finalizing new partnerships with community stakeholders for other transportation channels; 
• Launching a new release your seat campaign that will reimburse families who can transport their students to school.   Families who are able to transport their child to and from school are asked to sign up at pghschools.org/releaseyourseat.  

Pittsburgh Public Schools provides transportation to all PPS, Private, Parochial, and Charter school-aged children that live within the City of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh students are transported to 190 buildings (54 PPS and 136 non-PPS). There are 17,596 students eligible for transportation for the 2021-2022 school year. 

Like school districts across the country, Pittsburgh Public Schools must transform its approach to transporting students to limit the impact of the national school bus driver shortage, which was exacerbated due to the lack of work during the pandemic. The District is currently short of the approximately 300 bus drivers needed to address a current seat gap of 10,996 seats.

The District's Transportation Department continues to work to gain efficiencies in transportation services to address the seat gap. Strategies to reduce the seat gap include: 

1. Increasing walk zones to align with state and Board policy;
2. Expanding the use of Port Authority;
3. Changing school start and end times (multi-tiered scheduling), increasing the number of routes one driver can run before and after school;
4. Working with local carriers to promote job opportunities; and
5. Implementing a new transportation system to optimize efficiencies and reduce bus stops, overcrowding, and bus ride times.  

A PS-6 transfer precludes transportation.  However, if there is an existing route with space on the bus, your child's principal may request to have your child added. 

PPS families and non-PPS families of students whose transportation will change for the 2021-2022 school year should have received a letter by the week of August 23 notifying them of the change.

All other families can expect information approximately one week before school starts.

The District has explored every avenue possible to solve the transportation problem that would minimize the impact on the students, teachers and community. 

Changes to school start times are linked to the tentative agreement with the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers.  As it became clear that the process for approval of the tentative agreement would not be completed until at least August 25, the District immediately notified stakeholders of the need to change the first day of school.

The District's three-tiered bussing system, supported through collective bargaining agreement with the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (PFT), was ratified by the PFT on August 23 and approved by the Board at its August 25, Legislative Session.  

Yellow bus and Port Authority transportation will be provided to students. All students riding yellow busses and Port Authoirty will be required to wear masks (IEP and 504 plan exceptions).

Currently, the District plans to provide transportation to the Gift Center the same as has been done in previous years. 

Yes, all students will be required to wear a mask. Accommodations for students with IEPs or 504 plans will occur. 

The District encourages all families, who receive yellow bus transportation, to notify PPS if they are able to transport their student to and from school, via Let’s Talk at www.pghschools.org/Letstalk, at 412-529-HELP, or fill out the Release Your Seat form immediately so that unused seats can be released to students who need them. 

At this time both Pittsburgh Public Schools and non-PPS families are asked to commit to releasing their child's seat on a yellow bus for a school year. Parents who release their seat for the school year, will be notified from the District should a seat become available. Families can release seat online.  

Yes! At this time both Pittsburgh Public Schools and non-PPS families, who plan to not utilize transportation or can transport their student to and from school, are asked to commit to releasing their child's seat for a school year. Parents who release their seat for the school year, will be notified from the District should a seat become available. To release your child's seat please fill out the form online.  

The Board of Directors approved mileage reimbursement to families eligible to drive their child to and from school for the 21-22 school year. Eligible families will receive communications if the District cannot provide transportation, asking them to release their seats. An eligible student is a student that generally would receive yellow bus services, and the District is unable to provide the service at this time. The mileage reimbursement rate will be $10 per day roundtrip for less than 12 miles or $20 per day roundtrip for less than 24 miles. Parents/guardians are required to provide a valid driver's license, car registration, and insurance documentation with each monthly reimbursement request.

Families are welcomed to transport their child to and from school.  To assist with planning, please notify your child’s school if you will be transporting your child or complete a Let's Talk ticket

Approximately 1,028 students will transition from yellow buses to Port Authority:

• 6-8 grade students at Pittsburgh Obama and Sci-Tech; 
• 6-12 students at Pittsburgh Milliones
• 6th graders at Pittsburgh CAPA.  Students in grades 7th and 8th currently use Port Authority;
• 6-8 grade students at Environmental Charter School;
• Some students at Bishop Canevin High School, Ellis, Manchester Charter School, Sacred Heart, Winchester Thurston and particular Propel locations for students in grades 6-8; and 
• 6th graders at Neighborhood Academy 

The move does not impact students who receive specialized transportation, per their IEP.

As we expect the driver shortage to remain a challege, it is hard to predict transportation and driver needs beyond the 2021-2022 school year.

Yes. Federal and State health orders require all employees and riders to wear a protective face covering at stops, stations and on any Port Authority vehicle to help protect against the spread of germs. Only those citing economic or health reasons may ride without a face covering. Children ages two or under do not require a face covering. To read more about the Port Authorities face covering policy visit https://www.portauthority.org/covid-19/face-coverings/.

Schools will provide students with their ID/Connect Card on the first day of school. Students can ride the bus for free on the morning of their first day.  

Yes, the Port Authority has several tools to help families and students plan. Visit www.portauthority.org to review route information including times, locations, etc.​ In addition, it is suggested that students download one or more of the avaialble  apps to a Smartphone for route information in real time. These apps are all free and provide students with the time and location of their desired bus route. ​

Students will not need fare for their AM trip to school on their first day. Schools will provide students with their ID/Connect Card on the first day of school. 

School Leaders at Pittsburgh CAPA, Obama, Milliones and SciTech are working with student leaders to serve as ambassadors for the first few weeks of school and beyond.

The Port Authority follows guidance from federal, state and local authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. To learn more, visit

www.portauthority.org/covid-19/coronavirus-covid19-updates/.

Additional students cannot be added to yellow school buses.