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Transportation
Transportation
Students who live in the City are eligible for the bus based on their distance from the school — .75 miles for elementaries, 1.25 miles for Buford/Walker, and 1.5 miles for CHS. Students whose homes are within these distances to their school are in the walk zone (or “family responsibility zone”). In some cases, we have rounded up to get to the end of a cul-de-sac or natural neighborhood boundary. Specific students with special needs such as documented medical conditions are also eligible for the bus regardless of distance from school.
Car-Riders and Drivers
Families should drop off students in the designated zone only (not typically near the front door or where buses drop off). Do not pass loading or unloading buses.
CHS students with driving licenses must obtain a parking tag; cars without tags are subject to towing at the owner’s expense
CAT (Public Transit)
Older students can catch the CAT to CHS and Walker (Route 9) or Buford (Routes 4 and 6). Youth passes are free.
Riding the Bus
Through the City of Charlottesville’s Pupil Transportation Department, our community provides school bus service for students who live in the City and are outside their school’s walk zone. If your child is eligible and you requested bus service, the school will be in touch with bus information before the first day of school.
We offer separate runs for elementary students , students in grades 5-8, and high schoolers. We also provide separate services for identified students with special needs. Finally, to encourage our students to participate in extra-curricular activities, at all our schools we provide an after-school “activities” bus that returns students home after clubs or sports practices. (CHS offers an activities bus at two different times).
Behavior and Guidelines
Students are expected to behave well on the bus, following school rules as outlined in the “Family Guide to School Bus Safety” in the Student Rights and Responsibilities guide. Students who present disciplinary challenges on the buses shall be reported to the principal and may have their riding privileges suspended.
Young Bus Riders
Parents/guardians (or their designee) are required to escort 1st grade and younger students to and from the bus.
Not Using the Bus?
If your student no longer needs their bus seat, please tell your school as soon as possible. If a student does not ride the bus for 10 consecutive school days, the seat may be reassigned.
Private Rentals
We no longer offer bus service for weddings and other public events. Charter service will only be available to our long-time regular business partners.
School Bus Service Is Operated by the City
The City of Charlottesville Pupil Transportation Department operates school bus service in Charlottesville. The City works in close contact with the schools’ chief operations officer.
Questions?
Call your school. For specific questions regarding bus stop change requests, call 970-353
Walk Zones/Safe Routes to School
Students who live close to their school are in the walk zone. We have crossing guards and other supports for students to walk/bike/scooter safely.
Charlottesville City Schools walk zones (or “family responsibility zones”) are:
- 0.75 miles for elementaries
- 1.25 miles for CMS
- 1.5 miles for CHS (in rare cases, up to 1.6 miles if the path is very walkable)
In some cases we have rounded up to get to the end of a cul-de-sac or natural neighborhood boundary. We have stayed within or close to our projected time estimates for the walk: a maximum 20-minute walk for elementary school students, and a maximum 30-minute walk for CMS and CHS students.
The City of Charlottesville’s Safe Routes to School program works to support safe walking and bike-riding. See below for walk/bike maps as well as the status of pedestrian infrastructure improvements across the city.
Specific students with special needs such as documented medical conditions are eligible for the bus regardless of distance from school.
If you have questions about why you are in a walk zone or don’t believe your child’s route is safe and can’t find a safe alternative, please call 434-245-2400.
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Click on the links below for printable PDFs or images of our maps:
- CMS School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22
- Burnley-Moran School Route Map (PDF)Revised 8/1/22
- Clark School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22
- Greenbrier School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22
- Jackson-Via School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22
- Johnson School Route Map (Image) Revised 8/1/22
- Venable School Route Map (Image) Revised 8/1/22
- Walker School Route Map (PDF) Revised 8/1/22. Note: Starting in Fall 2024, there will no longer be a crossing guard at Rose Hill and Rugby Ave., as this intersection now has a traffic light with pedestrian signals.
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The City of Charlottesville supports our walk zones by making continuous improvements to pedestrian infrastructure along commonly used routes to school.
See a spreadsheet of infrastructure improvements
- “Completed” means that the project is complete
- “Scheduled Improvement” means that the work is expected to be completed within 30 to 60 days
- “Planned” means that the City has a plan for this work, and it will be scheduled when resources and/or funding is allocated
- “Open” means that a staff member has not been assigned to this intersection
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First, check out the list of upcoming improvements, above. If your issue is not already included, report your concern via the MyCville app. Or report a “close call” of a walking or biking accident using the form below.
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Report infrastructure concerns to City Public Works (or call 434-970-3333, option #2). Upload photos or describe areas of concern.
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