A change is coming to the bus routing system in Salem-Keizer. At the start of the next school year, students who ride the bus will need to know their route number (RT#).

The RT# will be shown on a placard to the left of the door on all large buses.

Bus numbers, the numbers painted on each side of all school buses, will no longer be used to identify the bus a student rides to and from school. Bus numbers will remain on the buses, but the RT# on the placard near the door is the one to know.

In the picture above, the bus number is 152
and the route number is RT#021. Beginning
in fall 2012, the RT# will be used to indicate
bus routes.

An online routing tool is now available the Bus Routes web page. Parents and students can enter the residence address  to find their neighborhood school, transportation eligibility status and bus stops.

Switching to the RT# system means more flexibility in assigning vehicles to routes. The result is less time to determine routes, which means fall bus route information will be available earlier in the summer than in years past.

To find a student’s RT#, parents and students can use the following tools:

• The Bus Routes page on the district website
• School offices
• The annual Transportation School Bus Schedule mailer sent to parents in August

There is one exception to the RT# switch: special program buses will continue to use the bus numbers painted on the sides of the buses to denote the vehicle providing service.

Download the RT# flier in English and Spanish [PDF]

For more information about the RT# system or questions, please contact Transportation Services at 503-399-3100.