Field Trip Information & Requests

  • Guidelines for Planning Field Trips

    Shoreline School District Transportation wants to provide you with the best service possible and allow the students all of the extended educational opportunities available. In order to make this possible we ask that you keep the following things in mind when you are planning a trip that needs bus transportation. 

    • Buses for trips are scheduled on a first come, first serve basis. Please schedule your bus as soon as possible. We have to plan for the trips as well as school arrival/dismissal time transportation and special education shuttles that happen throughout the day. We do not want to deny any trips  Please separate the green part of the request form and send it directly to Transportation and send the rest of the form to Vicki Klein for the regular approval process.
    • We are happy to check available dates for your trip.  Please know that we do not schedule your trip until we receive the green portion of the request form.
    • EXTENDED field trip request forms must be submitted to the School Board for approval. The form must be signed by school administration and delivered to Vicki Klein at the district offices by the Monday a week before the School Board meeting the month before your trip date in order to get on the School Board agenda.
    • LOCAL field trip request forms must be signed by school administration and delivered to Vicki Klein at the district offices a minimum of two weeks prior to the trip date. If you are within the two-week window, please contact transportation and Vicki Klein directly to ensure that your form has been received and trip approved. Buses will not be sent out if we do not have your approved request form.
    • Day trip pick up times are 9:30 am, at the earliest, and a return to school by 2:15 pm or pick up after 5:00 pm. Please make sure to factor in travel time to your location for pickup.
    • Trips outside of the 9:30 am-2:15 pm time frame requires special approval, which is dependent on availability of buses and drivers. Availability is impacted by to/from school transportation needs and/or after school athletics and events.
    • Thursdays are the busiest day in transportation. Please avoid scheduling trips on Thursdays if at all possible. If you must schedule a trip on Thursday please do so as far in advance as possible.
    • If you are bringing large items or luggage on the bus, make sure you state that in your request so we can reserve a bus with storage compartments, or an appropriate type of vehicle for the transport of bulky items. If you do not need the storage compartments please do not request the storage compartments; we have a very limited number of buses with storage compartments.
    • Please, if possible, ask your parents to carpool to maximize your student seating. This could make the difference in needing to order an additional bus and doubling your transportation charges. Our large buses have 24 or 26 seats and will accommodate the following number of passengers: Please remember that adults generally are considered as 2 passenger spots when it comes to seating.
      • 48/50 with two passengers per seat (recommended count for Grades 6-12).
      • 54/56 with some seats having three passengers per seat (recommended count for Grades 1-5).
      • 60/62 with three passengers on each seat (only recommended for Preschool and Kindergarten students).
    • Include in your request any special arrangements needed such as multiple trip locations, location pick up and/or drop off if different than main venue, and if you are attending a timed program.
    • For the  2022-2023 school year, the charges will include: (These cost charges will be updated in January 2023 to reflect OSPI calculations.)
      • $47.10 per hour, for a bus or van if we are the drivers (effective 1/11/23)
      • $2.38 per mile
      • There is a minimum 2 hour charge per trip unless we are able to combine with other work.
      • There will be times that we will choose to drop your students and return for pick up.
    • If you need to cancel your reservation please do so at least 48 hours in advance of your trip departure so that you do not incur the minimum fee. Please cancel by emailing transportation.helpdesk@ssd412.org. If you are within the 48-hour time frame, please call 206-393-4277.
    • If the bus arrives at the school and is cancelled on site, there is a minimum 2 hour charge.
    • If the trip is cancelled with enough time to notify the driver no fee is incurred.

    All requests and questions should be emailed to transportation.helpdesk@sssd412.org.

    Thank you for all that you do!

    Shoreline School District Transportation Staff