The Washoe County School District (WCSD) will launch sweeping changes in its transportation program beginning Tuesday, February 20.

The district has reduced its walk zones, enabling 2,600 additional elementary- and middle school students to ride the bus to and from school each day. The changes will also help remove barriers to attending school some students have experienced as a result of transportation challenges.

The WCSD Board of Trustees reduced elementary school walk zones from 1.25 miles to one mile and reduced middle school walk zones from 2.25 miles to two miles. High school walk zones remain unchanged at three miles.

Every student who currently rides the bus to and from school will continue to ride, but all students may be asked to accommodate changes in pick-up and drop-off times and locations, and students may ride different-numbered buses going forward.

“It is critically important for our families to visit our website and look up the new information -- or connect with their school -- to ensure their students know where and when to catch the bus, where and when they will be dropped off, and what bus numbers to watch for,” said Scott Lee, director of transportation for WCSD. “We will be communicating the new information to our families via the usual channels in the next several weeks, and we look forward to welcoming more students onto our buses when we start the new system on Tuesday, February 20.”

“These changes are the result of many months of work and dedication by our Board of Trustees and district employees,” said WCSD Chief Operating Officer Adam Searcy. “We have worked hard to attract, recruit, and train bus drivers, reduce the walk zones to shorter distances, and reconfigure the transportation system to accommodate more students. As we reach out to our families, we are also relying on them to visit our website and ensure they have the correct travel information so we can bring our students to and from school safely and efficiently for the remainder of the school year.”

Families can click on this line to gather the new information. If they have further questions or concerns, they may call the WCSD Transportation Department at (775) 337-7769.

(Washoe County School District)