• School bus safety tips for winter weather

    Winter weather can be challenging for Anoka-Hennepin’s students due to extreme cold temperatures and snowy conditions.

    Students should dress appropriately for cold weather and wear heavy jackets, hats, mittens or gloves, and boots.

    In addition, students should be on time at the bus stop, at least five minutes prior to their regular bus routes scheduled time. However, sometimes buses will be late due to weather road conditions, and in those cases, students are not expected to wait more than 15 minutes for their bus to arrive. If possible, parents should drive their children to school if their bus is more than 15 minutes late.

    If a bus is running late – our bus companies do their best to alert the school and the Transportation department. Parents/guardians can now check where their student's regular bus is in real-time through the FirstView bus app. 

    Other tips for students:

    • Students should wait for the bus several feet further back off the road in a safe place. The roads can be slippery.
    • Use the handrail when boarding and exiting the bus to prevent slips and falls on icy steps.
    • Keep head and limbs inside the bus windows to prevent frostbite and other injuries.
    • Before crossing in front of the bus, wait for an “all clear” from the driver. Cross 10 feet in front of the bus so the driver can see you as you cross.
    • Don’t play on snow piles at the bus stop — you could slide into the street.
    • Don’t try to retrieve personal items from under the bus that may have fallen — the driver can’t see you.
    • Don’t push or shove when getting on or off the bus.
    • Don’t chase the bus or grab the bus when it’s moving. 

    Tips for parents and guardians:

    • Parents should keep their car windows clear of frost, ice and snow.
    • Parents should use extra caution in school zones and at bus stops, especially where snow piles exist.
    • If a student misses the pick-up, don’t try to catch the bus at another stop. Drive the student all the way to school.
    • Don’t follow buses too closely with your car — they make frequent stops.
    • Always stop for red flashing signals on a bus.