Bus routes are created to enhance student safety while maximizing vehicle efficiency. Stops are created to allow students to wait off the main roadway for the bus if at all possible. Stops are also created to minimize students walking along highly-traveled roadways for long distances without sidewalks. Stops are not placed on dead end streets whenever possible to minimize bus accidents while backing up (backing up is a very dangerous maneuver for a school bus). Stops are spread as far apart as criteria will allow in order to decrease the number of stops each bus will make on its route, thus minimizing riding time for the students.

Elementary students may be required to walk up to 1/4 of a mile to a bus stop. Secondary students may be required to walk up to 1/2 of a mile. Bus routes are designed to limit student ride time to no more than 1 hour one-way if at all possible. However, most students only ride between 30-45 minutes one-way.

The above design criteria are for regular students only.  Students in special programs are subject to different design criteria. Contact the Transportation Department for additional information.

School buses are rated by manufacturers to have capacities based on three riders per seat. San Marcos CISD has adopted maximum ridership per bus at 3 riders per seat at elementary levels, 2 riders per seat at middle school levels, and 2 riders per seat at high school levels.