District 196’s New Busing Rules: Opt-In Model, 2-Address Limit, and the 120th Street Fight
TLDR
Families now must actively sign up for busing each year (opt-in model). The Plan My Ride form opens April 16.
Students are limited to two bus addresses max (protects split households and daycare but cuts complexity).
Dead-end roads now get the same restrictions as cul-de-sacs — buses won’t go down them.
Rosemount parents on 120th Street West fought the dead-end policy change. The board approved it anyway, 6-0.
District 196’s Policy 707 just got its biggest update in years. The board approved the revised student transportation policy 6-0 at the April 13 meeting — but not without a fight.
The Big Changes
Opt-in model: Until now, every eligible student was automatically assigned a bus seat. Starting this year, families must actively request transportation by completing a Plan My Ride form. The form opens April 16, and the goal is 98% completion by the last day of school. This gives the district an accurate count of who actually needs a bus, instead of routing for students who never ride.
Two-address limit: Students can now have a maximum of two bus addresses — enough to cover split households or home/daycare situations. Previously, some students had three or four addresses on different buses, which created significant routing complexity.
No more occasional destination changes: The option for families to request one-off alternate bus destinations has been removed. Drivers will know exactly who’s supposed to be on their bus every day.
Dead-end road restrictions: Here’s where it got heated. The existing policy already said buses generally don’t go down cul-de-sacs because backing up a full-size bus is a safety risk. But there was a one-mile exception — if the road was longer than a mile, the bus would go down it anyway. The new policy extends the restriction to dead-end roads and eliminates the one-mile exception entirely.
The 120th Street Showdown
That last change was clearly aimed at one specific road: 120th Street West in Rosemount. It’s a 1+ mile gravel road with no sidewalks, no streetlights, steep embankments, and bodies of water on both sides. Buses have served this road for decades.
Five speakers addressed the board about it. Andrew Urban presented MnDOT crash data showing the Highway 3 intersection nearby is a top-five area of concern. He argued the proposed bus stop at Dodd and 120th would force elementary-age children to walk up to 1.5 miles on an unsafe road — the equivalent of about 30 city blocks.
Callie Urban questioned why the district was changing policy instead of using its small bus fleet to navigate the road. She also raised GPS data showing district buses have been clocked going 15-20 mph over the speed limit on that same road.
Ben Hess, a Rosemount parent not even from the neighborhood, showed up on their behalf, calling the walking scenario an “actual unacceptable risk” for a six-year-old.
The Board’s Response
Board member Anna pushed back with context. She said she’d personally driven the road and found it dark, icy, and inconsistently maintained. She argued the same conditions that make it dangerous for kids to walk also make it dangerous for a bus full of other people’s children.
Superintendent Bolsoni confirmed an ongoing safety study of the road. The district noted the bus has gotten stuck and needed towing on the road, and parked vehicles can create dangerously narrow passages.
The board approved the full policy 6-0. The proposed bus stop would be at Dodd and 120th Street, about a quarter mile from Highway 3.
The Bottom Line
The Plan My Ride form opens April 16. Every family who wants busing next year needs to fill it out by the last day of school. New bus routes will be sent to families two weeks before school starts in August.
If you’re on a dead-end or cul-de-sac road, your bus stop may be moving to a nearby intersection. Check with District 196 Transportation at 651-423-7685.
FAQ
What if I don’t fill out the Plan My Ride form?
Your child won’t be assigned a bus. The district is shifting from automatic assignment to opt-in only.
When do I find out my child’s new bus route?
Two weeks before school starts in August. Routes will also be available on Infinite Campus.
Does the two-address limit affect daycare arrangements?
It protects them. Two addresses covers home plus daycare, or two households for split families. The limit prevents the three- and four-address scenarios that were straining the system.
Is the 120th Street bus really going away?
The bus won’t go down the dead-end portion of the road anymore. A new bus stop will be established at a nearby intersection (Dodd and 120th). Families on the road will need to get their kids to that stop.
Can I still give feedback on these changes?
The policy has been approved, but the district said it will continue working with affected families individually. Contact transportation at 651-423-7685.
