Transportation

In Fall 2025, United Schools began providing independent, in-house transportation and no longer utilizes the Columbus City Schools or the South-Western City Schools systems for busing. Our new transportation program will offer more control over routes, reliability, and family communication.

We’re building a transportation system that reflects the quality and care we strive for in every part of our school - mission-aligned, student-centered, and designed to maximize learning time.

 
 
 
 

This is an unprecedented step for our network and positions us to better serve students across our four campuses. We’re confident that this move puts us on a path to a more reliable, responsive, and mission-aligned transportation experience, and we are prepared to address any challenges that arise along the way.

 
 
 
 
 
 

FAQs

 
 

  • Your student may be eligible for transportation if you are enrolled at United Schools and live more than two miles from your campus. Students will be deemed impractical or ineligible on a case-by-case basis in accordance with Ohio law. These decisions will be made at least thirty days before the school year and communicated directly to the impacted families. In the case of a student who enrolls on or after the first day of instruction, the decision must be made not later than fourteen calendar days after the student’s enrollment.

  • Families who enroll before August 1st will receive their bus route information in mid-August. Families who enroll on or after August 1st will be added to existing stops and receive their bus route information within 14 days. Adjustments will be made on an as needed basis over the course of the first month of the school year. Families who enroll at United campus after school starts will receive their bus route information within 14 days.

  • FirstStudent, one of the nation’s most experienced student transportation providers, will operate our buses. Our transportation system is designed with our needs, schedules, and families in mind.

  • United plans to group bus transportation by geographic area:

    • West Side: United Elementary State St. and United Middle Dana Ave. students will ride together.

    • East Side: United Elementary 17th St. and United Middle Main St. students will ride together.

    This approach allows us to:

    • Offer bus stops closer to students’ homes

    • Keep routes shorter and more efficient

    • Ensure siblings can ride together, offering added comfort, especially for our youngest students.

  • No, only United Schools students will be on our buses.