Fairfax County Public Schools is changing up the school bus boarding process. Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, all FCPS students will receive a student ID card. Every student who rides a school bus will be required to tap the ID card when boarding and exiting the bus.
This will help the FCPS Office of Transportation “know which students are on which school buses, improving safety and efficiency for one of the largest public school bus operations in the country,” FCPS said in a release.
Later this fall, FCPS says parents will be able to download a new app that will replace the Here Comes the Bus app. The new app will provide real-time updates on bus locations as well as when a child boards or exits a bus.
If a student forgets or loses their ID card, bus drivers can use the mobile tablets to manually check them in and out.
FCPS says the ID cards are also “designed to support additional school services over time, such as school meals and field trips. These new initiatives will be announced as they are launched.”
Parents can contact the FCPS Office of Transportation with any questions.
Feature image, stock.adobe,com
