Our goal is to get students to and from school in the safest means possible. This is a large undertaking as we transport over 11,500 students to and from school daily. The district covers approximately 218 square miles in Olmsted and Wabasha counties, and our buses run approximately 1.4 million miles per year. 

Frequently Asked Questions on Transportation

Below are commonly asked questions about the transportation services provided by Rochester Public Schools. Please read the following questions before contacting the Transportation Office with questions.

Department of Transportation

Edison Administration Building
615 7th Street SW Rochester, MN 55902
507.328.4260 | Fax: 507.328.4258

First Student Location Manager

Michael Pearse
michael.pearse@firstgroup.com 507.289.4541

Approaching a school bus

Keep our students safe, how to approach a stopped bus

As the school year approaches and we see big yellow buses around town, some reminders for our motorists.

Always be prepared to stop for school buses, especially during pick up and drop off hours.

Drivers must:

  • Stop for a school bus with its flashing red lights activated and the stop-arm extended.

  • Stop at least 20 feet from a school bus.

  • Remain stopped until the stop-arm is retrated and the red lights turned off.

There is a minimum $500 fine for stop-arm violations, and the buses RPS uses are armed with cameras.

Information on Transportation