2. Topics Presentation Review Live Data OPT Services
Eligibility for General Ed Transportation
Student MetroCards
Stop-to-School Transportation
Door-to-Door Transportation
Service Issues
OPT Customer Service
Support for Schools
Tools for Managing Transportation
Review Live Data
Navigate to OPT Website
School Applications
School and Route Information
Ridership
OPT 199
Field Trips
Violations
ATS
TLST Screen
Individual Student Record
MetroCard Inventory
TDMC

3. Transportation Services
Door-to-Door Transportation
Students K-12
Service defined by student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP)
Student mandated for door-to-door based on disability
Student may have additional medical accommodations based on physician review
Updates and changes made by CFN Transportation Liaison staff after documentation review
Pre-K SE busing for students 4yrs and under
Stop-to-School Transportation
Students K-6
School must have regular GE busing
Student assigned bus stop by school staff based on eligibility
Schools manage and request new stops
Students receive MetroCards if school has no GE busing or if stop cannot be created
Stops for NCLB students and students with approved variances managed by OPT
Student MetroCards
Students K-12
Cards distributed by school staff based on eligibility
Full fare MetroCards used on MTA subway or bus
Half fare MetroCards used on MTA bus only: student pays $1.10 fare

4. If Blank, student not eligible for transportation
Eligibility
Eligibility for stop-to-school transportation and GE MetroCards is based on grade and walking distance from home to school
Eligibility may change as student advances in grade
Distance calculated and displayed in ATS with letter code
A Less than ½ mile
B More than ½ mile, less than 1 mile
C 1 mile or more, less than 1½ miles
D 1½ miles or more
Eligibility displayed in ATS as letter code
F Full fare: may be assigned full fare MetroCard (K-12) or assigned bus stop (K-6)
H Half fare: Student lives close enough to school to walk, may use half fare card on MTA bus
S Special Ed: SE students automatically receive full fare MetroCard regardless of distance
If Blank, student not eligible for transportation

5. Eligibility— Always use the TLST screen in ATS to determine current eligibility
A Yellow Bus stop may be assigned to a student when
Student is in grade K-6 and full fare eligible
School has regular stop-to-school transportation
Regular yellow bus stop exists (check OPT 199 list of routed stops, students may not be assigned to variance or NCLB stop)
New stop granted in OPT 199 application (approved stops take 7-10 days to be routed)
If yellow bus stop does not exist or cannot be added, student may receive a full fare MetroCard

6. Address Verification ATS process to validate student address
Pupil Accounting Secretary updates address in BIO screen in ATS
Student record will be in red: Most addresses validated in 24 hours
If address is not validated after 24 hours
First
Review address data for accuracy
East or West designation for streets
Road, Place, Court designation correct
Address must be within five boroughs
PO Box addresses will not be validated
Apartment number in order for parents to receive OPT mailings
If Address is still not validated
Contact CFN Liaison to resolve

7. Student MetroCards Schools need to manage three key tasks:
Distribute MetroCards by eligibility displayed in TLST screen in ATS
Assign MetroCard serial number on student record
Deactivate and replace lost, stolen, or nonworking MetroCards quickly
Initial MetroCard shipments and replacements based on ATS data entry
Inventory figures automatically updated in ATS
Review MetroCard Inventory prior to requesting additional cards
Review documents sent with MetroCard shipment
Save invoice, sort and store cards by type
Information regarding managing inventory and MetroCard assignments
Review security concerns

8. MetroCard Basics MetroCards valid for school term
Cannot be used before Activation Date: Invalid after Expiration Date
Valid for travel 5:30AM – 8:30PM on days school is in session
Assigned to individual student
Can only be used by the student assigned
Review and discuss MetroCard guidelines on OPT Web site
Three-Trip card
Three trips with one transfer each trip
Four-Trip card
For students that use 3 types of transportation to travel to school
Additional trip covers additional transfer required
Half-fare Cards
Valid only on MTA buses—student pays $1.10

9. Cards available for purchase by Schools
MetroCard Codes
Code
MetroCard Type E1
K-6 Full Fare Three-trip E3
K-6 Full Fare Four-trip E5
Special Ed K-6 Full Fare E6
Special Ed K-6 Full Fare Four-trip H1
7-12 Full Fare Three-trip H3
7-12 Full Fare Four-trip H5
Special Ed 7-12 Full Fare H6
Special Ed 7-12 Full Fare Four-trip H2
K-12 Half Fare
Student pays $1.10 fare
Request replacement MetroCards by code
Codes also displayed on MetroCard inventory screen
Cards available for purchase by Schools
Code
MetroCard Type PO
Gold MetroCards have two trips
Cost per card $4.50
Order cards through FAMIS by purchase order

10. MetroCards K-6 3-Trip MetroCard—GE or Special Ed
K-12 Half-Fare MetroCard
K-6 4-Trip MetroCard
4-Trip Cards: stripe under “Student Transportation”—GE or Special Ed
Trip MetroCard
4-Trip Cards: stripe under “Student Transportation”—GE or Special Ed
Special Program Pass: for approved Program Exceptions. Not assigned in ATS

11. MetroCard Distribution
Step One: Use paper log (Roster, RTPL, etc)
Record student name and serial number during distribution
Student signs to acknowledge receipt of card
Step Two: Update individual student record in ATS
Enter 10-digit serial number on student record to assign
ATS will not allow assignment of incorrect type of MetroCard—error message will display:
Entering full fare card to half fare eligible student
Entering K-6 cards for 7-12 student
Entering 7-12 cards for K-6 students
Entering GE card to SE student
Entering SE card to GE student
Resolving Error Codes:
Confirm student eligibility on TLST
Verify type of card: TDMC function
Review inventory: ensure update completed

12. Yellow Bus—General Education Transportation
Full fare eligible students in grades K-6 may be assigned YB stops
School must have regular YB service
Student lives within district
Route may not exceed 5 miles measured through stops
Review list of stops in OPT 199 with parent
Identify closest stop to home address
NCLB and Variance stops assigned only to specific students
School staff assign 4-digit stop number on student record in ATS
To initiate Yellow Bus service OPT must be able to
create an initial route with at least 11 students, on a route no longer than five miles as measured through each stop

13. Stop-to-School Transportation
Regular Bus Stops
NCLB and Variance Bus Stops
Four digit number tied to specific intersection School Staff assigns stop on student record in ATS OPT assigns stops AM and PM route according to student’s extended day indicator by OPT Schools review Ridership Report on OPT web site to review all students assigned transportation Students use same stop as long as they remain eligible School staff assigns new stop if student changes address School staff requests new stops using OPT 199 application on OPT web site Approved stops take 5-7 days to be routed Schools should use list of routed stops in OPT 199 to determine best stop with parents of new students
OPT creates NCLB stops for students based on notification through NCLB office NCLB students listed on Ridership Report on OPT web site School staff assigned stop number and NCLB variance (N2003) on student record in ATS School staff change stop number to 9999 when NCLB student moves: OPT creates new stop OPT creates Variance stop when variance approved School staff assigns Variance stop and number on student record in ATS (OPT sends letter to school) Variances renewed annually by school

14. Managing GE Bus Stops
Request new stops using OPT 199 application on OPT web site
Choose Add function
Select Intersection
Stops granted when
New stop at least ¼ mile from existing stops
Added stop does not make existing route longer than five miles
Granted stops take 5-7 days to be routed
Placed on specific bus route
Pick up and drop off times identified
New stop placed on vendor route sheet
New stop number uploaded to ATS
Assign stop number on student record
Schools gain greater flexibility by managing stops: deleting unused stops and moving existing stops may increase the likelihood new stop requests will be granted.

15. Variances
Variances grant exceptions to regular transportation procedures
Forms available on OPT web site
Parent and school complete all fields and mail according to instructions on form
Variances renewed annually
Medical
Request for transportation based on medical issue
Medical variance form and documentation must be mailed: DOE medical reviews/approves
Access
Request for transportation based on lack of adequate public transportation
Hazard
Request for transportation due to hazardous condition on walking route to school
Distance Dispute
Parent believes distance calculation is incorrect
Emergency
Student requires transportation due to emergency situation
Shelter
Student in temporary housing requires transportation
Shelter completes variance form and submits to OPT

16. Door-to-Door Transportation Basics
Identify student
Requests for door-to-door transportation originate from the School Assessment Team in public schools. Decision that student requires door-to-door transportation made through IEP process.
Medical Alert Codes
Additional accommodations based on documentation (provided to parent by SAT team) from student’s physician. Documentation review (consultation with DOHMH physician) and data updates on STRE screen in ATS managed by CFN liaison (CSE for Charter School students).
OPT Routers
OPT routers determine routes and sequence based on Medical Alert (MA) code and school session time. Routes may be updated when data changes.
Notification
OPT notifies parents by letter of initial route and updates. Schools track pending route changes by reviewing OPT Ridership on OPT web site
Door-to-door transportation provided across district/borough lines. Based on the student IEP, some students receiving SE services at school may be assigned stop-to-school transportation or SE MetroCard.

17. Address Changes for Students with Door-to-Door Transportation
Step One
Pupil Accounting Secretary enters new address on ATS BIO screen
Step Two
School contacts CFN Liaison that an address update has been entered (provide school, student name and ID)
Charter Schools can provide parents with CSE contact person to update address
Step Three
CFN Liaison updates student record in STRE screen in ATS for Public school
CSE updates student record in STRE screen in ATS for Charter school
Step Four
OPT routers see changes following day and update route—letter mailed to parents with new route information
Step Five
Change posted on OPT Ridership—new route activated seven days after OPT router makes change

18. Special Education Students on Stop-to-School Busing
Students not mandated for door-to-door transportation on IEP
School staff may
Assign any available yellow bus stop
Assign SE MetroCard
Student not mandated for door-to-door transportation on IEP but receiving SE services at non-zoned school
School may request CFN liaison to assign G ambulatory code on STRE screen in ATS
Student will be assigned available GE stop
If no GE stop is available student is placed on door-to-door transportation

19. Alternate After School Drop Location Request
Special Education student returned to different location than home address in the afternoon
Form available on OPT website
OPT will mail/fax copy to parent
Parent completes
Notarize and return to OPT
OPT will adjust PM route if possible
PM drop must be in same borough as child’s home
Parent may select specific days for alternate drop-off
Not available for AM pick up
Parent can request adjustments for summer and fall
Student with approved PM drop will appear twice on OPT Ridership Reports
Please Note: Alternate after school drop locations are a service of the Department of Education beyond the legal mandate to provide a student with door-to-door transportation. Approval of these requests is subject to the availability of seats, location of alternate drop requested, and specific medical alert code requirements.

20. Service Issues
School staff should report lateness or other service issues to OPT Customer Service each day they occur
Arrival time
Between 30 minutes and five minutes before scheduled session time
Departure
Between 5 minutes and 30 minutes after scheduled session time
Extended Day
Students coded Mandated and Voluntary receive transportation according to school’s extended day schedule
Two methods to identify service issues
Contact OPT Customer Service to report issues
Use Violations Application on OPT web site to enter a complaint
Driver/Escort Misconduct issues must be reported through OPT Customer Service for follow up by OPT Investigations Unit

21. Parent Not at Home or Stop
Review and distribute document for parents
General Education student must inform driver they wish to remain on the bus
Both SE and GE
Bus continues route
Driver contacts dispatcher
Conference call with vendor, school, OPT to try to locate parent
Bus returns to stop or home address
Instruction from OPT/Vendor or driver calls 911
Schools may provide vendor with documentation to bring all unaccompanied students back to school after run completed
Must apply each day of the week
Parent may complete form for vendor to drop SE students without parent present

22. OPT Customer Service 718 392-8855 Why call?
Parents and Schools
Service Issues
Bus is late, no pick up
Accident Reporting and Driver/Attendant Misconduct
Agents view student data for Door-to-Door and YB service
Issues requiring action by other teams: Caller receives reference number for follow up
Specific call types generate violations to vendors for not meeting contract requirements
Use P311 for Student and General Information
Student ID and date of birth required
“What bus is my child assigned to?” “When is pickup time?”

23. How Do I Get Help? Transportation Issues at your school
Contact CFN Liaison
CFN elevates to OPT Account Manager when needed
Need additional MetroCards
OPT code/ATS code in subject line
List number of cards and type
Provide contact information
ATS access or printing problems
Contact ATS help or network IT specialist
OPT application help and using ATS to assign transportation
Contact OPT Training

24. Information and Support
Contact CFN Liaison
First resource to resolve an issue
CFN will elevate chronic issues to OPT Account Manager for resolution
Charter schools contact OPT Account manger
OPT Training Team
Ruth Smart
Adrian Clarke
Ed Jacobsen

25. Tools for Managing Transportation
In ATS
TLST Screen in ATS to identify students that need updates to their records
Individual Record used to assign YB stop or MetroCard serial number
Changes made effect Transportation Status and MetroCard Inventory screen
MetroCard Inventory to manage stock and prepare requests for additional cards
OPT Website
Ridership Report to view routed students and Extended Day status
OPT 199 application to add, adjust or delete stops

26. Assigning Transportation—TLST Screen in ATS
TRAN STAT
AT: MetroCard requested but not assigned
AP: MetroCard assigned on student record
AB: Bus stop assigned on student record
Blank: no transportation requested
SB: Review student record and update
TLST screen displays current eligibility—Always review TLST before assigning transportation
Move cursor to student name and press U to update record or T to identify student needs MetroCard

27. Assigning Transportation—Individual Record in ATS
Schools complete one of the following actions on a student record in ATS
Enter MetroCard serial number and press F2 twice to save
Enter YB stop and press F2 twice to save
Enter NCLB or Variance stop and Variance number and press F2 twice to save

28. MetroCard Inventory Screen in ATS
Data on this screen based on entries made on TLST and Individual Student record
Inventory data changes when
Assigning MetroCards on student records
Deactivating cards
Assign AT status to students when no MetroCards on hand
OPT reviews inventory figures before sending additional cards
Shipped MetroCard
Number of cards shipped to date
Assigned MetroCard
Serial number has been assigned—AP status
Deactivate MetroCard
Number of cards deactivated
Assigned
Number of records with AT status
Shipped MetroCards minus Assigned and Deactivated = Number of cards on hand

29. OPT Web site Navigate from DOE Home Page
> Office and Programs > Pupil Transportation (Office of) > School Resources
Key Documents
Variance forms
Other documents outline and clarify procedures for staff
School Applications Login (save this page as a favorite)
School shares OPT username and password
School and Route Information shows route and vendor information
Ridership Report shows all students routed on buses
OPT 199 used by schools to request/manage GE stops
Field Trips used by schools to request trips
Violations used by schools to report lateness or no pick-up (or call OPT Customer Service)
Non-Public Calendar used by charter schools to identify days of service