FAQ

Menlo School Buses

Q: How do I sign up for the bus?
A: Visit the “Bus Schedules” section of our website to sign up for your bus route.

Q: Are the bus schedules and stop locations final?
A: Yes. We will be monitoring feedback and participation so that we can provide the most effective service. Please send any and all feedback to Chrissy Orangio so that we can determine the best course of action.

Q: When does the bus start running?
A: On the first day of classes.

Q: How much does the bus cost?
A: The bus is free of charge.

Q: What kind of bus is it?
A: It is a yellow school bus run by Zum.

Q: Can non-Menlo students ride the bus?
A: No.

Q: Are bikes allowed on the bus?
A: No. However, skateboards, scooters, etc. are allowed on the bus if they can fit into a backpack or rest on the student’s lap.

Q: Is there WiFi on the buses?
A: No, unfortunately, due to the expense of providing WiFi, we have decided to end our WiFi service on the buses.

Q: Do I need to notify the school when my child is not riding the bus on a given day?
A: Not right now. If bus participation nears capacity, we will ask parents to be more consistent with their schedule. For now, your child merely needs to show up at the stop at the correct time in order to ride the bus.

Q: My child is only going to ride the bus a few times at times I cannot foresee. Do we still need to sign up for the bus?
A: Yes. We need to have an accurate count of all students who intend to ride the bus at some point. If bus participation nears capacity, we will ask parents to be more consistent with their schedule.

Q: If I’m waiting for the bus and it seems like it might be late, whom do I call?
A: Call the First Student (our bus company) hotline number at 650.685.8263.

Caltrain Shuttle

Q: Do I need to sign up for the shuttle ahead of time?
A: No. Just show up.

Q: Can I take the shuttle even if I don’t take Caltrain?
A: Yes! Just show up.

Q: What if I look for the Shuttle bus and don’t see it?
A: Look around for a white Suburban SUV with a Menlo School logo. Sometimes we use that instead of the larger bus.

Carpools

Q: What defines a carpool?
A: A carpool is defined in one of two ways: 1. Three Menlo School faculty, staff or students (or combination) who arrive on campus in the same car; or 2. Any combination of two or more families that takes at least one car off the road.

Q: How does my child register for an on-campus carpool parking spot?
A: Students can register for a carpool parking spot permit through Victoria Cruikshank in the Student Life Office. All carpool participants must be included on the registration form.

Q: My child may drive a different car to school on different days. Can he/she/they use the carpool permit in either car?
A: Yes. Because the permit hangs from the car’s rearview mirror, it can be moved from one car to another. It cannot, however, be given to another student who is not part of you’re child’s registered carpool group.

Q: My child is registered in a carpool with two other students. Can they move the carpool permit from one car to the other, depending on which family is driving that day?
A: Yes. The permit can be shared by the different families registered in that carpool group.

Biking/Walking

Q: If a car drops me off or picks me up somewhere off-campus and I walk the rest of the way, does that count as walking?
A: Please do not use neighborhood streets or El Camino as a drop-off or pick-up spot. This is a burden to our neighbors, can be unsafe and is not aligned with our sustainability goals.

Q: Can I bike through the Menlo College campus to get to school?
A: Yes, but please be careful and considerate of our college neighbors. Please don’t stop on your way through the college campus. Bike straight to our school campus.