PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Prince William County Public Schools is asking families to notify the division whether their students will require bus transportation for the upcoming 2025–26 school year, a move aimed at improving routing efficiency and service reliability.
While some families may see this as an “opt-in” process similar to what neighboring Stafford County implemented earlier this year, PWCS says that is not the case.
“All students will be provided with a bus, if they qualify (e.g., the student is not a walker), unless the family indicates otherwise,” said PWCS spokeswoman Meghan Silas. “To help us plan better bus routes and improve on-time service, PWCS is asking families to let us know if their students will need bus transportation for the 2025–26 school year.”
Parents are asked to log in to their ParentVUE accounts and complete the transportation update as soon as possible. Silas emphasized that even if students don’t need a bus—such as high schoolers who drive themselves to school—it’s still important for families to report that information. If plans change later, families can contact their child’s school to update transportation preferences.
The goal, according to PWCS, is to collect more accurate data about ridership and eliminate unnecessary stops, which can delay service across the county’s large bus network.
Following Stafford’s Lead?
In nearby Stafford County, public school officials rolled out a similar request earlier this year—though theirs came with more urgency and a new opt-in policy following a transportation crisis at the start of the 2024–25 school year. That crisis left more than 3,000 students without assigned buses on the first day of school due to rushed implementation of routing software and staff shortages.
As a result, Stafford officials revamped the system. Beginning with the 2025–26 school year, families there must opt in for bus service. By early June, nearly 30,000 students had declared their transportation plans, with thousands opting out of morning or afternoon rides. Families who fail to submit their preference in Stafford must work with school registrars to reapply for transportation.
While Prince William is not requiring an opt-in, the similarities in timing and communication have drawn attention.
Prince William County Public Schools transports more than 60,000 students daily. Officials say collecting accurate ridership data early will allow them to fine-tune routes, reduce delays, and better serve all students.
Families can access the transportation preference form via ParentVUE and are encouraged to update their responses soon.
