Bus Transportation
The district contracts with Student Transportation of America (STA) to provide transportation of eligible students to and from schools within their attendance area. Though not required by law, transportation to the school in your attendance area is provided according to the guidelines set forth in the Board of Education Policy EEA.
Elementary school students who live more than two miles from school and middle and high school students who live more than three miles from school are eligible to ride the bus to and from school.The district does not provide transportation to students attending programs or "schools of choice" outside their attendance area. However, parents may seek to apply for Pay Rider with STA for transportation of students who are otherwise ineligible for district transportation. Such fee-based transportation may be offered at STA's discretion if seating space is available. See below for additional information on our Pay Riders option.
Download the My Ride K-12 Bus App Today!
Never miss the bus again! Download the My Ride K-12 App (available on iOS and Android) for:
- Real-time tracking
- Up-to-date notifications
- Security alerts
- Important messages from Student Transportation of America, and more!
With My Ride K-12, missing the school bus is a thing of the past!
Download via the Apple Store Download via the Google Play Store
Bus Stop Information
Bus stop details will be posted at schools on July 17, 2025.
If you do not see your student's bus information posted, please email grandjunctioninfo@ridesta.com with the following details:
- Parent/Guardian name and contact information
- Student’s name
- Home address (including zip code)
- School of attendance
You will receive bus stop details if your student qualifies for transportation. For additional questions, please contact Student Transportation of America at 970-697-1050.
Please note our D51 Walk Zones (No Bus Service):
- Elementary School: 2 miles or less from the school
- Middle/High School: 3 miles or less from the school
Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we prepare for the new school year!
Important Note About Payrider Applications
Please do not send Payrider applications to this email address. To ensure your Payrider application is received and processed correctly, all Payrider forms must be sent to mjones@ridesta.com. This email is listed alongside the Payrider instructions below.
Bus Stop Locations, Route Times, Etc.
- If you are new to the district or starting in D51 as a Kindergartener, you will need to call Student Transportation of America at 970-697-1050.
- If your student is a Special Education student, a foster care student, or a McKinney Vento student, please call District 51 Transportation at 970-254-5137 for assistance.
- Information on specific bus number, bus stop and stop times for individual students is available at your child's school or by calling STA at 970-697-1050.
- School bus routes are designed based on a number of considerations, the most important of which is student safety.
- If you have concerns about transportation, please reach out to STA at 970-697-1050. If you need further assistance, then call the district's Transportation Department at 970-254-5102.
- Click here to visit the Grand Junction City website to look up safe walking and biking routes to any District 51 school.
- Click here to download the Mesa County Safe Routes app
- Click here to view the City of Grand Junction Bicycle Trails interactive map
Pay Rider
Parents may seek to apply for Pay Rider with STA for transportation of students who are otherwise ineligible for district transportation. Such fee-based transportation may be offered at STA's discretion if seating space is available. Pay Riders use existing bus stops. If interested in this option, parents may download this fillable PDF form and submit it directly to STA at any time during the school year. Students may not ride a bus other than their STA-assigned bus.
- Families that live inside the walking boundaries but are interested in paying to ride a bus:
- Fill out the Pay Rider request form
- Save it on your computer
- Email it to mjones@ridesta.com