Published May 6th, 2026
BY CLAIRE DEIPARINE
A bus pass policy already in place in the Carmel Unified School District has been more strictly enforced since March 5, changing how students ride home as officials increase enforcement of transportation rules.
The update comes after transportation staff noticed inconsistencies in ridership data earlier this school year. According to CUSD transportation head Dan Paul, the department found that more students were riding the bus than had officially been issued passes.
“We identified a discrepancy between the number of bus passes issued since the start of the school year and the number of riders transported,” Paul says.
The discovery prompted a review of procedures and ultimately led to stricter enforcement of the existing policy.
Under the policy, only students who show the physical copy of their pass are allowed to ride the bus to or from school. Bus drivers are now responsible for checking passes as students board, ensuring that each rider is authorized.
Students who do not have a pass or do not have a pass on their person will not be allowed to take the bus, even if they had done so previously. Paul acknowledges that the adjustment may be challenging for some students and families at first.
Some students say the stricter enforcement has created new challenges. Sophomore Olivia Alcantara, a regular bus rider, notes that the adjustment has been rocky for many students who were used to more flexibility.
“A handful of people relied on being able to ride without always having their pass, so this update has been both confusing and difficult,” Alcantara says.
Freshman Elizabeth Thornton shares a similar concern, explaining that the strict policy can create issues for students who rely on the bus daily.
“If someone forgets their pass, they’re basically stuck and that can be a big problem,” Thornton says.
Paul emphasizes that the policy change was not driven by safety concerns or student behavior. Instead, it was implemented to improve organization, accountability and accurate tracking within the transportation system.
While the stricter enforcement may take time for students to get accustomed to, district leaders believe it will create a more efficient and reliable system overall. In future school years, CUSD administrators plan to move the bus pass enforcement date to September to ensure consistency from the start of the school year.
