The government is obligated to provide public transportation services, including school buses specifically designed for students who cannot drive. In Surabaya, school buses support the Save Our Student (SOS) program with the goals of reducing vehicle use by students under 17, alleviating traffic congestion, saving transportation costs, and decreasing accident rates. This service operates five routes, but with 649 schools in Surabaya, coupled with the zoning system and high dropout rates, the effectiveness of the school bus service remains questionable. This study employs a qualitative and case study approach to provide an in-depth description of the school bus service in Surabaya. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation, focusing on program understanding, target accuracy, timeliness, goal achievement, and tangible changes in the effectiveness of the school bus service. Purposive sampling was used to select the most relevant respondents for the research topic. The findings of this study indicate that three out of five indicators for the school bus service have not been effective in terms of target accuracy, goal achievement, and tangible changes. However, regarding program understanding and timeliness, the Surabaya City Transportation Department has provided good service to students through socialization efforts and the regularity of responsible staff.