BOSTON -- A school bus driver has been charged with asking a 13-year-old for sex, Portsmouth, N.H., police said.

Quentin E. McKenney, 60, of Rochester, N.H., a veteran bus driver for the First Student Bus Co., was arrested Wednesday on charges he solicited sex from a 13-year-old Portsmouth student on his bus on Nov. 5, police said.

The unidentified girl is a student at the Portsmouth Middle School, where she reported the alleged incident the next day.

McKenney, arrested just before Thanksgiving, was released on $25,000 personal recognizance bail and is prohibited from being near children under the age of 18, and is required to stay at least 300 feet from any playground.

Investigators told the Union Leader newspaper that the girl called McKenney on her cell phone at least 10 times before the incident.

"This investigation is far from over and we're going to look at all the other students too, and make sure that everybody feels safe, that parents can feel safe, putting their kids on the bus in the morning," said Portsmouth Police Capt. Corey McDonald.

In a statement, the First Student Bus Co. said McKenney passed a rigorous background check which included criminal work and driving histories. It said he was immediately suspended when the company learned he was under investigation.

Police asked parents and students who may have information about the case to contact Detective Scott Study at 603-610-7653, the Portsmouth Police Detective Division at 603-436-2511 or anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 603-431-1199 or 207-439-1199 or through the Crime Stoppers Web site at www.seacoastcrimestoppers.org.