Below are some of the frequently asked questions we receive. Please click on a question to scroll down to the answer.
- How is student transportation eligibility determined?
- My child is attending french immersion at a school other than the one that they are zoned for because their zoned school does not offer french immersion; is there busing for students in this situation?
- How is the 1.6km Family Responsibility Zone measured?
- How are bus routes and bus stops designed?
- Google Maps says I am less than 1.6kms from the school but the school is telling me that I am not eligible; why is that?
- How do I register my child for busing?
- I witnessed a school bus speeding; who do I make a complaint with?
- I feel it is not safe for my child to walk alone to their bus stop; why can't it be closer to my home?
- I do not feel my child's bus stop is in a safe location; how do I place a request for it to be moved?
- How do I find out my child's transportation schedule?
- I just moved and need my child's bus stop/route changed; how do I do this?
- Why can't my child bring a hockey bag or large instrument on the bus?
- How safe are school buses?
- Why aren't there seat belts on school buses?
- What is my responsibility as a parent?
- My child alternates weeks at Mom's house and Dad's house; will they get a seat on both buses?
- I live less than 1.6km from my child's school; do I have any options for transportation?
- What is Courtesy Seating?
- I applied for a courtesy seat on a bus but got denied. I see the bus driving around half full; why can I not get a seat on the bus?
- Where do I go if I am having issues with my Parent Portal account?
- Why did my school bus not show up?
1. How is student transportation eligibility determined?
The area of a school zone that is less than 1.6km from the school is considered the Family Responsibility Zone (FRZ).
The Department of Education defines a student as eligible for transportation if they live 1.6 kilometers or farther from their zoned school (outside of the FRZ). This means that if you reside within 1.6km of your zoned school or outside of the school zone itself, your child is not eligible for transportation.
You can find school zone information
here and find out what school your address is zoned for
here.
If your child meets certain criteria outlined in the
Department of Education's Alternate Transportation Policy, they could qualify for alternate transportation.
A student is only eligible for transportation on their assigned route to and from their civic address.
Please note that some FRZ has been removed from some schools and will be eliminated in all schools by September 2024.
2. My child is attending french immersion at a school other than the one that they are zoned for because their zoned school does not offer french immersion; is there busing for students in this situation?
French immersion is considered an elective program and therefore there is no french program transportation services provided. If a parent chooses to have their child attend a school other than the one that they are zoned for then they will not be eligible for transportation.
You can find school zone information
here and find out what school your address is zoned for
here.
3. How is the 1.6km Family Responsibility Zone measured?
The distance to a school is defined as the shortest route by a publicly maintained roadway from the very end of the student's driveway where it meets a publicly maintained roadway to the beginning of the nearest school access point (roadway or walkway) via a publicly maintained road.
An access point is considered a vehicle entrance, vehicle exit or walkway to an entrance to the school facility. Traffic flow signage is NOT considered as the measurement is based on general access, not exclusively vehicular access; therefore, it is not restricted by traffic direction requirements.
For more information, please review the
NLSchools Bus Route & Stop Guidelines.
4. How are bus routes and bus stops designed?
Bus routes are determined by the NLSchools based on the geographic location of all eligible students' civic address. Eligible students are then assigned to a specific route based on their civic address. Therefore, a student is only eligible for transportation on their assigned route to and from their civic address (proof of address may be required by the school).
For more information, please review the
NLSchools Bus Route & Stop Guidelines.
5. Google Maps says I am less than 1.6kms from the school but the school is telling me that I am not eligible; why is that?
The distance to a school is defined as the shortest route by a publicly maintained roadway from the very end of the student's driveway where it meets a publicly maintained roadway to the beginning of the nearest school access point (roadway or walkway) via a publicly maintained road.
An access point is considered a vehicle entrance, vehicle exit or walkway to an entrance to the school facility. Traffic flow signage is NOT considered as the measurement is based on general access, not specifically vehicular access; therefore, it is not restricted by traffic direction requirements.
Google Maps's default distance measurement is by vehicle whereas the distance for transportation eligibility is measured by shortest distance by publicly maintained roadway.
Also, the road network that Google Maps uses is not always accurate and therefore could be incorrectly plotting your address on the map thereby incorrectly measuring the distance from your child's school from your house.
Google Maps is also not considering walkway access points of the school when measuring distances.
For more information, please review the
NLSchools Bus Route & Stop Guidelines.
6. How do I register my child for busing?
There is no registration process. Based on the location of a student's address, if eligible, once the student is registered with the school and their address uploaded into the NLSchools Student Information System (Powerschool), they are automatically assigned a seat on the appropriate bus route.
For more information, please review the
NLSchools Bus Route & Stop Guidelines.
By creating an account on the Parent Portal, you will have access to details such as your child's bus route, assigned bus stop location, and projected pickup/drop off times. Additionally, you will receive email notifications about any routing changes that may affect your child throughout the school year. We encourage all parents to click on the Parent Portal icon above and create an account to stay informed about their child's transportation arrangements.
7. I witnessed a school bus speeding; how do I report this?
Local law enforcement are the authority responsible for enforcing speed limits on roadways therefore it is recommended for anyone who witnesses a school bus speeding to make a complaint with them.
It is important to note the name of the company on the side of the bus (located on both sides) as well as the licence plate number so it can be easily identified.
If this occurs between the hours 7:00 am to 4:00 pm (timeframe when school buses are providing transportation services, please also submit a Public Inquiry here:
8. I feel it is not safe for my child to walk alone to their bus stop; why can't it be closer to my home?
NLSchools is responsible to ensure bus stops are in safe locations as well as the safety of students from the moment they step onto the bus in the morning and until the moment they disembark the bus in the afternoon.
However, it is the parent's/guardian's responsibility to ensure their child gets to and from their assigned bus stop safely.
If the concern is regarding unsafe walking paths or inadequate pedestrian infrastructure from your home to the bus stop, please direct these concerns to the municipality or organization that is responsible for road maintenance in your area.
For more information, please review the
NLSchools Bus Route & Stop Guidelines.
9. I do not feel my child's bus stop is in a safe location; how do I place a request for it to be moved?
NLSchools takes student safety very seriously and, in conjunction with transportation operators, is responsible to ensure bus stops are in safe locations. Each bus stop should be evaluated for safety and efficiency. In areas where Contractors provide transportation service, the Contractor is responsible to review all routes and bus stops provided by NLSchools before the beginning of the school year and report any safety concerns.
The following is a list of some of the factors that are considered when assessing the safety of a bus stop location:
- Line of Sight
- Speed Limits
- Traffic Lanes
- Intersections
- Number of Students
- Crosswalks
For more information, please review the
NLSchools Bus Route & Stop Guidelines.
Please note that concerns regarding safe walking paths or inadequate pedestrian infrastructure to and from the bus stop should be brought to the municipality or organization responsible for road maintenance for the area. These factors are not considered when identifying bus stop locations as it is the parent's/guardian's responsibility to ensure their child's safety to and from the bus stop.
Please feel free to submit a Public Inquiry Form if you are requesting a bus stop be moved due to safety concerns:
10. How do I find out my child's transportation schedule?
By creating a Student Transportation Parent Portal
account here. The Parent Portal will let you know if your child is eligible for transportation and, if eligible, it will provide you with the route, bus stop as well as the projected pick up and drop off times.
The Parent Portal will also automatically provide you with an email notification if your child's transportation schedule changes throughout the school year (for example:. if NLSchools needs to adjust the routes to balance loads mid-year or if there is a road blockage requiring a detour which changes your child's route and/or stop).
Bus route information can also be
found here on the right hand side of each school (under the Quick Links section) or at the bottom of this page.
11. I just moved and need my child's bus stop/route changed; how do I do this?
The first thing you need to do is notify your child's school of the updated address (proof of address may be required). Once this is done your child will be automatically assigned to the appropriate bus stop (if eligible) according to their civic address.
If you are looking for what the new route/bus stop/pick up/drop off times are for your new address,
please
login to your Parent Portal account (go
here to register if you haven't created an account yet). Alternatively, you can ask your child's school for this information or submit an NLSchools Public Inquiry Form:
12. Why can't my child bring a hockey bag or large instrument on the bus?
The
Highway Traffic Act's (HTA)
Bus Regulations states the following:
9. Articles on bus
- A person or article shall not be carried in a bus in a position that is likely to obstruct the driver.
- The interior and exterior of every bus shall be free of all unnecessary projections which are likely to injure passengers.
- Luggage must be properly secured on all buses, school buses and disabled passenger vehicles in a manner so that it is separated from the passenger compartment or cannot come in contact with passengers in an accident.
- For the purpose of this section, luggage is defined as the travelling bags and personal belongings of passengers but excludes small hand held baggage that is normally carried by or with the passenger.
Hockey bags and large instruments are considered 'luggage' and thus, according to the HTA, are not permitted to be transported in a school bus unless properly secured in accordance with regulations.
13. How safe are school buses?
Quotes from the
2020 Strengthening School Bus Safety in Canada report by the Federal Government's Task Force on School Bus Safety:
Children traveling to school by school bus are 72 times safer than those traveling to school by car, and 45 times safer than those walking and cycling to school.
School buses are the safest way to transport children to and from school, more so than any other means of transportation. That is because school buses are built - inside and out - to protect children. They are painted a distinctive shade of yellow, and are equipped with flashing red lights and a stop arm designed to help children get on and off the bus safely. Governed by some 40 federal regulations and a robust set of standards, school buses also have a series of structural safety features built in that are specifically designed to safeguard children in the event of a collision. For example, they are mandated to have reinforced joints, high roof crush standards, electronic stability control to help prevent rollovers, window retention to mitigate ejection, emergency exit requirements, and a highly effective seat design referred to as compartmentalization.
For more information on why school buses are so safe,
please go here. You can also review the NLSchools policies and procedures that all revolve around student safety.
14. Why aren't there seat belts on school buses?
Quotes from the
2020 Strengthening School Bus Safety in Canada report by the Federal Government's Task Force on School Bus Safety:
Notably, school buses have a strong occupant protection record, owing largely to the extensive suite of protective safety features built into the bus. At the same time, there is acknowledgement that three-point seatbelts on school buses, when they are installed correctly and worn properly, can offer an additional layer of safety by reducing the risk of ejection and lowering the risk of serious injury, particularly in the context of collisions involving rollover, side-impact, or vertical lift scenarios. That is why a July 2018 regulatory requirement now governs how three-point seatbelts are installed on school buses. At present, such installation remains optional in recognition of the strong safety record of school buses and the considerations associated with seatbelt installation and use (e.g. consequences of misuse, emergency evacuations, liability).
Please
go here for more information on this topic.
15. What is my responsibility as a parent?
- Ensure child's civic address is provided to the school as well as immediately when an address change occurs (be prepared to provide proof of address)
- Create a Student Transportation Parent Portal account to view your child's transportation schedule and to receive automatic change notifications
- Ensure child arrives at school by whichever means the parent/guardian deem safe
- Ensure the child does not ride the school bus without a proper child car seat if weighing less than 40 pounds. In such a situation, notify the school to ensure proper arrangements are made in accordance with the Highway Traffic Act.
- Discuss Student Responsibilities with your child (section below) and impress upon them the importance to follow these responsibilities for safety purposes
- Ensure the safety and supervision of your child prior to them boarding the bus at the beginning of the school day and upon them exiting the bus at the end of the school day (includes ensuring their safety traveling to and from the bus stop)
- Ensure child is dressed appropriately for the weather
- Ensure child has their belongings stored securely in an appropriate carry on
- Ensure child does not bring large bags, skateboards, scooters or medium/large instruments with them on the bus (Section 9 of the Highway Traffic Act does not permit these items from being transported on the bus for safety reasons)
- Ensure child is at the bus stop five (5) minutes before the scheduled arrival time of the bus
- Make the School Administrator aware of any student who is transported that may have significant medical conditions (ex. Anaphylaxis) which may require intervention
- Consider the school bus driver as a member of the school system. They are entitled to the respect and courtesy due to all school personnel
- Parents/guardians are financially responsible for any willful damage made by their child to the bus and/or equipment on the bus
- Be aware that their child can be suspended temporarily or permanently from availing of NLSchools transportation if repeated behavioral issues occur that could pose a risk to school bus, and/or student safety
- Parents/Guardian of Kindergarten students must adhere to the Kindergarten Identification Protocol.
- If seeking a bus stop other than the one that has been assigned to their child based on the civic address, follow the Courtesy Seating Process by completing a Courtesy Seating Application Form.
- NLSchools Vehicle Idling Policy establishes school properties as idle free areas; please respect this policy for the overall safety of students and your school community as a whole
16. My child alternates weeks at Mom's house and Dad's house; will they get a seat on both buses?
If a student has two residences as a result of a legal joint custody situation, and both residences are eligible for transportation but on different routes, then the student is eligible to have a seat each route. It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure the school is aware of any dual address situations
17. I live less than 1.6km from my child's school; do I have any options for transportation?
Where it is safe to do so, NLSchools permits a single courtesy bus stop within the 1.6km Family Responsibility Zone (FRZ) per bus route. The following criteria is used to determine its location:
- Shall be located on an existing route;
- Shall be located around the 1.0 km mark (the stop will not change year-to-year);
- Stop shall be the last stop before arriving to school in the morning and the first drop off in the PM;
- Stop must be located within the catchment of the school; and
- The location must in a safe location in accordance with the NLSchools Bus Route and Stop Design Guidelines
Your child would need to apply for a courtesy seat and the school would then review your application in accordance with the
NLSchools
Courtesy Seating Protocol/Application Form.
18. What is Courtesy Seating?
A courtesy seat is a seat on a bus route for a student who has not been assigned to this route based on their civic address i..e not eligible for student transportation on that route.
For more information on Courtesy Seating, please review the NLSchools
Courtesy Seating Protocol/Application Form.
19. I applied for a courtesy seat on a bus but got denied. I see the bus driving around half full; why can I not get a seat on the bus?
Bus routes are allocated and designed based on the civic addresses of all eligible students, regardless of how often an eligible student rides the bus, if at all. Family circumstances can change at any time and therefore a seat is always earmarked for an eligible student unless they have rescinded their seat in writing with the school. Any available seats after all eligible students are assigned a route are available to be filled through the
Courtesy Seating Protocol/Application Form.
20. Where do I go if I am having issues with my Parent Portal account?
If you are looking for Parent Portal support, please complete a Public Inquiry Form:
21. Why did my school bus not show up?
There could be various reasons why your school bus did not show up. Some possible explanations could be:
Mechanical Issues: The bus might have encountered mechanical problems such as a flat tire or engine failure. In such cases, the operator will arrange for a replacement bus.
Weather Conditions: Severe weather conditions, such as heavy rainfall, snowstorms, or icy roads, could disrupt bus services for safety reasons. Please see NLSchools Weather Protocol for more information.
Bus Delay: Sometimes, the bus may simply be running late due to heavy traffic or unforeseen circumstances. If your school bus did not show up, it is recommended to contact the school for immediate clarification and assistance.
