School Bus Registration
Am I Eligible/ What is my Designated School?
Do you know your child's designated school? Click here and select Which School Do I Attend to locate your attendance area school.
Eligibility for funded transportation service is determined by Alberta Education.
Transportation is free for eligible students.
Information on School Bus Registration
Did you know that all students in Alberta have a designated school? Make sure you know your child's designated school prior to confirming registration.
All passengers must be registered and fees for non-funded services must be paid by June 30th.
Non-registered children are not permitted onto school buses. For access to a school bus ride in case of an emergency, please email Transporation Services at transportation@gypsd.ca
Parents are required to review the School Bus Rider Rules with their children.
GYPSD uses the Bus Status App to keep parents informed of any cancellations or delays.
Process:
- All students, both new and returning riders, are required to complete the online registration form. To register for the 2024/25 school year, please click on this link. This is for both new and returning student registrations.
- An email following your registration form will be sent confirming your child's registration status within 10 business days. Please contact email transportation@gypsd.ca if you have not received this confirmation.
- If you are requesting a fee-based service, payment is required prior to confirmation of a seat. See below for the fee-based services offered.
- Transportation Services confirms fee payment with Finance.
- Transportation Services enters the student onto a bus route and informs Bus Driver.
- Bus Driver contacts the family with pick-up and drop-off times.
In the week prior to the first day of school, all bus drivers will:
- Complete a dry run to confirm times and identify any safety concerns along the route;
- Contact parents/families on their route with pick up and drop off times; and,
- Provide their contact information.
Fee-based services are available for families through a partial cost-recovery model.
Service fees are approved annually by the Board of Trustees and outlined in Policy 17, Appendix A.
Eligible Students
Alberta Education funds school bus service for eligible students within GYPSD to attend school.
Alberta Education sets school jurisdiction boundaries and determines eligibility for students.
School boards set attendance areas for the schools within the jurisdiction. Attendance area boundaries ensure each school will have adequate enrollments to sustain school operations.
- Eligible students:
- children in kindergarten and students in grades 1-6 reside 1 kms or more from their attending school; and
- students in grades 7-12 reside 2 kms or more from their attending school; and
- student requires specialized transportation service.
All users of transportation services - including eligible students - must register for the school bus each year. This includes new students and kindergarten students.
The designated school is defined as the nearest school located within the attendance area. The attendance area is determined by the Board of Trustees.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Question: My child is eligible for transportation; can they be bused to a different school than their designated school?
Answer:
- Parents may apply for school-of-choice busing. Transportation Services will determine if there is space on the bus after receiving approval from the two principals to the registration change.
- Bus seat space is prioritized for eligible students to attend their designated school.
Ineligible Students
Under the Student Transportation Regulation, school jurisdictions are not required to transport students who do not meet the criteria.
Getting children to school is a parent's responsibility.
As per Board Policy 17, ineligible rider service is available for a fee. Bus service will be determined by Transportation Services based on:
- completion of the registration form prior to the registration deadline
- seat space on the requested route
- the ineligible rider service fee has been paid
Alberta Education funds busing for one route based on the student's primary residence address and their designated school. Family may purchase a second bus route if there is seat space available.
Emergency Bus Access
- Transportation Services cannot transport a student that is not registered to ride a bus.
- Families may request a single ride for a non-registered student if there is an emergency with childcare.
- The request will be considered if:
- there is seat space on the bus route
- consent from either the parent/guardian or the principal has been received by Transportation Services, with the following information:
- full name of student and school
- emergency contact name and phone number
- where they are going
- name of the adult receiving them and their phone number
- which bus route they will ride
- reason for the emergency request
- Transportation Services will inform the bus driver
- The bus will not deviate from the normal route of time, nor will it make special stops for pick up or drop off.
(780) 723-4471 ext. 107