Transportation Guidelines

Bus service for eligible bus students: 

In accordance with The Education Act of Alberta and the corresponding Student Transportation Regulation, school divisions are required to provide for the transportation of eligible students to their designated school from their home address (one home address only).  If transporting an eligible student on a school bus, service will be provided at a bus stop that is located no more than 1.6 km for kindergarten to grade 6 students and no more than 2 km for Grade 7-12 students, from the student’s residence. Parents can request this service by submitting a bus form online through the PowerSchool parent portal.

Bus service for ineligible bus students: 

In accordance with The Education Act of Alberta and the corresponding Student Transportation Regulation, parents are responsible to transport ineligible students to and from school.  School divisions are not funded for and are not required to provide bus service for ineligible bus students.  CTR Catholic at times may offer limited Ineligible Rider Service.  See Optional Bus Services below.

Exceptional Bus Service requests for non-resident and cross-boundary students: 

Bus service is typically not available to non-resident and cross-boundary students.  On occasion CTR Catholic can provide limited Exceptional Bus Service for these students.  See Optional Bus Services below.

Bus service is not available to students who live within 1 km of their designated school.

OPTIONAL BUS SERVICES (Optional bus service is reviewed annually)

Ineligible rider services:

Parents can apply for this service for ineligible kindergarten to grade 6 bus students who live over 1 km from school, and for ineligible grade 7 to grade 12 students who live over 1.50 km from school.  The following guidelines apply:

1. Provided on a first come, first served basis.  If the bus is full ineligible students can be added to a waitlist
2. New stops are not available for this service, service to existing stops only
3. Parents can request this service by submitting a bus form online through the PowerSchool parent portal

Dual bus service:

Parents can apply for this service if they wish to have students registered on a second bus route.  The following guidelines apply:

1. Service can be applied for after September 30 each year. 
2. Priority will be given to dual bus requests for childcare and students with two separate homes.  If the bus is full students can be added to a waitlist
3. New stops are not available for this service, dual service to existing stops only
4. Parents can request a dual bus form by emailing transportation@redeemer.ab.ca after September 30
5. Two buses per student maximum
6. Schedule needed for Kindergarten through Grade 6 students.   Ride-a-long service may be an option if a schedule can’t be provided for elementary age students
7. Dual bus service does not carry over from year to year, and is discontinued at the end of each school year.

Bus service to childcare services:

Parents may request full time or dual bus service to daycare or day home facility. The following guidelines apply:

1. Student eligibility is based on a students’ residence address and not on the childcare facility address
2. Provided on a first come, first served basis.  If the bus is full students can be added to a waitlist
3. Extra stops are not available for this service, childcare bus service to existing stops only
4. Parents can request this service by submitting a bus form online through the PowerSchool parent portal if full time service is needed or requesting a dual bus form if a second bus is needed by emailing transportation@redeemer.ab.ca 
5. Schedule is required for dual bus service to childcare services
6. The childcare facility must be within the students’ designated school catchment area. For example, if a student attends Ecole Good Shepherd School in Okotoks, bus service would only be available to a daycare facility that is within the EGSS school catchment area 

Ride-a-long service:

Parents may request a student be given permission to temporarily ride on a bus they aren’t registered on (such as riding home with a friend after school).  The following guidelines apply to ride-a-long service:

1. Service is not available until the beginning of October each school year
2. Provided on a first come, first served basis.  If the bus is full, ride-a-long service is not available 
3. Extra stops are not available for this service, ride-a-long service to existing stops only
4. Requests for ride-a-long service must be received 24 hours in advance by completing the Ride-A-Long Bus Request form which can be found in the transportation section of the division website, or Click Here
5. Approval from the transportation department is needed before a student can use this service 
6. Limit of one guest rider per route per day

Exceptional bus service:

Parents may apply for Exceptional Bus Service for non-resident or cross boundary bus service to a CTR Catholic school.  The following guidelines apply:

1. This service may be applied for after September 30 
2. If the bus is full, Exceptional Bus Service is not available 
3. Bus service may be provided from the student’s home location or alternatively the student may be required to meet the bus on route at an existing bus stop location. This will be determined at the discretion of CTR Catholic   
4. Parents can request this service by submitting a bus form and Request for Exceptional Services form online through the PowerSchool parent portal 
5. Exceptional Bus Service is reviewed annually and cannot be guaranteed for more than one year. Parents of non-resident and cross-boundary students will be advised by June 15 if Exceptional Bus Service is not available for the following school year

BUS ROUTES AND BUS STOP LOCATIONS

The following factors are considered when planning regular school bus routes:

1. Student safety 
2. Needs of students
3. Student ride times
4. Efficiency

 Bus stop locations:

• RURAL bus service is provided to the end of the driveway on the municipal roadway.  Buses do not enter private property regardless of the length of the driveway.  On occasion the bus driver and Southland Transportation may determine it is unsafe to load and/or unload students on the municipal roadway and may provide yard service in those instances (if the yard has sufficient room for a safe turnaround). The provision of yard service is at the discretion of Southland Transportation.  In rural subdivisions/communities bus service may be provided from community bus stops.
• URBAN bus stops are located at a greenspace, park or public area whenever possible so that all students can reasonably access the stop.  Urban families can expect students to walk up to 1 km to a bus stop.  On the rare occasion a bus stop cannot safely be accessed in a particular area (i.e. the bus cannot enter and exit a cul-de-sac), students from that area may need to walk further than the typical walking distance.

ITEMS TRANSPORTED ON A REGULAR SCHOOL BUS ROUTE

Transporting students is the priority of regular school bus service. Some smaller items students need for school can safely and reasonably be transported on the school bus.  However, some items needed for school may not be permitted on a school bus. 

Permitted when held by a student:

• Backpacks and textbooks
• Lunch bags/lunch boxes
• Small band instruments when carried in appropriate cases – such as flute, piccolo, clarinet, oboe, trumpet
• Skates can be transported if they are in a duffel bag and the blades are covered. Skates cannot be carried in a plastic bag on the bus
• Small duffel bag

May be permitted if space is available (families or students must check with bus drivers prior to bringing these items on the bus):

• Band instruments that cannot be held by a student on their lap - such as saxophone, guitar, trombone, French horn, bassoon
• School projects that cannot be held by a student on their lap
• Sports equipment in a small duffel bag (not a hockey bag)

Not permitted on regular school bus routes:

• Large band instruments – such as tuba, drums, sousaphone
• Skateboards and longboards that do not fit in a small duffel bag or backpack
• Hockey equipment and hockey sticks
• Lacrosse sticks
• Skis and poles
• Large school projects 
• Anything that could injure a student

Parents are responsible for arranging for the transportation of items needed for school that cannot be transported on the school bus.  

COMMUNICATION

CTR Catholic uses the Stopfinder parent app, email and/or text/calls to communication with families regarding transportation services. 

For reported bus delays and cancellations – the bus route status page will be updated on the division and school websites and a notice will be sent to families through the Stopfinder app.  Should there be technical issues with the Stopfinder app, text is used as an alternate means of communication.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

CTR Catholic and Southland Transportation begin monitoring weather conditions early in the day when we anticipate conditions may potentially impact transportation.  Please review our complete inclement weather procedure on our website.   If bus service is cancelled due to weather conditions:

1. Rural families may receive a call or text from the driver, and may also receive notification through Stopfinder 
2. Families in town will receive notification through Stopfinder
3. The bus status page on the CTR Catholic website will be updated (www.redeemer.ab.ca) 

The final decision to send children on the school bus is that of the parents, even if buses are operating.

STUDENT CONDUCT ON THE SCHOOL BUS

1. Students are to behave in a classroom-like manner
2. Courteous behavior is expected from all students
3. Students are expected to follow driver instructions while on the bus
4. Students must remain seated and facing the front of the bus 
5. Students must be at their bus stops 5 minutes prior to stop time
6. Acts which may distract the driver are prohibited
7. Students must not damage the bus, including seats. Parents will be required to pay for willful damage that is done by their children
8. Parents will be responsible to make alternate transportation arrangements for students who repeatedly disregard the bus rules