Q. My child has special needs, how do I arrange transportation for them?
Should your child have special needs, Student Transportation will consult with the Supports for Students department to assess a child's busing requirements.
Q. I live outside of Elk Island Public Schools and I am attending an EIPS school, is busing available?
You are considered a non-resident student and transportation may be accessed from an existing bus stop within the Elk Island Public Schools boundaries for a fee.
Q. Is there a maximum length of time that my child will be on the bus?
As a number of factors affect ride times—such as student capacity, transfers and attending a non-designated school—there are no maximum ride times for students.
Q. When are the alternately flashing lights on a bus used?
Outside of a large urban area (Fort Saskatchewan, Sherwood Park), when students are loading or unloading from the school bus, the alternately flashing lights and stop arm are activated to attempt to control traffic. It is illegal to pass a school bus when the RED lights are flashing. When activated, the overhead alternating RED lights mean only one thing: “this bus is loading or unloading children."
In Alberta, the school bus driver will first signal the motorists that the bus will soon be coming to a stop to load or unload children by activating the OVERHEAD alternating AMBER lights – then, when the bus stops and the driver opens the bus door, the overhead alternating RED lights and the side stop arm are automatically activated. Remember: Reds Flashing...No Passing
Q. Why does the bus driver not use the flashing lights and stop arm in Fort Saskatchewan or Sherwood Park?
In a large urban area (Fort Saskatchewan, Sherwood Park), buses do not activate their alternately flashing lights when students are loading or unloading. This is because the perceived benefits of using the alternating flashing lights and stop arm in urban areas do not outweigh the risks for children and road users. There are frequent opportunities for safe crossing at marked crosswalks and intersections. Students are educated to cross the street only at intersections. Learn more
Q. Why can’t the bus stop at my house since it drives right by?
Student Transportation must be diligent in keeping ride times to a minimum and therefore cannot stop at each student’s house. The Transportation Planners take into consideration the age of the children, the proximity of the stops, and accessibility of roadways. To create efficiencies, walk distances are utilized in planning bus routes and bus stops. Guidelines followed for students attending their designated school are 250 metres for kindergarten to Grade 6 and 400 metres for grades 7 to 12.
Q. Can I access busing from two different locations?
Busing may be available from two different locations. Please note, there will be a per student fee to access an additional bus to/from an alternate address (fee not eligible for family rate discount or refund). It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians to determine if their child is capable of remembering the alternate scheduling as we are unable to track this type of information. Please contact Student Transportation directly at st@eips.ca or 780-417-8151 for more information.
Q. What happens at the transfer sites?
School buses arrive at a scheduled time and park in a designated stall. Students disembark and proceed to their next assigned bus. Transfer sites have Safety Monitors, wearing reflective vests and equipped with two-way radios that allow them to communicate with bus drivers and Student Transportation. These Safety Monitors are hired to assist in the transfer of students. All bus route numbers are clearly displayed at the front, side and back of the bus. If your child is unsure of where their bus is located, the Safety Monitors or Bus Operators are available for assistance.
For your child’s safety, we do not allow children to be picked up from the transfer site as we cannot validate guardianship of your child.
For further information on what happens at the transfer sites, overhead videos of the site procedures are available.
Q. Why isn’t eating allowed on the bus?
To ensure student safety for a variety of reasons, including life-threatening allergies or choking hazards, food or drink is not allowed on an EIPS bus.
Q. Why does my child have an assigned seat?
In order to address efficiencies and keep ride times to a minimum, seats are assigned to each student. Students are also assigned to seats to address age-appropriate socialization.
Q. Can my child bring their hockey equipment, skateboard or musical instrument on the bus?
Please refer to the Code of Conduct.
Q. Does someone from the school meet the bus when it arrives?
Please contact your child’s school directly to discuss the supervision process they have in place at their school site.
Q. How will I know if my child’s bus has been delayed?
In the event your bus is delayed, the following information will be accessible:
- An automated message will be delivered via phone and/or email when a bus is delayed by 10 minutes or more.
- Bus Status will be updated on the EIPS website when a bus is delayed by 10 minutes or more. Downloading the Bus Status app will allow you to "favourite" your child's buses and receive push notifications when those buses are delayed.
- Download the My Ride K-12 application and allow push notifications to receive notifications to your cell phone when your child's bus is delayed.
Q. What if my child loses their bus pass?
A replacement pass is available for $20 and may be picked up at the EIPS Student Transportation office. If preferred, please contact our office to request a replacement bus pass to be send to your child's school instead.
**Please note that if a lost pass is found within 30 days of purchase of the replacement pass, EIPS will provide a complete refund. Refunds will not be provided after that time.**
Q. Can my child bring a friend home with them on the bus, or go home with a friend on another bus?
We do not allow students to ride buses they are not assigned to.
Q. How do I contact my bus driver?
Your bus driver will contact you prior to the commencement of busing. If you need to get in contact with your driver, please call our office and we will arrange for them to contact you directly.
Q. If my child is not going to be riding the bus should I inform anyone?
If your child is not at their designated stop at the scheduled departure time the bus will proceed, therefore it is not necessary to advise our office.
If your child is no longer in need of bus service, please advise our office so we may update our records accordingly.
Q. If I have a busing concern, how should I address it?
Parents are encouraged to discuss any busing concerns with their driver. If this is not possible, please contact our office and we will address your concerns.
Q. What if I have an emergency and need to make alternate transportation arrangements for my child?
Please contact the Student Transportation office and we will make our best effort to accommodate your request.
Q. What happens on early dismissal days?
On early dismissal days, your child will arrive at home one hour earlier. Student Transportation sends an automated message out the evening before as a reminder.
Q. What qualifications are required by EIPS for bus drivers?
- Valid Class 2 driver’s license
- S-Endorsement
- Emergency First–Aid with CPR
In addition, Student Transportation collects and reviews the following information annually:
- Driver’s abstract
- Intervention Record Check
- Criminal Record Check
Last updated October 25, 2022