Skip to main content

FAQ's

Typically, Bus Passes become available for pickup at your child's school 1-3 days after we've processed your bus application during the school year.
 
If your child's Bus Pass is lost or stolen, the school office may issue a Temporary Pass, valid for 48 hours.
There are a number of scenarios with this question, but some of the main stipulations are as follows:
 

FUNDED - If you are attending your boundary school, meet distance eligibility, and getting transportation from a single address that is your primary home residence then there is no fee.  Any additional transportation requests to an address other than primary home address (if available), will incur a bus pass fee per year, per student.

 

USER-PAY - Requests for bus transportation to *out-of-boundary schools will incur a fee. 

 

Please note there are additional scenarios that may arise. For inquiries regarding your specific situation, please contact our transportation department at [email protected]  

Student Safety: Ensuring that students are transported safely is a top priority. By requiring parents or guardians to fill out transportation requests annually, the Division can update their records with any changes in student information, emergency contacts, or special transportation needs. It also helps in case of emergencies or unexpected situations during transportation.
Consent: The Division requires updated transportation consent from parents or guardians on an annual basis. 
Route Planning: To maximize route efficiency, changes to routes and stops are necessary each year. 

Previous year bus passes are deactivated at the end of June each year and should be shredded or returned to your school.

During the Division grace period, yellow school bus drivers will accept students without a printed card if they have applied for a pass. Contact your school or the Transportation Department in August for the grace period date.

GPCSD is in agreement with Contractors to transport students to and from school.  Please click on our Bus Delays & Cancellations webpage to determine how your Contractor displays their delays and cancellations. 

We have several apps that will assist you in obtaining your school busing information during peak times of transportation inquiries. Please click on the links below for instructions to gain access to these exciting features! (For First Student & GP Charter riders only)

• BusPlanner– This transportation information portal allows Urban and Rural parents to see their bus route, times, locations. 

• FirstView - Follow your child’s school bus on a map to see how far it is from your bus stop. FirstView also indicates your child bus route, stop location and times.  This is also where you can set up notifications pertaining to Bus Delays & Cancellations.

• Zpass – Riders must tap the Zpass loading & unloading from the bus. The “tap on” and “tap off” system lets parents and the Division know that the child has boarded the school bus. Zpass will help us maintain daily attendance of ridership.

You may also contact our office at Phone: 780-532-3127 EXT #1 or First Student at 780-532-3545.

Please make sure you arrive at your bus stop 3-5 minutes prior to the scheduled pickup time.  If there is a time conflict between BusPlanner & Firstview, go with the earliest time noted. Downloading the FirstView app, will assist you in knowing how far the bus is away from your stop.

To track when your child(ren) gets on and off the school bus, please download the Zpass+ app.  You will need your child’s RFID# on the back of the bus pass to add or view your child(ren). 

If your child changes schools, moves to a different location, or requires different transportation needs during the school year, you will be required to complete a new bus application form.

If you move and/or no longer require busing services, please contact our office so we can free up the seat(s), as there are currently students on waiting lists. 

For all information on School Bus Rider conduct please access our administrative procedure by CLICKING HERE.
We understand that sometimes, situations arise where you may need temporary transportation for your child.  
Examples: Vacation, Work related trips, Family Emergency, Extracurricular activities.
 
However, the Division is unable to provide temporary transportation, here are a few important reasons:
    • Student Familiarity and Safety: Students may not be familiar with riding the bus, or uncomfortable with disruption to their current transportation routine. 
    • Space Constraints: Our buses operate on fixed routes with some routes having limited capacity. 
    • Eligibility and Permission: Our division is bound by strict eligibility criteria for providing transportation services. Temporary trips fall outside the scope of regular transportation policies, requiring special permissions and applications from parents.
    • Emergency Contact Information: Parents may be out of town; we must have reliable emergency contacts who can be reached promptly in case of any unforeseen circumstances. 
    • Logistical Challenges: We work with contractors for our transportation services, and administrative requirements would be considerable. 
      • Contractor and Division managing rider details; 
      • Informing contractor of temporary riders' start and end dates;
      • Drivers need to be informed of any changes in the passenger list promptly;
      • Issuing special bus pass cards, tracking their usage, ensuring their return, and removing them from the route afterward, requires multiple levels of coordination.