Chartered (Yellow) Bus Service

Charter bus services are provided by traditional yellow school bus and travel on designated school bus routes established by Red Deer Public Schools. Charter buses serve all elementary schools (excluding Aspen Heights), K-8 schools, Gateway Christian School, Escuela Vista Grande, and West Park Middle School. We also bus eligible special education students. The Charter bus service is provided by our contractor, Prairie Bus Lines. RDPSD transportation is solely responsible for routes and stop locations and Prairie will not make any alterations without consulting with us first.

Contact Prairie at 403-304-8257 or 403-342-6390 if you feel a bus is running very late or has missed your stop, you have issues regarding a specific bus or driver, or any issues that may pertain to your child (eg. won't be on the bus, medical information, message to student enroute).

The Division uses both large and small school buses and use depends on the particular student needs or program your child is registered in. Please note that students that are in Kindergarten and Grade 1 must have an adult, responsible older sibling, or guardian (if not a family member, a name must be provided to the driver in form of a letter or transportation department in an email) accompany them at the bus stop. If nobody is there to collect the student, they will be taken back to the Prairie office or the school and the parent will have to pick up the student there.

All students requiring Charter bus service must complete the online Charter Bus Transportation Application in school engage each year before June 25th. This includes students enrolled in Regular and Alternative programs. Special transportation requests will still use paper forms and submitted by the school. Applications are approved by the attending school (the costs for school transportation is indicated below). Applications submitted after the June 25th deadline are subject to a $20.00 late fee (in addition to applicable Transportation fees). The late fee does NOT apply to new students transferring in from another school jurisdiction or Red Deer Public families that transfer schools within the Division over the course of the summer. Fees can be paid online through the parent portal in Powerschool. Questions on other payment options can be directed to the attending school.

Registered student specific bus route information is available In the Powerschool Parent Portal only. Please note that bus routes and times are subject to change throughout the school year. If a bus is more than 10 minutes late, a message will typically be sent out over School Messenger System to the contact numbers and emails provided in Powerschool.

Costs

There are no transportation fees for eligible students attending their designated school. Late fees will be incurred for applications not submitted by June 25th for the next school year. Any fees are paid at the school or using Powerschool online and are as follows:

Regular and Alternative Program:

Student, Gr K-6, lives under 1 km = $300 (Regular ineligible rules apply)
Student, Gr K-6, lives over 1 km to designated school= No Fee
Student, Gr 7-12, lives under 2 km = $300 (Charter Bus Only)(Regular ineligible rules apply)
Student, Gr 7-12 liver over 2 km to designated school= No Fee
Student, Gr K-12 lives over 2.4 kms from designated and 2.4 kms from school of choice = No Fee
Student, Gr K-12 attending Gateway or Escuela Vista Grande = $300 (unless greater than 2.4 kms from attending and designated school, then there is no fee)

**Please note that the the new distance requirements announced by the Government last year, have been moved back a year to officially start in 2025-26. RDPSD decided that we would use the new eligiblity distances with as many schools as possible in the 2023-24 school year. The remaining schools will start in 2024-25.***

INELIGIBLE STUDENTS: Transportation may be provided to ineligible students if there is room available on the charter bus and the student resides along the bus route (new bus stops are not added for ineligible riders). Availability is not guaranteed and the service could be revoked as eligible student numbers and bus routes may change throughout the school year. Out of city students can apply for yellow bus transportation if they are over 2.4 kms from their designated school and utilize a stop that is over 2.4 kms from attending school. This scenario does not apply to High School or Middle School because they utilize City Transit. Distances will need to be confirmed by the RDPSD transportation department. Fees can be paid online through the parent portal in Powerschool. Questions regarding other payment options can be directed to the attending school. The unused portion of submitted fees may be returned if transportation service is canceled. Need additional information? Contact the Division Transportation office at transportation@rdpsd.ab.ca or 403.342.3724.