Transportation Information

• Yellow Bus Services: $150 per student per year.
• Kindergarten: $75 per student per year (available at start or end of full school day only).
• RMWB Transit Pass (Eligible Riders): Rate of $15 per month will be available from September 2025 to June 2026.

Please note the following exceptions: 

• Transit Riders Living Less Than 2 km From Their High School: These students are not eligible under the Provincial Transportation Grant and will continue to pay the full fare of $57.75 per month.
• Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic High School (Outreach School): Students attending this school are not eligible for transportation funding and will also continue to pay the full transit fare of $57.75 per month, if a transit pass is required.

Yellow Bus Family Discount

For families using Yellow Bus Transportation from the same location, the rate will be adjusted at a 50% discount for the second child, with no charge for the 3rd or subsequent children.

Requests for Yellow Bus Transportation for School Year 2025-2026 can now be submitted by parents of students that are eligible for Yellow Bus Transportation by using the form below:

2025/26 Yellow Bus Transportation Request Form

The first day of regular bus service (except for Kindergarten) is Tuesday September 2nd, 2025 (first day of school).  Requests for bus service must be received no later than noon on August 20th 2025 for bus service in the first week of school. Applications received after the initial deadline will only be placed on a bus route in the second week of September.

Before completing the application form, ensure that: 

• The student is registered to attend the school
• Your home address in the school records is current
• Your child is eligible for Yellow Bus Transportation and that service is available from your location. 

After submitting your application you will receive an automated email confirming that it was received. Please look in your spam folder if you do see the confirmation email. If do not receive a confirmation email within 12 hours, send an email to transportation@fmcsd.ab.ca

• Your request will be reviewed in mid-August, when the School Administration Offices reopen after the Summer Break, to confirm eligibility and availability of Yellow Bus Transportation for your child/children.
• You will be contacted during the week of August 25th 2025 with instructions on how to make payment for your transportation fee. Students will only be assigned to a bus route once payment is received for the first month of service and subscription to one of the payment plans is confirmed.
• Bus routes, pick-up/drop-off times and location of nearest bus stop will be published at minimum 24-48 hours before the first day of school (or of the commencement of service).
• Registrations for yellow bus service made after the August 20th deadline will have service commence on the second week of school (September 8, 2025).
• Requests for bus service made during the school year are subject to a delay of up to 10 working days before the start of service.
• Students eligible for transportation will be assigned to the nearest available master stop.

Parents registering for yellow bus service will be required to pay for the first month of service and subscribe to one of the payment plans at the time of registration. Students will not be assigned to a bus route without receipt of payment.

• Requests by end of day on August 20, 2025 = Start date: Sept 2
   
• Requests from Aug 21–Sept 2 = Start date: Sept 8
   
• After Sept 2 = follow weekly schedule: approved requests by Friday ride the following Wednesday.

• Along with the confirmation of eligibility for Yellow Bus Transportation, parents will be provided with payment instruction on the Rycor Fee Payment System.  50% of the annual transportation fee will be payable at that time with the remaining balance due no later than October 31st.   Annual fee will be reimbursed on a pro-rata basis if service is cancelled before April 1st unless the cancellation is due to the student moving to a new location.  Seasonal services are not available (e.g. taking the bus only during the winter months).
• Outstanding transportation fees from previous years must be paid in full before child is assigned to a route for 2025–26

Yellow Bus transportation is available for eligible students attending their designated schools 

• Yellow Bus Service is only provided within the designated attendance area of the school 
• Busing is not available at St. Martha School as the attendance area is within 1.6 km eligibility distance
• Eligible riders will be assigned to the nearest master bus stop on their route which may be up to 0.7 km from their residence
• No bus stop will be located less than 1 km from the school

Transportation is available one way only:

• Morning buses take children to school for morning (AM) programs
• End of day afternoon buses bring children home for afternoon (PM) programs
• There is no service at noon. Parents must arrange mid-day transportation
• Transportation fees are charged at 50% of the regular rate
   

Yellow bus transportation is not provided for children in the Early Entry Program (EEP).

City Transit

• RMWB Transit Pass (Eligible Riders): discounted rate of $15 per month will be available from September 2025 to June 2026.
  • Please note the following exceptions: 
  • Transit Riders Living Less Than 2 km From Their High School: These students are not eligible under the Provincial Transportation Grant and will continue to pay the full fare of $57.75 per month.
• The Student Transit Pass can be used at anytime. 
• Details on transit, including special school routes are are available on the RMWB Transit Web Site.

Yellow Bus Transportation

• Available only for students in Grades 7 to 9 residing south of the Athabasca River and for all students (Grade 7 – 12) residing in Saprae Creek.

City Transit

• RMWB Transit Pass (Eligible Riders): discounted rate of $15 per month will be available from September 2025 to June 2026.
• Please note the following exceptions: 
• Transit Riders Living Less Than 2 km From Their High School: These students are not eligible under the Provincial Transportation Grant and will continue to pay the full fare of $57.75 per month.
• The Student Transit Pass can be used at anytime. 
• Details on transit, including special school routes are are available on the RMWB Transit Web Site.

Yellow Bus Transportation

• Available for students in French Immersion Program residing south of the Athabasca River.

• RMWB City Transit is available for all students.
• Outreach Schools are not eligible for Provincial Transportation Funding meaning that students using transit will need to purchase their transit passes at the RMWB Student rate 
   

Yellow Bus service is only available within the attendance area of each school. Service is only provided to students residing at least 1.0 km from the school. Information on attendance areas and designated schools is available on our School Boundaries page. 

In accordance with Alberta Education Regulations, the distance of a residence from a school or from a bus route is the shortest distance measured along a travelled road or public right of way between the school site or the bus route, as the case may be, and the nearest roadway access at the boundary of the quarter section or lot on which the student’s parent resides.

• Ecole St. Paul and Holy Trinity CHS are the designated schools for all Catholic students in the French Immersion program
• Access to French Immersion bus routes is restricted to students enrolled in the French Immersion Program
• English program students may be permitted to ride the French Immersion route if space is available and a route is nearby.  No additional buses or routes will be added. Confirmation of ridership will only be made on September 15th to determine space availability.  

Parents may register their children to a Catholic school outside of their attendance area (Choice School). Yellow Bus service is not available to choice schools except for Ecole St.Paul School and Holy Trinity Catholic High School that offer French Immersion Program, and therefore have buses already transporting students from all areas.

Students in the English Program residing outside the attendance area of Ecole St. Paul School or Holy Trinity Catholic High School may access existing Yellow Bus routes if space is available. Priority of access will be provided to eligible French Immersion students. Where available, the fee for choice student transportation is the same as user pay.

Parents may request transportation from a location other than the home of the student (alternate location) due to childcare or shared custody arrangements.  Such request will only be considered under the following circumstances: 

• The alternate location must be in the designated area of the school attended
• It meet the distance eligibility criteria and is located on an existing bus route
• Where the student is transported from two separate locations,  the parent must provide a schedule at least 10 days in advance for approval that is consistent and meets all the eligibility criteria. 

Transportation to an alternate location will not be considered for playdates, after-school activities, occasional childcare or to visit a friend after school.

Request for transportation from one alternate location is done on the Request for Yellow Bus Transportation before the start of the school year.  Please ensure you provide details in the comments section where transportation is requested from two locations during the school year.   

Specialized Transportation is available to students with disabilities who cannot, because of the severity of their disability/delay, use regular transportation services.

The Student Services Department, in consultation with the Principal and the Secretary-Treasurer, will determine eligibility for Special Transportation and the type of transportation required.

• Be respectful to the driver and other passengers
• Use respectful language
• Stay seated at all times
• Keep aisles and exits clear
• Do not throw objects or extend limbs from the window
• No dangerous, illegal, or large items allowed 
• Carry bus passes at all times
• Follow crossing safety rules
• No guest riders or adult passengers

The conduct of students on the bus is subject to the school code of conduct. Failure to follow bus rules may result in discipline or suspension. The bus is an extension of the school/classroom.
 

• Review bus rules with your child
• Ensure child is at the stop 3–5 minutes early
• ECS students must have an adult present at drop-off
• Do not ask drivers to deviate from assigned stops
• Update the Division of any address change using the appropriate form
   

Bus routes and the location of stops are pre-determined for each neighbourhood and are not based on the home address of individual students. Master Bus stops are established to allow for an efficient and safe transportation system. 

Master bus stops are activated or de-activated based on the ridership of each bus route. Students riding yellow buses will be picked-up/dropped-off at the nearest master bus stop from their home. 

Parents/Guardians are responsible for their child or children until they board the Yellow Bus and follow the unloading at their designated stop in the afternoon. It is expected that younger students will be accompanied by an adult or older sibling or friends to and from the bus stop, especially at the start of the school year.  

Bus stop locations will not be changed for convenience, to reduce walking distance to and from a residence or to allow the stop to be viewed from a specific residence. Where possible, the walking distance to/from a bus stop will be kept at or below 0.7 km. Parents/Guardians may request that the location of a bus stop be reviewed by completing a Yellow Bus Transportation Inquiry Form. The form will provide the necessary information for the Division Transportation Contractor to conduct such reviews. Sparksman Transportation, the School or the Catholic Education Centre will not accept any request by phone. The location of individual bus stops will seldom be modified unless an obvious safety concern was overlooked.