Transportation

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Sooke School District's Transportation Policy?

  School Board Policy: Transportation

  The Sooke District School Board Policy on Transportation was approved by the Board of Education on April 26, 2022. 

  We will provide transportation services for students to their catchment schools under the following guiding principles:

  • Transportation services will be provided on a priority basis based on the age of the student and the distance from the student's catchment school. 
  • Transportation services will be provided to schools outside of a student's catchment, but within their existing zone of schools*, when the student is attending an educational program of choice or an academy that is not offered at their catchment school. 
    • Educational programs of choice are defined as: 
      • French Immersion (as long as the student is attending their designated French Immersion catchment school)
      • Trades Awareness and Skills Knowledge (TASK)
      • Nature Kindergarten
  • The District will charge all riders a safety fee to directly increase the safety of students and staff using the District's transportation system. 

  *Zones refer to the Belmont Zone (Colwood-Langford) and the Milnes Landing Zone (Sooke). 

  "The School Act does not require school districts to provide school bus transportation services and therefore it is the responsibility of each family to determine the best transportation option to and from school to meet their needs."

• I registered, but did not receive an email prompting me to pay the bus fees. How do I pay the fees?

  Please go into your School Cash Online account and make sure your children are attached to your account. Once they are attached, you will see the school bus fees as an option and can pay. You can find step-by-step instructions on how to attach your children to your account on page 9 of this document. 

• My children don't show up in my School Cash Online account. What can I do?

  You simply need to attach them to your account. You can find step-by-step instructions on how to attach your children to your account on page 9 of this document. Once they are attached, you will see the option to pay the school bus fees.

• My child does not attend their catchment school. Can I still register them for the school bus?

  Transportation services will be provided to schools outside of a student's catchment, but within their existing zone of schools, when the student is attending an educational program of choice or an academy that is not offered at their catchment school. 

  • Educational programs of choice are defined as: 
    • French Immersion (as long as the student is attending their designated French Immersion catchment school)

    • Trades Awareness and Skills Knowledge (TASK)

    • Nature Kindergarten

  If your child is attending an out of catchment school for reasons other than the above, they will be ineligible to register for transportation. 

• My child lives part time with me and part time at another address. How do we register and will we need to pay the Safety Enhancement Fee twice?

  We understand that some students live part time with one parent and part time with another. We ask that one parent registers one address and pays the fee. Then, please contact our Transportation Department to let them know that another address needs to be added for that child. 

• Do all bus riders need to register every year?

  Yes, all riders from kindergarten to Grade 12 need to be registered. It is a government requirement to have a passenger list for each bus.

• What is the Transportation Fee for a rider?

  Fee Structure

  • Transportation Fee: $300 per rider 
  • Safety Fee: $25 per rider
  • Online Processing Fee: 3%

  Total Fees per Family:

  Number of Riders	Transportation Fee	Safety Fee	Processing Fee	Total
  1	$300.00	$25.00	$8.25	$333.25
  2	$600.00	$50.00	$16.50	$666.50
  3	$750.00	$75.00	$21.00	$846.00
  4	$750.00	$100.00	$21.75	$871.75

  _{*Safety fees are non-refundable.}

  Please contact your school if you have questions about financial assistance. They will notify the Transportation Department.

• What is the refund policy?

  Refund Policy

  • Safety fees are non-refundable.
  • If you need to cancel your bus registration, the transportation fee will be prorated, and the unused portion will be refunded.
• What will the Safety Enhancement Fee be used for?

  The bus safety enhancement fee will be used to implement and use enhanced safety features on our buses. 

• My child left something on the bus. How can they retrieve it?

  Items left behind on the afternoon route will remain on the bus overnight for students to retrieve in the morning. It is recommended to email or call the Transportation Department as soon as soon as you recognize an item may have been left behind on the school bus.

• What time should my child be at the bus stop?

  Students should be at their bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.

• Can my child bring sports and/or band equipment on the bus?

  In accordance with MVA regulations, school bus drivers cannot transport items other than a regular backpack which can fit comfortably on the student’s lap without extending into the space of others or into the aisle. Prohibited items include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Guitars, trombones, tenor and baritone saxophones
  • Drums, cellos and other large instruments
  • Hockey sticks and equipment
  • Lacrosse sticks
  • Baseball bats
  • Skateboards (long and regular boards)
  • Large school projects that will not fit on a student’s lap
  • Bicycles

  Items which can be transported:

  • Regular sized back packs or bags that sit comfortably on a student’s lap
  • Small band instruments such as flutes, trumpets, alto saxophone and other instruments up to that size
  • Sport balls that fit into a backpack

  Transporting students to and from their schools safely is our primary goal. We appreciate your support in maintaining a safe environment for your child’s ride to school.

• I changed addresses over the summer, can I still register?

  Yes, as long as space is available on the route needed.

• Our family just moved into SD62, can I still register for the school bus?

  Yes, as long as space is available on the route needed.

• Do all kindergarten – Grade 3 students need to be met by a parent/guardian at their drop off stop?

  Yes, either or a parent, guardian or older sibling must meet the bus. If there isn’t someone there to meet the student, he/she will be returned to the school. Parents/Guardians can provide written permission to the Transportation Department if they wish for their Kindergarten-Grade 3 student to walk home unaccompanied.

• Can drivers add a stop or change a route?

  No. Drivers can suggest changes or a parent can call the Transportation Department, but the final decision rests with the Transportation Department.

• Will I receive a call if the bus is late?

  Unfortunately, we do not have the technology to notify parents about bus times and locations. For buses that face large delays, we will do our best to get communication out via email/phone and our social media pages.

  All bus runs are completed, even if late.

• Who do I call if the buses are running late?

  The Transportation Department at 250-474-9845

• Can my child bring a friend on the bus?

  No. At this time, friends and/or unregistered students are not permitted on the bus.

• Can my child bring a pet animal on the bus?

  No. Only certified guide/assistance animals are permitted. All guide/assistance animals must first be approved by the Transportation Department.

• Should I call if my child will be absent from school?

  Only if your child is registered on an accessibility bus or if your child is the only one at a stop that is “out of the way.”

• Can my child be picked up and dropped off at different locations?

  Please contact the Transportation Department for confirmation. We will try to meet the needs of the student and family if possible.

• Does my child need to ride a specific bus route?

  Yes, students must ride on the specific bus he or she was registered for.

• Are e-cigarettes allowed?

  No. Smoking of any kind or substance on the bus will result in disciplinary action.

• Can I ride on the bus with my child?

  No, only registered students may ride on the bus.

• My child is small. Can a booster seat be used?

  Booster seats are not allowed because there is no way to properly secure them.