Transportation

Application for transportation may be made at the school which the student attends. Education Act, Regulation 2001-51.

Pupil transportation can be removed for discipline infractions or actions that compromise student, driver, or public safety. Pupil transportation is a privilege, not a right.  District Policy 551 and  Education Act, Regulation 2001-51.

► Go to the BusPlanner 

► Click on Parent Portal and follow the instructions to subscribe

► Add your students. You will need: student id number (NBEN on Report Cards), birth date, house number (do not fill in full address, do not include street name), and school.

After completing the above, you will receive the bussing information (bus number, bus stop, bus arrival time and bus route) for your child or children. You can also choose to receive alerts pertaining to school closures, bus delays and cancellations.

Assuming you have already successfully applied for transportation, you can fill out  District Policy 552 Appendix A and wait for approval from our department. Approval will be granted for ONE bus stop on an existing bus route only. Bus routes will not be altered.

Submit the new address to the school that the student attends. All bussing information comes from the schools to our transportation system.

The Department of Education has prepared a school bus safety presentation and safety guidelines which can be viewed at EECD Pupil Transportation – School Bus.

Please encourage your child:

• to be at the bus stop at least 5 minutes early.
• to wait patiently at the bus stop and not engage in horseplay.
• to be careful getting on and off the bus.
• to sit quietly and keep their hands to themselves while on the bus.
• always obey the instructions of their school bus driver.

There must be a parent/guardian waiting at the bus stop for grades K-2 students. If there is not someone available, the student will be returned to their school and parents/guardians contacted for pickup of their child.

Large items (i.e. items that cannot fit into the child’s school bag), such as certain school projects (other than on Bristol board) or sports equipment (including skateboards), cannot be brought on the bus because of space limitations and safety concerns. Ice skates that are guarded and in a protective bag are permitted.

Advisories concerning changes in bussing due to delays or school closures are broadcast on local radio stations and this website as soon as we are made aware of the problem.

The Transportation department is comprised of Manager David McCormick, Assistant Manager Pat Steeves, Clerk Carolyn Lawson, Bus Drivers, Spare Bus Drivers, and Special Needs Attendants. It also receives the contracted support of Coach Atlantic Transportation Group to transport over 9 500 students daily to and from the district’s 37 schools.

Every Anglophone East student who is eligible for transportation is assigned a specific bus stop and route number. Transportation staff use Pupil Transportation Management software program to determine required bus stops. Our Software considers bus seating capacity, student data, zoning information, and safety variables during processing to create the safest, most efficient bus routes possible.

Many of the sub-divisions in our district do not have sidewalks and the lighting is poor in many areas. With our routing software, and our knowledge of the areas we service, we try very hard to place our bus stops at the safest location possible. But, it is very important to remember that it is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian to see that a child gets safely to and from the bus stop.

Fill out the bus stop request form​. Bus stop requests received in September will be reviewed starting in October and may take a month to be completed due to the large volume of requests received.

The stop location will be reviewed by ASD-E Transportation staff who makes a determination based on several factors, (eg. distance to stop policy, sight lines, distance between stops, other students assigned to stop, etc.). The decision may or may not result in the stop being changed. Requests for bus stop location changes for convenience purposes will not be considered.

The types of concerns typically raised by parents are no sidewalks, traffic speed, no posted school zone signs, no cross walks, no crossing guards, no railroad crossing signs and/or construction. These potential concerns are under the jurisdiction of the municipality.

No. The Driver is NOT authorized to change route or stop locations.

We encourage you to walk with your children to the bus stop however, if you must drive please park away from the designated bus stop, do not block driveways or Double Park and please make sure you arrive in plenty of time, the bus driver cannot pull over to let your child on the bus if you are running late. Make sure you do not block the bus and remember, you must not pass the bus when the lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, it’s the law!

No, your child’s transportation is governed by the same policies as other families who do not have infants at home. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to get your child to and from the bus stop in both the morning and afternoon.

Our routing system calculates the mileage of the route, the number of stops along the route, and the speed limits of the roads to determine the “approximate” pick up and drop off time. What the routing program cannot do is calculate the traffic conditions, weather, and road conditions along the route. Therefore, it becomes necessary for the driver to make adjustments. The afternoon drop off can vary some depending who is riding, traffic conditions and weather. If you feel the bus is running later than usual, 15 minutes or more, please call the school and see if the bus was delayed for any reason, or call our office 506-856-2526.

For your child’s safety and your peace of mind, someone MUST be at the stop to meet any student who is in grades K-2. The driver cannot wait at the stop to watch all the students walk to their homes. Also, very young students may get lost or distracted on the way home. Please have someone there who will make sure your child gets home safely. Remember, it is your responsibility to make sure your child is safe to and from the bus stop.

At the beginning of the school year, bus routes are developed for all eligible riders, not knowing who is and who is not going to ride. Routes are constructed with the best of intentions based on known information at the time when routes are developed. However, it is only after bus routes get underway that the District learns where added efficiencies can be found. From the time bus information is made available to parents, about two (2) weeks prior to the start of school, until about mid-to-late September; bus pick-up and drop-off times may vary. Parents/guardians are asked to be patient as bus drivers learn their new routes and become familiar with their new students. Once the school year gets underway, buses generally run on time with exception to weather conditions, road construction, no adult present at the bus stop, students who become ill, mechanical problems, etc.

The Motor Vehicle Act states that upon activation of the overhead yellow lights, “…motorists should slow down and be prepared to stop.”

Yes… you MUST stop. There is no provision in law to permit a motorist to pass a school bus with its overhead red lights on and stop arm(s) extended. The penalties for “running the overhead reds” in a “school bus zone” (5 meters in any direction around the bus) are double, similar to traffic violations in a construction zone. Fines are very expensive. Who gets the ticket? Under current case law in New Brunswick, the registered owner of the vehicle is the presumed driver. You do not need to be identified to receive a ticket from the police – only the vehicle’s license plate number is needed to issue a traffic citation. Loss of life due to an accident while running the red lights is an indictable offense. Don’t do it!

A warning that a bus stop is about to take place will always be given with the flashing amber lights on the front and rear of the school bus. Upon seeing these flashing amber lights, vehicles approaching the school bus from both the front and rear should immediately slow down and prepare to stop. All drivers must pay special attention to children, be focused and exercise caution when in the vicinity of a school bus stop, as student riders can sometimes be unpredictable. Once the bus is fully stopped, the flashing red lights will activate once door and the stop arm are deployed. Vehicles must stop and should remain stopped until all loading of students are aboard the bus in the morning or all unloading passengers have cleared 12 feet off the roadway in the afternoon. Only after passengers have cleared the roadway, the stop arm is cancelled and the flashing red lights are deactivated. Only then Motorists should proceed with caution.