New Riders

Do you have a child enrolled to start school in in September? Is your child riding the bus for the first time?
Look no further!

STSCO’s New Rider webpage will provide information on how to use STSCO’s online Parent Portal to check eligibility, opt-in for transportation from the home address or a daycare and look up bus information. If your home address is Out of Boundary, you can submit an opt-in request to be considered for an available seat on a bus, if space allows.

NOTE: If your child requires specialized transportation for a special needs program, medical condition, or disability, please speak to the school Principal or Special Education teacher (this type of request cannot be made online).

If a student lives in two homes, due to shared custody living arrangements, please speak to the school about completing the Request for Joint Custody Transportation Form (as it is not available online).

How do I know if my child is eligible for transportation?

Please use the Can I Ride a Bus? tool on our website, under the ELIGIBILITY header to enter the home address for the student, their grade level and program (if French Immersion, International Baccalaureate or Integrated Arts) to display the home school and eligibility for transportation.

How do I register for transportation?

To register and opt-in for transportation the parent/guardian must first create a Parent Portal account using the email address the school has on file for them. Once the account is created the parent should automatically see all their children in their account.

NOTE: If a student is missing, please contact the school to determine what parent/guardian email address is on the student(s) record. If the school updates the parent/guardian email address, the change will take 72 hours to be reflected in the Parent Portal.

How do I Opt-In my child for busing?

When logged into the Parent Portal navigate to the Online Forms & Requests page under the PARENT drop-down menu to submit an opt-in request for each student.

Opt-In for Home to School Transportation – this form is intended for all eligible students requiring transportation to/from the home address on file.

Opt-In for Alternate Address (Daycare/Sitter) Transportation – this form is intended for students requiring transportation to/from an alternate address for the purpose of before and after school care.

Opt-in for Out of Boundary Consideration – this form can be submitted for students that live outside the school’s transportation boundary and outside the schools walk zone area that wish to be considered for an available seat.

Once an opt-in request is submitted a confirmation email will be sent to the parent for each submission.

STSCO will email the parent to advise of the outcome of the request. If approved STSCO will arrange the transportation and update the parent portal with the busing information.

NOTE: If your child requires specialized transportation for a special needs program, medical condition, or disability, please speak to the school Principal or Special Education teacher (this type of request cannot be made online).

If a student lives in two homes, due to shared custody living arrangements, please speak to the school about completing the Request for Joint Custody Transportation Form (as it is not available online... yet).

Please be aware it can take 5-7 business days for transportation to be arranged. Parent(s)/guardian(s) are responsible for the safe conveyance of their children to and from school if the student is not approved to transportation or until transportation is arranged.

How do I check my child's busing information?

Parent/guardian can log into their Parent Portal account and click on My Students to view the transportation information for the student. Here you will see the scheduled pick up and drop off times, stop location and route number that the student has been assigned.

The bus company phone number is also available for parents/guardians in the parent portal. Please contact the bus company directly if the student forgets something on the bus or if you need support to determine when the bus will arrive.

Please arrive to the stop 10 minutes in advance of the scheduled time each school day.

Please Note: Transportation Information for the upcoming school year is available AFTER August 1st.

Who can meet my child at the bus?

If your child is in JK - Grade 3, they must be met by a parent and/or guardian at the bus stop. If a parent and/or guardian is not available, please have another adult (i.e., Grandma, neighbour) introduce themselves to the driver and specify which child they are meeting. If there is any concern the driver will have dispatch call the parent/guardian to confirm before letting the child off of the bus. If an adult is not present to meet the child, the driver will keep the child on the bus until they are able to contact their parent and/or guardian for alternative arrangements.

Annual STSCO First Rider

Will your children be riding a school bus for the first time this September?
Families of New JK Students: Please Plan to Attend our Annual First Rider Program The First Rider program is offered by Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO) and local school bus operators.

Please also visit our FAQ page for other important information.