Family Hub
Make your child’s commute to school a positive experience that contributes to their educational journey, whether you reside in a Walk Zone or a Bus Zone.
Portal Login Read FAQsBUS DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS
Make your child’s commute to school a positive experience that contributes to their educational journey, whether you reside in a Walk Zone or a Bus Zone.
Portal Login Read FAQsGetting your child to and from school shouldn’t feel complicated. From bus eligibility and safety tips to walking maps and alternative transportation options STSWR can help make every trip to school simple and stress‑free.
Find the most popular resources for kindergarten families, including how to check bus eligibility, learn about the First Rider program, and sign up for our subscription service to make your child’s first school journey easier.
Explore key information about riding the bus, including safety guidelines, answers to common questions, and how to check if your child is eligible for transportation.
Learn about safe walking routes, explore Walk Zone resources, and find tips to help your child walk to school confidently and safely.
Log in to view your child’s bus eligibility, check for cancellations or school closures, and find key route details—all in one place.
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Statement Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region may provide transportation for students…
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Stay informed with updates on bus delays and cancellations as they are posted. By subscribing, you’ll get free alerts sent straight to your email or phone so you know as soon as STSWR knows that your child’s route or school is affected.
Stay informed as soon as changes are posted to the portal.
Choose email or text message alerts based on what’s most convenient for you.
Get updates for your child’s specific bus route or school.
Note that delays under 10 minutes are not reported.
Check out our YouTube channel to learn safety tips, active travel insights, and even how inclement weather choices are made! Subscribe to be the first to see new content as we add it.
Looking for a meaningful job that makes a difference in your community? As equal opportunity employers, local bus operators welcome applicants from all backgrounds and various walks of life to apply. Let’s make a difference together!
To determine which school your student should attend, use: Which School Do I Attend?
To determine your student’s Transportation Eligibility, use: Can I Ride a Bus?
Notifications are posted by the bus operator when the bus is more than 10 minutes late from its scheduled morning pick up location or afternoon departure time. The delay is calculated from the scheduled time, not the notification time.
For example, if a bus scheduled for 8:30am arrival is delayed by 20-30 minutes and the notification is sent at 8:45 am,the bus should arrive between 8:50 am and 9:00 am.
If your student’s bus is delayed and you have not received a delay notification, please contact the bus operator listed on your Parent Portal directly for updates. They are responsible for posting delays and can provide you with information you request.
All US based phone numbers will not receive text messages. The only option for those families is email.
To change a home address, childcare/babysitter address, contact information or any other personal information, please contact your school’s main office. Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region arranges transportation based on the information provided by the school.
Yes. As long as the childcare/babysitter is located at an address that is eligible for transportation from your student’s school, and the arrangements are consistent (i.e. always pick-up from the designated address and/or dropped off at a designated address).
Click here to see if your student is eligible for transportation from their childcare/babysitter address.
To request an alternate pick-up or drop-off, please contact your school and provide the alternate childcare/babysitter address. Once approved, you will receive updated transportation information.
The distance policy varies depending on school board and grade. Each school board has their own distance policy. In the case of two siblings in different grades having different eligibilities, it is up to the parent to decide how they get their students to school. No exceptions will be given to older siblings to ride with their younger sibling.
Once you have received the busing information from your Parent Portal or from the school, you will know the assigned location and approximate time for the bus. Your student needs to be at the assigned location for the bus stop 5 minutes prior to the scheduled pick up time.
Be sure traffic is clear if you need to cross any roadways.
Your student should line up to board the bus. For younger JK and SK students, we suggest they sit close to the bus driver at the front of the bus.
For more information on the responsibilities of different stakeholders see Roles and Responsibilities.
We can! We use GoogleMaps, CyclingGuide, and an understanding of street infrastructure and student travel to help you identify a route; vetting that route and practicing it is up to you as a parent. Please reach out to the School Travel Planner who arranges busing for your school on our directory page for more information.