Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR) uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to calculate the distance for transportation eligibility. Distances are measured from the end of your property to the closest access point to the school–not door to door. The maps used are provided by the Region of Waterloo, and include designated pathways and access points. Find your child’s transportation eligibility.

STSWR works with the Region of Waterloo, local Municipalities and Townships to ensure that walking routes and paths meet specific safety criteria before being recommended by STSWR. The infrastructure needs to be adequate for the safe pedestrian traffic.

Often referred to as “filling up the bus”, this is a question we regularly receive from parents and community members. While your child’s bus may not appear to be full, here  are some important things to keep in mind:

• Not every student who is eligible for transportation rides the bus every day, but STSWR is still required to plan for their transportation because they are eligible under the board’s transportation policy.
• The number of students that can be loaded on a bus is based on capacity standards set by the industry.
• STSWR plans based on 3 students per seat up to Grade 6, and 2 students per seat from Grade 7 – 12.
• Providing ineligible students with “courtesy” transportation is not allowed under either board’s transportation policy. This is because courtesy transportation has been identified by the Ministry of Education as an inefficient practice that adds to route times and increases the number of buses we have on the road.

Please review the Transportation Appeal Process.

No. The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) and Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) have determined that students attending French Immersion from outside the school’s regular attendance boundary are not eligible for transportation. Please refer to the board’s transportation procedure for more 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 children to school. No exceptions will be given to older siblings to ride with their younger sibling.

Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR) is a separate legal entity established by the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) and the Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) to plan and oversee the delivery of student transportation in the Region. While the responsibility for establishing transportation policies remains with the individual school boards, STSWR is charged with applying the policies and procedures set by the boards in a consistent manner across the system. The STSWR staff members are employed directly by STSWR, and management reports to a board of directors made up of senior administration from the two school boards.

If you think about the hassle of congested traffic near the school, that quick drop off might not be so convenient, after all. If you are in a car around a school, you are creating vehicle crowding that increases danger and confusion for students, could add time to your work commute or morning errands, and may even lead to a traffic ticket. Schools are built to be conveniently located in residential communities in order that more students can walk…when the students in the walk zone do walk, community streets flow better for all users.

The safety of students is the number one priority for STSWR and the partner school boards. If you have concerns regarding a specific bus or taxi cab driver, please contact STSWR at 519-744-7575. If you suspect a driver is impaired or driving dangerously while operating a vehicle, please call 911 immediately.

STSWR will advise, via the media and the STSWR website, of any bus cancellations due to weather. In most cases these notifications will be sent out before 7am on the day of the cancellation. Should the weather deteriorate during the day causing an early dismissal, parents/guardian will be contacted by the school prior to the students being sent home. For the quickest updates, please follow us on Twitter @STSWR, sign up for the subscription service or check the website at www.stswr.ca. For the latest daily delays, check the Delays and Cancellations at https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Cancellations.aspx.

Once you have received the busing information online or from the school, you will know the assigned location and approximate time for the bus. Your child 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 child 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.

Please review our policy on crutches.

Please complete a Special Request Form and submit it to your child’s principal. Once the request has been approved by the principal and the designated superintendent, STSWR will contact the school with your transportation information.

Contact the Operator for lost items. To do this you will need to know your child’s bus route.

To find this information use the Student Login function.

Walk the route with your child a few times until you’re comfortable that your child understands and can apply safe walking practices. This can take place before the school year begins or on weekends if you do not have the ability to accompany your child on school days. You can also look into the possibility of connecting with an older student living in your neighbourhood to create a walking buddy system. In addition, our Transportation Technicians can offer a walking route map. Please call us at 519-744-7575.

No. Without a written notice from Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region, no bus driver is authorised to make changes to your child’s bus stop or bus schedule. To make changes to your pick-up or drop-off address, please contact your school.

Our interactive database provides the ability to select the current school year or next school year in order to retrieve school boundary and transportation information for your child.

Dates information becomes available for the next school year:

• Attendance boundaries in the beginning of February.
• Busing eligibility and route numbers in the last week of August.

All vehicles have signs displayed in the window at the front of the bus indicating the route number. To find your child’s route number:

1. Go to “Student Login” (link available on our homepage).
2. Change the School Year to the year you are looking for (20172018)
3. Enter your child’s Ontario Education Number (OEN) – numbers only, no space, no dash. Please note that OENs are printed on report cards
4. Enter your child’s birth date (dd/mm/yyyy)
5. Enter your street number (house number only)
6. Select your child’s school

Additionally:

1. The school issues a kindergarten tag to each kindergarten student. Tags are fastened on backpacks with the PM stop location and route number facing outward. This allows staff to assist students in boarding the correct bus.
2. Although it varies from school to school, bus lists are sometimes printed to support the teacher on duty in directing students toward the appropriate bus.

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.

1. To determine which school your child should attend, use: Which School Do I Attend? (link on the home page of STSWR)
2. To determine your child’s Transportation Eligibility, use: Transportation Eligibility

STSWR will advise, via the media and the STSWR website, of any bus cancellations due to weather. In most cases these notifications will be sent out before 7am on the day of the cancellation. Should the weather deteriorate during the day causing an early dismissal, parents/guardian will be contacted by the school prior to the students being sent home. For the quickest updates, please follow us on Twitter @STSWR, sign up for the subscription service or check the website at www.stswr.ca. For the latest daily delays, check the Delays and Cancellations at https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Cancellations.aspx.

No. Without a written notice from Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region, no bus driver is authorised to make changes to your child’s bus stop or bus schedule. To make changes to your pick-up or drop-off address, please contact your school.

Yes. As long as the childcare is located at an address that is eligible for transportation from your child’s school, and the arrangements are consistent – always pick-up from the designated address and/or dropped off at a designated address. To request an alternate pick-up or drop-off, please contact your school and provide the alternate childcare address. Once approved, you will receive updated transportation information.

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.

The safety of students is the number one priority for STSWR and the partner school boards. If you have concerns regarding a specific bus or taxi cab driver, please contact STSWR at 519-744-7575. If you suspect a driver is impaired or driving dangerously while operating a vehicle, please call 911 immediately.

Musical instruments to a maximum size of 18 inches by 10 inches by 10 inches (46 cm by 26 cm by 26 cm) are allowed on the bus. Instruments over this size are not permitted on the bus.

Please review the Transportation Appeal Process.

Please review our policy on crutches.

Please complete a Special Request Form and submit it to your child’s principal. Once the request has been approved by the principal and the designated superintendent, STSWR will contact the school with your transportation information.

To ensure that your child is not mistakenly placed on a bus, please complete the Transportation Do Not Ride form and return it to your child’s school as soon as possible.

If your child will occasionally be riding the bus, do not complete this form, it is only for students who will never be riding the bus. For safety reasons, it is highly recommended that young children have a consistent travel arrangement.

An average Kindergartener can walk one kilometre in twenty minutes, and stamina for walking (and all day long) improves quickly with daily practice. Often, small children have a harder time sitting still than they do moving for that amount of time. In fact, 20 minutes of physical activity at the beginning of the day can boost metabolism, increase mental focus for up to four hours, and help your child sleep better at night.

In Canada, we face some unique weather issues. But school children all across Canada spend 15-50 minutes outside at a time for recess and must be dressed appropriately to take advantage of that time for fresh air, physical activity, and open spaces. If they are equipped for the walk to school, they will also be equipped for that outdoor recess time.

If you think about the hassle of congested traffic near the school, that quick drop off might not be so convenient, after all. If you are in a car around a school, you are creating vehicle crowding that increases danger and confusion for students, could add time to your work commute or morning errands, and may even lead to a traffic ticket. Schools are built to be conveniently located in residential communities in order that more students can walk…when the students in the walk zone do walk, community streets flow better for all users.

Please review our policy on crutches.

Please complete a Special Request Form and submit it to your child’s principal. Once the request has been approved by the principal and the designated superintendent, STSWR will contact the school with your transportation information.

Walk the route with your child a few times until you’re comfortable that your child understands and can apply safe walking practices. This can take place before the school year begins or on weekends if you do not have the ability to accompany your child on school days. You can also look into the possibility of connecting with an older student living in your neighbourhood to create a walking buddy system. In addition, our Transportation Technicians can offer a walking route map. Please call us at 519-744-7575.