Families must register for school bus transportation by Friday Aug. 1 to guarantee service on the first day of school, Rocky View Schools (RVS) said in a statement issued July 17.
“We strive to ensure a smooth first day of school for our riders, their families and our drivers,” said Morley Kostecky, RVS Senior Manager of Transportation. “Registering punctually for transportation ensures all riders are assigned a bus route and bus stop in time for the beginning of the school year.”
The division said registrations received after Aug. 1 will not be processed in time and may result in delays of two to three weeks before students can access bus service.
Eligibility
Student transportation is available to families whose primary residence is located within the attendance boundary of their designated school and meets the following distance requirements: students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 must live more than 1.5 kilometres from their school, while students in Grades 7 to 12 must live more than 2.0 kilometres away.
Students attending a non-designated (out-of-area) school may access busing where stops already exist within that school’s boundary, if space permits. Non-resident students—those living outside RVS boundaries—must contact the division directly to inquire about eligibility.
Where possible, bus stops are placed no more than 400 metres from the homes of Kindergarten to Grade 6 students and no more than 1.2 kilometres from the homes of students in Grades 7 to 12.
2025–26 Transportation Fees
For resident students attending their designated school, the transportation fee is $395 for each of the first two Grade 1–12 students in a family. Any additional students in Grades 1–12 are charged a discounted fee of $197.50. Kindergarten students transported once per day are charged $197.50 for the first two students, with a discounted fee of $98.75 for each additional Kindergarten student.
The same fee structure applies to resident students attending non-designated schools, as well as students shuttled between Springbank Middle School and Springbank High School. A secondary stop on a different route costs an additional $395 per student, or $197.50 for Kindergarten riders.
Families who registered by June 30, 2025, received an early registration discount of $40 per student at the full rate or $20 per student at the discounted rate.
For non-resident students who access RVS buses within the division and attend Beiseker, Kathryn, Westbrook, Indus, Crossfield Elementary, or W.G. Murdoch School, the fee is $395 per student or $197.50 for those qualifying for the discounted rate. Non-resident students attending other schools within RVS boundaries are charged $851 per student, regardless of family size or grade level.
Transportation Fee Waiver
Families may apply for a transportation fee waiver by submitting a form through the SchoolEngage portal in their PowerSchool Parent account. To qualify, a family must live within RVS boundaries, must have received the annual GST credit from the Canada Revenue Agency in the previous year, and must be the parent who claims the student as a dependent.
A copy of the previous year’s GST credit notice must accompany the application. The waiver is not available to non-resident or international students. The application deadline is June 30, 2025. If a fee has already been paid and the waiver is later approved, a refund will be issued to the original method of payment.
Orientation Event: My First Ride
RVS will host My First Ride, a school bus orientation program for new riders, on Aug. 27 and 28 at the RVS Education Centre (2651 Chinook Winds Drive SW, Airdrie). Each session runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and begins promptly at 6 p.m. The program is not a drop-in event.
“My First Ride is an exciting event we hold for new bus riders and their families every summer in partnership with our bus contractors,” said Kostecky. “Families are welcome to attend this free event where they will learn about safely riding the school bus. Our staff and contractors will be on hand to answer questions and ensure students are ready to ride the school bus this year.”
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