2023-24 transportation information coming soon!
St. Paul Education transports over 1800 students throughout the Division. 40% of our buses are Division-owned and 60% are contract operators. Approximately 1.5 million km are logged annually.
How to Apply for Busing
New for the 2022-23 school year, all students who ride a St. Paul Education bus must now apply for busing yearly. This includes students who ride a rural bus.
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In order to register for busing, students must be registered and approved in a St. Paul Education school.
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Bus transportation applications are available through the school registration process. If families do not apply for busing at the time of registration, they can do so at a later date by logging into the Powerschool Parent Portal and selecting School Engage. Note: Town of St. Paul In-Town Busing is on a first come first serve basis and subject to seat availability, therefore early registration is encouraged.
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Bus applications received prior to August 24, 2022 will be processed immediately. Applications received after August 24, 2022, may result in a wait time for students/children accessing a school bus in the fall.
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Approved busing applications will receive an email confirmation with further details.
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To arrange busing for students residing on the Nations of Frog Lake, Saddle Lake, and Whitefish Lake, please contact the Nation directly. (Frog Lake Cree Nation - (780)943-3737, Saddle Lake Cree Nation Band Office - (780)726-3829, Whitefish Lake First Nation #128 Band Office - (780)636-7000)
Fees, Payment and General Reminders
Choose one of the options below for bus transportation fees, payment instructions and other important information.
Occasional Bus Service
For the safety of your child(ren), it is important for us at St. Paul Education to know each passenger riding our fleet of school buses. Therefore, non-regular passengers are not permitted to ride our school buses without prior consent from St. Paul Education Transportation Department. Please note that special busing requests for birthday parties, sleepovers, etc will not be approved.
Alertus Notification App
If your child rides a Division bus, you can receive notifications regarding bus delays/cancellations and other important information from your child’s school by signing up for the Alertus App. Click here for more information and instructions on how to sign up.
If you have any questions regarding transportation, or would like support with bus registration, please call our Transportation Department at 780-645-3323.
Cross-Area Student Transportation
St. Paul Education recognizes its responsibility to provide transportation for students in accordance with the intent of the policies of Alberta Education and in keeping with student needs at the local level.
While the Board accepts parents’ right to choose the school their children shall attend, in a rural setting this right is not automatically extended to include transportation. In order to respect Alberta Education guidelines and maintain an efficient and effective transportation system, the Division must establish transportation areas. Students living within a particular transportation area will be provided with transportation to a school within their specified area.
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Parents who are planning to register students at a school outside their transportation area may be fully responsible for transportation to that school, but may apply for school bus transportation to their residence where reasonable, or drive their children to an existing pick-up/drop-off point on a route to that school providing room is available on the bus and in the school.
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Parents and individuals purchasing new property are responsible for contacting the St. Paul Education Regional Division Office to confirm their transportation area.
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Requests for transportation outside of an individual’s transportation area must be received annually in writing as per the specified form by the Director of Transportation no later than May 15 to be considered for the following school year.
Inclement Weather
Extreme Weather Busing Infographic
Extreme Cold Weather and Busing in the Afternoon
The Board is concerned about the safe transport of students to and from school. In the event of inclement weather or hazardous road conditions, school bus transportation may be cancelled prior to school opening; early school bus dismissal from schools may occur during school hours; and/or, during severe weather advisory conditions, a school or schools may be closed prior to and/or after schools are opened.
The criteria for transportation closure or enhancement for this division are that buses on a particular route(s) in any community or in some cases across the whole jurisdiction will not run in mornings when:
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The temperature is -40°C or colder;
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In cases of temperatures warmer than -40°C if the wind chill factor is -40ºC or greater as per The Weather Network. Refer to "feels like" when determining the effect of wind chill on the temperature.
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Road conditions are such, on particular routes, that the probability is significant that a particular bus(es) cannot in reasonable safety complete the route.
The decision for cancellation of transportation services will rest with the Principal in consultation with bus drivers/contractors. During inclement weather, the final decision to send a child to the bus stop or to school rests with parents, even though buses may be operational. Parents are responsible for listening to the designated radio stations or checking the St. Paul Education website to receive the correct information with regard to school closures or bus cancellations. Local radio stations notified of bus/school closures are:
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CFCW Radio
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Real Country 95.9
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Real Country 97.7
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Country 99
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Boom 95.3
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Hot FM 101.3
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630 CHED
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Global TV
Parents should ensure that students are dressed appropriately while traveling to and from school during inclement weather conditions whether they are riding the bus or walking. The temperatures on a school bus may drop dramatically in the event of mechanical problems.
Parent Responsibilities
It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure their children are aware and adhere to the Student Transportation Guidelines and Regulations.
1. Accept responsibility for the proper conduct of their children
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Instruct children to obey all traffic rules, regulations and administrative procedures
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Be responsible for any damage to a bus caused by their children
2. Ensure that their children are at the bus stop on time
3. Ensure that their children are properly dressed for the weather conditions
4. Sign up for the Alertus notification app and/or watch Division social and radio media for inclement weather updates
5. Inform the driver of any pertinent health information regarding their child (i.e. life threatening allergies, medical conditions, etc.)
6. Contact the driver
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with any bus issues or concerns
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when their children are to be absent from school or when they do not require busing for the morning/afternoon runs
NOTE: These guidelines are based on the Alberta Traffic Safety Act, the Alberta Education Act, and Division policies and guidelines.
Student Responsibilities
The student’s primary responsibility is to conduct himself/herself in a manner which will not cause the driver to divert his/her attention from driving the bus.
1. Follow all Division applicable Administrative Procedures such as:
- AP 140 Acceptable Technology Use
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AP 160 Welcoming, Caring, Respectful, Safe and Inclusive Learning Environments
2. Be on time (3 to 5 minutes prior to bus arrival)
3. Avoid distracting the driver with loud noises
4. Keep the bus clean and in good condition
5. Be respectful and courteous
6. Follow the rules (e.g. bus driver rules for food/drink)
7. Be safe (e.g. listen to the driver, stay seated, keep body parts in the bus, etc.)
Transportation Staff
Doug Fedoruk - Director of Transportation & Facilities
Nicole Leroux - Transportation Assistant
Address and Contact Information
4313 48 Avenue, St. Paul, AB T0A 3A3
Telephone: 780-645-3323
Fax: 780-645-5789
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