Using the Bus

Using the school buses could not be easier

We need the support of you as parents and guardians to provide a successful service.

Parents and guardians are therefore required to:

• Inform Transport 4 Schools of any changes to travel arrangements well in advance. This includes changing days of travel, bus stop pick up or drop off point, or name of person meeting your child (if under 8yrs old). Note that chaperone and driver are not authorised to make these changes on your behalf. All changes must be notified to our office.
• Ensure that your child is at the bus stop in the morning in good time (we recomend 5 minutes) before your bus is due to arrive. We cannot guarantee that the bus will wait for your child if they are late to the bus stop.
• Ensure that the person who meets your child in the afternoon is at the stop in good time before your bus is due to arrive. Please be aware that if the person meeting your child is late and you cannot be contacted, the bus will retain your child and complete its route. If we still cannot contact you at the end of the route, arrangements will be made for the safe custody of your child with the appropriate authorities.
• Parents are also advised to contact other parents sharing the same drop-off points so that they can ensure that there is always an adult available to meet their children off the coach.
• Parents are asked not to leave their children unattended while waiting for the morning coach.  The School, the Hire Company (Impact Buses) or T4S cannot take responsibility for the children until they are on the coach. They will then be in the care of an adult.
• Our chaperones or drivers are supplied each week with a passenger register, listing your child's name, which bus stop they use and which school they are going to.  Drivers will strictly follow the information provided.
• Your child's safety is our highest regard. Therefore it is vital that this information is accurate as any errors or omissions may mean your child may not be collected or set down at the correct bus stop.
• Parents and pupils may not negotiate with the bus Hire Company or driver any pick up or drop off point other than those designated by T4S.

Support Transport 4 Schools and your bus company in helping to maintain good behaviour on the bus, by talking to your child about safety issues:

• Seatbelts must be worn at all times when the coach is moving. All passengers must remain seated while a coach is in motion. Junior and Infant School pupils may not sit in the front two rows of the bus.
• In the event of children missing the return bus, please ensure that your child knows what he/she should do. He/she may wait in the School until collected or arrange for another family to take them home.?
• Keep contact details including phone numbers up to date at all times.
• Pupils are responsible for their own belongings. The bus company will bring back any left belongings to their Depot. Belongings not collected within a month will go to Oxfam.
• Note - for safety, we are only able to pick up children at our designated bus stops. We are not permitted to pick up or set down at any point without a designated bus stop.
• Pupils may not use the coach for any journeys for which they are not normally scheduled, on either their own or other routes, unless prior agreement has been given by TFS.
• Pupils may not use the coach to take to or bring home from School anyone who is not a member of the scheme, unless prior arrangements by TFS.

Any queries regarding the delayed arrival of the coach, morning or afternoon, should be referred to TFS (Transport 4 Schools). Please be patient at the start of implementing any of our new bus routes. We will be monitoring time between each bus stop, mornings and afternoons for 2 weeks.

Thank you for your help!