School Walk Zones

Walk zones are a boundary around each school, based on driving distances and grade range. Students living within the walk zone are designated to that school and are not eligible for transportation service.

Grades K–6, the driving distance is 1.6 km

Grades 7–12, the driving distance is 2 km

A school with more than one program or with students in both the K-6 and 7-12 grade ranges will have more than one walk zone. If your child qualifies for transportation service, the transportation application will show up in your MyCBE account.

You can see the walk zone for any school in our Find a School Tool.

How Walk Zones Are Determined

CBE school walk zones are calculated based on driving distance, in compliance with Alberta Education's School Transportation Amendment Regulation. The driving distance from the home to the front door of the school is measured on the City of Calgary Road Network Data (the same tool used for 911 routing, snow plow routes, and more), excluding “not developed” (unmaintained) roadways.

This distance may be different than you see in Google Maps or other similar tools because it doesn't include temporary paths, private roads or unofficial driveways. The City’s road network data is built directly from official engineering drawings, road surveys and construction records, and so accurately reflects the legal, drivable street network used by the city itself.

Conditional Riders Within Walk Zones

If your school has bus service but you live within the walk zone and would like your child to take the yellow school bus to school, you can apply for your child to be a conditional rider. The application forms are available on MyCBE in late June, and you will be informed of a decision by mid-October. Until you receive notification that your child is accepted to take the bus as a conditional rider, you will be responsible for getting your child to and from school. For more information on being a conditional rider, visit our General Transportation page.