Busing & Transportation

Q. What’s changing?

Alberta Education’s School Transportation Amendment Regulation changes the transportation eligibility distance and how it is calculated. The travel distance (1.6 km for K-6 or 2 km for grades 7-12) must now be calculated by the driving distance from a student’s home to the front door of the school. In the past, CBE calculated the shortest walking distance from your house to any corner of the school property. This means that many more students will become eligible to take the bus and that all walk zones across schools will look significantly different starting next school year.

Q.What’s the overall goal of these changes?

To allow thousands of additional students to access transportation, while supporting service reliability to ensure more than 60,000 CBE students can get to school safely, on time and ready to learn. We recognize that change brings challenges, and we appreciate the role each of you will play in supporting our students and school communities through this transition.

Walk Zones & Lottery Zones

Q. What is a walk zone?

A walk zone is a boundary around the school. It is based on the proximity from a student's home to the school. Provincial legislation defines the transportation service area. That means i​f you live inside the walk zone for your designated school, your child is not eligible for transportation.

Q. How do I find my walk zone?

To find your school’s map, visit CBE’s Find a School Tool​ and follow these instructions:

• Type in your home address or search by school in the drop-down menu.
• Choose your program under Program Options.
• Click on the grade(s).
• Below the map, in the “Programs” column, click on the grade/program for your school.
  • This will display the walk zone for your desired school/program.
  • Note: only one walk zone can be displayed at a time.

Q. Our home is in the walk zone and we feel the distance is too far for our child to walk. Will my child still be eligible for yellow school bus transportation?

If there is bus service to the school, you can apply for your child to be a conditional rider. These application forms are available on MyCBE later in June. 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.

More information regarding transportation services and fees including becoming a conditional rider.

Q. What do I need to do if my children are in a school with more than one walk zone and I want to register for transportation?

If your child qualifies for transportation service, they will show up in your MyCBE account.

Based on the grade and eligibility, one child may qualify for transportation and others may not. If that is the case, you can apply for the older child to be a conditional rider.

Q. How will these transportation changes impact lottery zones?

At this time, current lottery zones remain in effect. Any updates about the lottery process and zones will be communicated in fall 2025.

Q. Why do some schools have multiple walk zones?

Walk zones are determined by grade, some schools will have multiple walk zones due to the grade configurations.

For example, a school with a grade configuration of 5-9 will have two walk zones. Students in grades 5 and 6 will align to the provincial distance of 1.6 km while students in grades 7-9 will align to the 2 km distance.

There are already schools with multiple walk zone. Schools with more than one program (“dual track”) schools with have walk zones for each program. This means there could be up to four walk zones depending on the grade configuration of the school and programs offered.

Changes to Eligibility

Q. How is transportation eligibility calculated?

The new provincial legislation means the travel distance (1.6 km for K-6 or 2 km for grades 7-12) must now be calculated by the driving distance from a student’s home to the front door of the school. In the past, CBE calculated the shortest walking distance from your house to any corner of the school property.

While the walk zone doesn’t appear to change at all for students in K-6, and only slightly for grades 7-12, the change in how it is measured makes a difference in who qualifies for transportation. See below for more information:

Q. Will these changes impact students who qualify for specialized transportation services?

There are no changes to specialized transportation services. You can learn more eligibility and other details on the CBE website.

Q. How do these changes affect transportation for students attending alternative programs?

Transportation for students attending an alternative program will continue to follow the congregated bus stop model.

Congregated stops are used when students from the same or multiple nearby communities congregate or gather at one stop to take a bus to their chosen school. Individual routes will be created over the summer based on the registrations received by the deadline.

All students in alternative programs pay the same yellow school bus fee regardless of the program they attend.

Q. What if my child is designated to Calgary Transit?

CBE works closely with Calgary Transit to ensure students can get to school safely and on time. Calgary Transit reviews their routes and makes annual adjustments over the summer.

Some residential districts have school express routes to the designated school. Many other residential districts do not have direct routes; students in these residential districts must use regular service.

You can learn more about schools, grades and communities designated to Calgary Transit.

Q. How can I tell if I qualify for transportation?

Transportation eligibility will now be measured by driving distance from your home to the front door of the school:

1.6 km for students in Kindergarten - Grade 6
2 km for students in Grades 7-12

If your child is eligible for transportation, you will see the option to register later in May 2025 through MyCBE.

Q. What do I need to do if my children are in a school with more than one walk zone and I want to register for transportation?

If your child qualifies for transportation service, they will show up in your MyCBE account.

Based on the grade and eligibility, one child may qualify for transportation and others may not. If that is the case, you can apply for the older child to be a conditional rider. See more information below and on the CBE website about conditional riders.

Q.What is a conditional rider?

Conditional riders are students who are not eligible for school bus transportation because they live inside the walk zone, have a different walk zone than a younger sibling at the same school, or are not attending their designated school.

Parents/guardians must apply for their child to become a conditional rider and will be notified by email if their child can be accommodated as soon as space and availability is determined. Applications are approved if there is available space on the bus.

Families should have a back-up plan at the beginning of the school year because approvals may take until mid-October.

Conditional riders must use existing bus stops on the bus route. Bus stops cannot not be added or moved for conditional riders.

Conditional riders pay the same fee as those mandated to receive transportation.

Learn more about conditional riders and the application process.

Q. Will Calgary Transit place a bus route closer to our residence with frequent times to accommodate families?

Calgary Transit has their own process for creating routes. While the CBE works closely with Calgary Transit, we do not direct where city bus stops are placed. The public is always welcome to use Calgary Transit as their method of transportation.

More information regarding Calgary Transit may be accessed on their website.

Traffic Safety

Q. What traffic safety considerations will be put into place for schools receiving buses for the upcoming school year?

To support students and families, CBE transportation will work closely with schools on a number of measures including:

My 1st Ride orientation will be available for students who are new to transportation.

A CBE Transportation specialist will support schools through this transition. This includes signage needs, impact to loading zones, provide guidance on student and staff safety etc. The school will share information about parking and loading zones with families.

Q. Many parents will be driving their children to school as the walk distance is still too far. What can be done about traffic around the school?

Each school has designated bus zones and parent pick/up drop off zones. Many schools establish school safety patrols in consultation with the Calgary Police Service, the Alberta Motor Association and the school council to assist with the safety of students.

Please speak with your principal if you have a specific traffic safety concern.

Q. We are concerned that our child will be crossing busy streets that have no traffic lights or controlled crosswalks. What can the CBE do to address these issues?

Parents are responsible for the safety of their children to and from school. This includes street crossings.

If there are specific traffic safety concerns, please email transportation@cbe.ab.ca. The CBE has a multi-stakeholder committee, Safe Student Travel Advisory Group (SSTAG), that will review the concern. The group offers advice on possible solutions, within the existing limitations of each member's organizational policies and procedures.

Q. My child’s school is getting buses for the first time, how will that affect pick-up and drop-off?

CBE works collaboratively with the City of Calgary to establish student loading zones. Most student loading zones are located on the street and supported by signage that is enforced by the Calgary Parking Authority.

School staff parking lots are not to be used for loading students for safety reasons.

Some schools have specific student loading zones on the school property, separate from the staff parking lot, and can be used in those cases.

Families are reminded to obey all traffic laws and parking by-laws around schools and bus stops to keep our students safe.