Register to Ride
NOTICE: Applications for In-Town busing are currently open only for students who are eligible for provincial funding.
BEFORE YOU REGISTER/APPLY FOR BUSING – your child’s Student Registration Form (and 5-01A Requested School Application if applicable) must be approved by your school.
- See our Student Registration page for school registration information.
- Important! The eligibility requirements for In-Town and Requested School Transportation and fees have changed starting in 2023-24. See more information further down this page.
- Early Learning students must call 780.674.8545 to determine if busing is available.
Questions? Contact the Transportation Office at troffice@pembinahills.ca or call 780.674.8510.
How to register/apply for busing
Transportation forms and payments are accessed online through your PowerSchool Parent Portal once your child is registered (or pre-registered) at a Pembina Hills school.
- Log in to your PowerSchool Parent Portal Account.
- Brand new families will receive an email with login instructions for their PowerSchool Parent Portal account after the New Student Registration form has been completed.
- Click on Payments, Consent & Transp Forms in the main menu on the left-side of the screen. This will open a new browser for the Student Quick Pay website.
- Select your child’s name from the top menu.
- Select the appropriate year Transportation Forms tab on the lower half of the screen.
- Select, complete and submit the desired form. Form descriptions are further down this page.
If you do not have access to your PowerSchool Parent Portal, or are having trouble logging in, please contact your school office.
| Bus Fees 2023-24 Per student, per year | Fee |
|---|---|
| Rural students attending Designated School | Free |
| Students attending Requested School who are eligible for transportation* *See the Requested School Transportation section below for eligibility details. | Free |
| In-Town Kindergarten to Grade 6 Students who live MORE than 1km from their school Students who live LESS than 1km from their school* *Applications are currently closed. | Free Kindergarten: $50 Gr. 1-6: $100 |
| In-Town Grades 7 to 12 Students who live MORE than 2km from their school Students who live LESS than 2km from their school* *Applications are currently closed. | Free $100 |
| Alternate site requests | $50 |
Students attending Designated School
NEW rural students must register for busing even if they have a sibling who already rides the bus.
CURRENT rural students riding the bus to their Designated School only need to complete a Rural Student Transportation Form if the student’s address changes and they need to be picked up at a new rural location.
Students wanting to Requested School Transportation – see the Requested School (School of Choice) Transportation section.
To complete the Rural Student Transportation Form, follow the instructions to access Transportation Forms in the How to register/apply for busing section.
Students who live in the towns of Barrhead, Swan Hills and Westlock may apply for busing to school.
Starting in 2023-24, the following students are eligible for provincial funding and can access busing at no cost:
- Kindergarten to Grade 6 students who live 1km or more from their designated school
- Grades 7 to 12 students who live 2km or more from their designated school
NOTICE: Applications for In-Town busing are currently closed for students who are ineligible for provincial funding.
Students who do not meet this criteria must pay a fee and seats are subject to availability. A payment plan is available during the checkout process in StudentQuickPay. In the event of a discrepancy, final distance calculations by Transportation software will prevail.
Eligible students may apply for Requested School Transportation after approval of their Requested School Application Form (5-01A). See the Student Registration page for more information.
Eligible students:
- Students attending French Immersion
- Students attending a program as directed by Pembina Hills Student Services
- Students in the Neerlandia attendance area going to school in Barrhead
- Students outside of the Neerlandia attendance area wanting to attend the Neerlandia Public Christian Education program (parent transportation required to an existing Neerlandia bus stop or to the Neerlandia Express Bus)
- Students with 2022-2023 Requested School Transportation Applications (5-01B) that were approved up to, and including, April 26, 2023.
- Early Learning siblings of students with approved 2022-23 5-01B forms may be considered for transportation.
Parents/guardians can also choose to transport their child/ren to their Requested School.
Seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis giving priority to:
- Students attending their Designated School
- Students eligible for Requested School transportation
Note: Pembina Hills provides bus service for rural students to one bus stop location. Parents may apply for service to an additional stop location under certain criteria. See the Alternate Site Request section for more details.
See the Administrative Procedure 50-01 Requesting School Other Than Designated School for more information.
To apply for Requested School Transportation
Please contact the Transportation Office at troffice@pembinahills.ca or 780.674.8510.
Requested School Transportation Applications (5-01B) must be submitted annually.
When a parent/guardian would like any alternate or unusual transportation arrangements, they must submit an Alternate Site Request. All alternate site requests must be applied for annually.
- Pembina Hills provides bus service for rural students to one bus stop location. Parents may apply for service to an additional stop location (alternate site) under certain criteria.
- The alternate site is located along an existing route and does not require any route deviations.
- The bus is not more than 95% full.
- The parents communicate with the bus driver regarding a schedule for when the alternate site will be used.
- Alternate sites will not be granted for one-time use situations such as birthday parties, sleepovers, etc.
- The cost is $50 per student per year.
When to use the Alternate Site Request Form
- Regular drop off or pick up at a location other than the student’s residence (or usual point of pick up or drop off).
- Riding a different school bus morning and afternoon.
- Needing to be registered on more than one bus.
Should the alternate site request require payment for in-town, the alternate site fee will be waived.
Online payments are accepted by credit card (VISA, Mastercard, Discover) or VISA Debit.
- Payment plans are available for In-Town Bus Fees and Requested School Bus Fees (5-01B).
- Select Payment Plan during the checkout process. Your payments will be processed monthly, until paid in full by July 31, 2023.
If you do not wish to pay online, you can still submit the form online. Payments can be sent by mail or in-person to:
- Cash or cheque – Pembina Hills Transportation Office, 5610 – 49 Street, Barrhead, AB. Cheques are payable to Pembina Hills School Division.
- Debit card – Pembina Hills Regional Office at 5310 – 49 Street, Barrhead.