Parents/Guardians,

Thank you to the many parents/guardians who have subscribed to the new communication tool, BusPlanner. If you haven’t already, please subscribe at https://hrce.mybusplanner.ca/ .
BusPlanner will tell you if your child is eligible for bussing, provide stop information and allow you to track your child’s bus in real time. It will also allow parents/guardians to apply for a “courtesy seat” if your child does not qualify for school bus transportation based on the distance they live from school.
There is still time to apply for courtesy seating. Here’s what you need to know:
• All parents/guardians must apply for courtesy seating, even if your child received courtesy seating last year.

• If you received courtesy seating last year, you will likely receive it again this year.

• To apply for a courtesy seat, parents/guardians must create an account in BusPlanner. A valid email address is needed for this process. Once an account is set up you can add your child(ren) to your account (student ID required) and apply for a courtesy seat under the forms section in the Parent Portal.

• For planning purposes, parents/guardians are encouraged to submit a courtesy seat application by August 3, 2018 in order to be routed for the first day of school on September 5. For those who apply by August 3, they will receive notification by August 27 on their application status. Those who apply after this date will also be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Students who live within 2.4 km (Grades Primary – 6) or 3.6 km (Grades 7 – 12) of their school can apply for courtesy seating. Students who live outside of these distances, or have a designated special need, already qualify for transportation and do not need to apply.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call a member of the HRCE student transportation team at 902-464-2000 x. 2871. More information, including “frequently asked questions” can also be found on the website at: www.hrsb.ca/about-our-schools/student-transportation .

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we make these changes. We are here to help you.

Sincerely,
Ron Heiman
HRCE Director, Operations Services