Alternative Programs

Edmonton Public Schools provides yellow bus services to elementary, junior and senior high students living in rural areas and neighbourhoods without a local school, and where Edmonton Transit service is not available or adequate.

Edmonton Public Schools provides transportation options to most areas of the city to a variety of Alternative Program sites for Kindergarten through Grade 6.

Alternative Programs Eligibility

• District Alternative Programs (e.g., French Immersion, Cogito, Sports Alternative) are offered only in certain schools, so students may need to travel outside their local neighborhood to attend schools offering these programs. Yellow bus services are available to many elementary Alternative Programs.
• Students living in most urban areas of Edmonton have the choice and transportation options for 12 different schools within the district offering Alternative Programs.
• Students living in many areas of Edmonton have the choice and transportation options for 16 different schools within the district offering Alternative Programs.
• Alternative Program busing, by Alberta Education standards, is not a requirement. Edmonton Public Schools has chosen to provide a wider variety of learning options for students and support this with a moderate number of resources to provide some options for transportation.
• Most of the Alternative Programs offered by Edmonton Public Schools have some yellow busing options available. Please refer to the appropriate Alternative Program Transportation Service Area map for initial eligibility possibility
• Eligibility for Alternative Program yellow busing includes the following:
  1. Student must be enrolled in the Alternative Program and attending the designated Alternative Program school.
  2. Student must live outside the attendance area (walking area) of the neighbourhood in which the designated Alternative Program school is located.
  3. Student must reside inside the transportation service area of their designated Alternative Program school.
  4. Student must be picked-up and dropped-off within the transportation service area of their designated Alternative Program school.
  5. Student must be in Kindergarten to Grade 6.

Alternative Programs Route Information

• Alternative Program busing is different than busing for Special Education Needs, Kindergarten Noon and Regular Program Busing.
• Ride times:
  • Ride times on Alternative Program routes may be up to 90 minutes one-way. Our goal is always to minimize the ride-times.
  • Over 80% of Alternative Program riders experience ride times of less than 60 minutes one-way.
  • Less than 10% of riders experience ride times in excess of 80 minutes one-way.
• Bus stop locations:
  • ETS bus stops and/or the far side of intersections or school bus loading zones are the safest stop locations.
• Walk distances:
  • Efforts are made to provide a stop location within 400 meters of the origin or destination.
• Bus stop spacing:
  • Stops will not be placed within 400 meters of each other, unless walk distances require the placement of closer stops.
• Centralized Stops:
  • In a number of communities, centralized (congregated) stop locations are utilized to access yellow bus service. Centralized stops are placed throughout a community along arterial and major collector roadways.
  • The 400 m maximum walk distance does not apply to communities serviced by centralized stops.
  • Centralized stops are not altered or moved, and no additional stops will be added.
• Roadways:
  • Minimum roadway width of 11 meters.
  • The main arterial and collector roadways are generally used.
  • Residential roads are avoided due to the extra time involved (i.e., more mileage, slower speeds) and the increased risk (i.e., narrower roadways, no snow clearing, more street parking and less curb space available for boarding).
  • Roadway must provide throughway (i.e., no dead-ends and cul-de-sacs).
• Network type:
  • Generally, Alternative Program yellow busing is designed on a modified fixed-route basis. Under most circumstances, the morning (AM) route would start at the furthest point from the school and travel towards the target school. Under most circumstances, the return afternoon (PM) routes would perform the route in the approximate reverse order, starting from the school and moving from the closest stops to the farthest.
• Coverage:
  • Full transportation catchment area coverage for AM/PM and early dismissal (Thursdays if applicable) is offered. Limited Kindergarten Noon service may be available.
• Bus arrival times:
  • Due to the length of these routes, schedule adherence is moderate, with buses arriving within 10 minutes of scheduled time.
• Bus schedule change requests:
  • Stop locations are fixed and change requests may not be accommodated (see Network Type above).
  • Deadlines for the submission of change requests and specific dates when approved changes take effect are noted on the Student Transportation Calendar. Due to the routing complexities and the effects of changes on other riders, requests for change are accommodated on a best-effort basis.

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