2020 - 2021 SCHOOL BUS INFORMATION
Okanagan Public Schools Transportation department currently operates 70 school bus routes providing school bus transportation service to students in Lake Country, Kelowna, West Kelowna and Peachland.
Our School Bus drivers transport approximately 6,000 students over 7500 kms each day. The department also provides transportation for school field studies and processes over 500 field study requests each month.
The Transportation Department is located at the Dease Road Operations Center in Kelowna. Our Operations Center includes a full-service mechanic shop that inspects, repairs, and maintains the districts fleet of schools buses, grounds equipment and fleet vehicles.
School Bus Transportation Service
Changing student demographics requires the Transportation Department conduct a review of the bus routes each year, and make adjustments where required. School bus routes are designed to service eligible students who have registered for the school bus before May 31, 2020. Parents are reminded that they must register their children for the school bus EACH YEAR.
NEWS RELEASE
BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVES CHANGES TO TRANSPORTATION FEES AND POLICIES
February 27, 2020
KELOWNA, BC – At the February 26, 2020 Public Board Meeting, the Board of Education reviewed the recommendations of the Transportation Task Force as well as the recommendations the Board revised on February 12.
These recommendations came as a result of an extensive public consultation process that reviewed feedback from approximately 4,000 survey responses and hundreds of conversations with community members at the five public consultation sessions.
The Board of Education approved changes to:
Regulation 425R – Student Fees and Regulation
470R – Transportation Services Management
Summary of changes:
| Policy | Current Policies | Revised Policies |
| Transportation fee | $225 | $300 |
| Elementary Eligibility Limit | 4.0 km | 3.0 km |
| Middle School Eligibility Limit | 4.8 km | 4.0 km |
| Secondary School Eligibility Limit | 4.8 km | 4.8 km |
| Registration Deadline | N/A | May 31 |
| Fee Subsidy – Additional Income based method | N/A | Included |
| Secondary Students in areas with adequate transit service | N/A | Service is discontinued. No areas will be deemed to have adequate service for the 2020-21 school year. |
| Courtesy seats for students under 2.0 kms | Allow | Disallow |
| Courtesy seat assignment priority | On a route by route basis based on distance. | One a route by route basis. Priority first to Elementary and Middle School courtesy riders based on distance and then seats allocated to Secondary students based on distance |
Removal of courtesy riders to
accommodate new eligible riders that register during the year | Allow | Remove from policy and discontinue practice |
| Additional fee for students that require more than one route | N/A | Additional fee is charged if a seat is available |
| Restriction on bus transfers and how many students can be at a bus stop | No transfers permitted and a guideline of only 15 students per stop | Removed from policy |
| Ride time guideline | 40 minutes | 60 minutes |
| Busing service for families with outstanding fees | N/A | All outstanding fees must be paid, arranged for payment or subsidized to receive busing service.
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FOR 2020 – 2021 REGISTRATION CLICK HERE. FOR 2019 - 2020 SCHOOL BUS REGISTRATION CLICK HERE.
Our Mission
To provide safe, reliable, economical and accessible student transportation in a climate conducive to learning and mutual respect in the SD No.23 Central Okanagan community.
Our Vision
To be a leader of new and emerging technologies in the enhancement of student safety and a model of excellence for our profession.
