School Transport

Bus Éireann operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of the Department of Education and Science. County Kilkenny VEC assists Bus Éireann in administrating the service in County Kilkenny to all second-level schools. Bus Éireann is responsible for planning routes, employing bus drivers, collecting fares and ensuring compliance with safety regulations and insurance.

Eligibility

1.1 To be eligible for transport under this scheme a pupil must:

1. Be enrolled for an approved course in a recognised post-primary school
2. Be not less than 12 years of age on the first day of January of the school year in which the pupil enters second level education
3. As a rule, have completed a full course of primary education
4. Live 4.8 kilometres (3 miles), or more, from his/her appropriate post-primary education centre.
   

1.2 Eligible pupils may be transported to the post-primary centre which caters for the catchment area in which they live. (Pupils availing themselves of such facilities are referred to as “Fully Eligible Pupils”).

1.3 School transport services are organised as a network of main routes serving each catchment area. Pupils living off a main route are expected to get, or be brought, to a convenient pick-up on the main route. Spurs off the main route will not be operated for such pupils. As a rule, the routes will be planned so that no pupil will have more than 3.2 kilometres (2 miles) to travel to a pick-up point.

Concessionary Transport

2.1 Where an eligible pupil attends a school at a centre other than the post-primary centre which caters for the Catchment Area in which s/he lives, s/he may be allowed the concession of transport from the Catchment Boundary of the centre attended, provided there is space on a bus serving that centre.

2.2 The pupils themselves, are responsible for getting to the Catchment Boundary or to the nearest school bus service within that Catchment Area. (Pupils availing of such facilities are referred to as “Catchment Boundary Pupils”).

2.3 A pupil who is approved for catchment boundary transport is not guaranteed school transport for the duration of his/her education at that centre. As this is a concessionary measure, continued transport will depend on the availability of seats on the bus to that centre each school term. Priority will be given to eligible pupils enrolled in or proposing to enrol in a school located in the catchment area in which they live. If you are unsure about the catchment area in which you live or the various categories of school transport, please contact your chosen school or the School Transport Section of County Kilkenny Vocational Educational Committee.

How to Apply for School Transport

Payment

The following is the charging system that will apply for the 2011/2012 school year:-

The amount due can be paid in full on-line before the closing date of 29th July 2011.

When you receive your invoice (beginning/middle of July) you can log onto the Bus Éireann website www.buseireann.ie and using your Identity Number and Invoice/Pin Number you can avail of this service.  All payments made by Cheque/Postal Orders/Money Orders are to be made out to Bus Éireann.

Please note payment can be made in one or two instalments.  The full payment can be made in July for an annual ticket or alternatively you can pay 50% in July for a ticket valid until the 21st  December 2011 and the other 50% before 2nd December 2011.

Where the parents or legal guardians of eligible pupils are medical cardholders, they may be excused the contribution in respect of such children.

All payments and medical cards should be sent directly to Bus Éireann. 

BUS ROUTES

No special school bus service may be established unless there is a minimum of 10 eligible pupils within an area, which can be reasonably and economically served by a bus route.  If any changes to Bus Routes must be put in writing to the Transport Liaision Officer, County Kilkenny VEC, Seville Lodge, Callan Road, Kilkenny.