Calgary’s public school board says higher transportation fees and low funding reserves could explain why thousands fewer students are registered for busing this year.
The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) confirmed in an email statement to LWC that, despite enrolment increasing by roughly 1,000 more students for this upcoming school year, 2,500 fewer students have registered for yellow buses.
Currently, more than 24,500 students have registered for transportation services. Come October, the board projected that this number would reach nearly 26,000 — still a 3.7 per cent decrease from the 2025-26 total.
The realization comes just three months after the CBE announced an almost 40 per cent hike in bus fees ahead of this school year, a move approved by the board of trustees as part of the annual budget.
As such, transportation services jumped from $360 to $500 for the year, which equates to $50 per student per month. Additionally, kindergarten bus fees increased from $180 to $250 per rider for a one-way trip.
The school board explained that fees are reviewed annually based on the funding they receive, the number of registered riders, and the cost of delivering services.
A primary reason for this most recent increase, they said, is the dwindling stock of their transportation reserve. This has been supplementing the price of fees for some years, but “will be almost entirely exhausted by the end of this school year.”
“We recognize this is a significant increase,” read the email statement.
“We continue to accept new registrations and students are added to the closest existing bus stop with available space.”
Families who are unable to afford the fees can apply for a waiver by submitting their proof of income. The board said that registration can be cancelled at any time before Sept. 30 with no financial repercussions.
The CBE reiterated that as the 21 new school projects currently being developed come to fruition, this will bring schools closer to home and reduce demand for yellow bus transportation.
