A local transportation advocate worries that increased bus fees at Calgary public schools raise safety concerns due to added traffic congestion, but the board expects a minimal impact.
Earlier this week, the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) confirmed that fewer students have registered for yellow bus services for the 2026-27 year, despite enrolment projected to increase in the near future.
Compared to last year, the difference for the upcoming year is 1,000 students. Registration will remain open, and the school board said they will have a better idea of the numbers at the end of September, noting that the total could rise by October.
The drop has, in part, been attributed to the CBE increasing bus fees by 40 per cent this past spring, raising regular service fees from $360 to $500 per year and kindergarten fees from $180 to $250 per one-way trip.
Laura Shutiak, executive director of Youth En Route, a local organization centred on expanding mobility options for children, said that higher bus fees often lead families living outside walking distance to consider two options: parents drive, or students bike to school.
Shutiak explained that both options can be problematic for residential areas, as more cars can create traffic congestion, posing a hazard to students walking and biking nearby during peak times.
“That just makes it less safe,” she said.
“Is a parent going to let their 12, 13, 14-year-old take their bike to school if they’re worried about getting hit by a car?”
Between limited funding from the provincial government and the school boards’ reliance on yellow bus services in a sprawling city, Shutiak said that Calgary has lost the concept of having a “designated community school,” and that students could be left paying the price.
Possible congestion to have a minimal impact on safety, says the CBE
The CBE said in an email statement that traffic congestion is not expected to compromise pedestrian safety due to fewer students taking the bus, adding that this will be alleviated as more children will walk once the Evanston Heights School opens in the northwest.
“The Calgary Board of Education believes that safety on the roads is important in all communities,” read the statement.
“Traffic safety is a shared responsibility that requires the support and cooperation of all Calgary drivers. CBE schools should continually encourage families to be cautious, follow the rules of the road, adhere to parking expectations and use crosswalks, particularly in and around school zones.”
One of the duties of each individual principal is to delegate staff or parent volunteers to supervise drop-offs and pick-ups. This demand varies between schools, and the CBE said that the police and municipal parking authority are also available to address specific concerns.
However, Shutiak noted that pedestrian safety is not guaranteed, especially considering how the city reached an 11-year-high in fatalities last year, with 15 people killed by a vehicle. So far in 2026, there have been over 10 pedestrian deaths.
Amid finite provincial subsidies for yellow bus services, she said the Alberta government has continued to oppose bike lanes. Namely, the Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, Devin Dreeshen, released a statement praising the Ontario ruling that deemed them not a constitutional right.
“For too long, transportation decisions have been driven by ideology rather than common sense,” read the media release.
“We need to consider how infrastructure works for everyone who uses our roads.”
Shutiak said that bike lanes are needed near schools now more than ever, especially in low-income communities where the costs of both bus services and personal vehicles can burden families.
“It’s congestion around schools, around start and end times, and the only way to make that better is to get kids out of cars,” she said.
“But it doesn’t help when the minister is pushing kids off the bus and then not giving them a safe alternative.”
