It seems that every year there is a new fee at school, whether it is an athletic fee, a fee to park your car, or the most recent fee to ride the bus. This year getting to and from school is no longer free; it costs $180 for a bus pass for the school year. If a student were to ride the bus twice a day, every day of the school year, then it would cost 50¢ per ride. Yet, very few- if any- students ride the bus 360 times between September and June. Here are the answers to some questions you may be asking:

Where does all of the money go?

This year $72,000 was raised through student transportation fees in order to offset the budget deficit and decrease the possibility of an override.

Why do younger students get a free ride to school, while older students have to pay?

This fee does not apply to all Wayland Public School students. Only students from 7th-12th grade and students grades K-6 who live fewer than two miles away from school.  This rule is based on a state law requiring the School Committee to provide transportation for students in grades K-6 who live more than two miles away from school.

How does the new bus pass system work?

With the new bus pass format students have to show their pass to the bus driver when boarding the bus. If a student forgets their pass, the bus drivers will have a list of the kids that are assigned to that route. If a bus pass is lost it costs an additional 10$ for a replacement.

If I’ve purchased a bus pass, can I ride any bus that I want?

No, another rule associated with the new bus policy is that students may only ride their assigned bus. That means that when a bus pass is purchased, it is for a specific bus route, not for the Wayland Public School buses in general.  According to the Wayland Public Schools Student Transportation Frequently Asked Questions, “Transportation to social events, play dates, day care or religious classes is not permitted”.

One student raised the question, “What would happen if there were an emergency and you had to go to a friend’s house?”

Why do some buses have so many stops within a short distance? (For example, HS/MS bus route four stops six times on a less than one-mile stretch of West Plain St.)

According to Joy Buhler, School Business Administrator, the frequent stop-and-go of the bus routes was created “out of safety concerns….Few roads in town have sidewalks. And those that do are heavily traveled.”

This new policy has come with mixed reviews; one math teacher gave the policy a “thumbs down” and described the traffic as “atrocious.” It’s another addition to the seemingly endless list of fees that Wayland students have to pay. However, some members of the community support the new policy, including a sophomore who said, “I like it. The bus comes ten minutes later, I don’t have to walk as far, and the bus is less crowded.”

Let us know what you think about the new policy!

Special thanks to Joy Buhler for clarifying aspects of the policy.