Buying a travel pass for school or college

Can I buy a travel pass for school/college?

Any student or pupil can apply to buy a travel pass. Applications are still being accepted for the academic year 2017/18

If you wish to purchase a travel pass for the academic year 2018/19, applications will not be accepted until 1 July. Parents/carers are encouraged to apply before the 31 July as seats will be allocated in the priority order shown below.

Applications received after 31 July will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Priority will be given in the following order:

1. Looked after children, not in receipt of free transport
2. Sixth form students currently attending Year 12
3. Sixth form students moving into Year 12 in September
4. Children living in the catchment area with a sibling already attending the school
5. Children living in the catchment area on a first come first served basis
6. Out of catchment area children with a sibling already attending the school
7. Other out of catchment area children on a first come first served basis.

Year 12 students starting September 2018

We would like to encourage parents to apply for transport as soon as possible after 1 July 2018 and not wait until after GCSE results have been received. This will provide them with a greater chance of securing a seat. If the student's situation changes and they no longer require transport, the application can be cancelled by emailing school.transport@eastriding.gov.uk before 31 August 2018. This will ensure no direct debit payments are taken, or if payment has already been made before this time a full refund will be provided.

Please note: once all passes are issued, children may have passes removed in reverse priority order if a new application from an eligible student is received for free travel. 

Find out how much it costs and how to pay.

Can a travel pass be used on more than one bus route?

No. Your child may need to travel to and from different addresses on various days of the week due to personal circumstances or before/after school care. Unfortunately, the travel pass cannot be used on any other service and clearly shows which route it is valid for.

Children who are out of the catchment area who have bought a travel pass will only be picked up at a recognised bus stop within the school's catchment area . It is the parent's responsibility to get their child to and from this bus stop. Transport will not be diverted to pick up pupils.

If you have any queries, please contact us at:

Email: school.transport@eastriding.gov.uk

How much does a travel pass cost?

School travel passes cost £540, supplying travel throughout the academic year (September to July). 

This is just a contribution towards the full cost of the service which would be much more expensive if you had to pay on a day-to-day basis by bus or taxi, e.g. it works out as £2.84 return per day if you buy a travel pass whereas it costs £4.00 to travel on our buses without a pass.

If you make an application part way through the year, you will be charged a pro-rata fee (so you only pay for the time you are using it, not the whole year).

There is no discount given for families purchasing more than one travel pass.

How can I apply for a travel pass?

You can apply for a travel pass from 1 July, and can apply right through until 30 June. The payment amount and frequency will depend on when you apply and how you wish to pay. Read more about how to pay.

If you need to travel after 30 June in any academic year, your child can pay daily on the bus. However, if there are no seats the child may have to stand.

Simply complete our online form:

Apply to buy a travel pass

Please note: completing this form will only add you to a waiting list, yet you may be expected to pay in advance. Read more about how to pay below.

How can I pay for a travel pass?

You can either pay in full by card or pay in instalments by Direct Debit:

Pay in one go by card

How you pay will depend if you apply:

• before 30 September 2018 - you can pay securely by debit or credit card upon completion of the application form. It is a one-off payment of £540.
• after 1 October 2018 - the transport team will contact you to discuss a pro-rata payment for the time left in the year and will take payment over the phone.

As payment only adds you to a waiting list and does not guarantee a travel pass, if you haven’t been allocated a seat by the end of September you will be contacted to discuss the status of your application – whether you would like to remain on the waiting list or receive a refund.

Pay by Direct Debit

What you pay and when you pay it will depend if you apply:

• before 31 July 2018 – complete the online form selecting Direct Debit as your payment option. You will be posted a Direct Debit mandate form to complete and post back. You will pay 9 monthly instalments of £60 between September and May, payable on the 5th of each month;
• between 1 August 2018 and 31 August 2018 – complete the online form selecting direct debit as your payment option. When a seat becomes available you will be posted a Direct Debit mandate form to complete and post back. You will pay 9 monthly instalments of £60 between October and June, payable on the 5th of each month;
• between 1 September 2018 and 30 September 2018 – complete the online form selecting Direct Debit as your payment option. When a seat becomes available you will be posted a direct debit mandate form to complete and post back. You will pay 9 monthly instalments of £60 between November and July, payable on the 5th of each month;
• between 1 October 2018 and 31 March 2019 – complete the online form selecting Direct Debit as your payment option. When a seat becomes available we will contact you to confirm the cost of the pass and payment schedule, before posting you a direct debit mandate to complete and post back to us. You will only pay for the remaining days left in the academic year on a pro-rata basis. (ie. £2.84 per day).

If you have previously paid by Direct Debit for a travel pass, you must select the option on the form to continue using the same bank details for this new application. If you don’t, we will send you a Direct Debit mandate and your application will be delayed.

When will I receive my pass?

Travel passes will be allocated from 1 August and most will be posted out by the start of the term in September (if a seat is available).

If you apply after the start of term you will receive your pass as and when a seat becomes available. Hopefully, you should only have to wait about 10 days (however, we cannot guarantee this and you should find alternative transport in the meantime).

What should we do whilst we’re waiting for a pass to arrive?

If you’ve made your application and are waiting to hear if there is a space available, it is up to you to ensure your child gets to and from school or college safely.

Read more about public transport options and how to travel on our buses without a pass

Do I have to reapply for a travel pass every year?

Yes, as there may not be enough empty places on the bus service to roll your travel pass over each year. 

Can I cancel my Direct Debit?

Yes. Please contact us if you wish to cancel your Direct Debit:

Email:  school.transport@eastriding.gov.uk

If you cancel your direct debit at any point during the year without first explaining why, the pass will be classed as invalid. If this happens, your child can still travel on school transport as long as a seat or standing room is available, however they will have to pay a daily cash fare of £2.50 single or £4.00 return.

Can I get a refund?

Refunds will be given on travel passes in certain circumstances such as:

• change of address
• change of school
• change of personal circumstances ie. learnt to drive.

Where a pass is returned part way through the year, a refund will be given for the unused proportion of the year. A pass may also be revoked in order to give the seat to an eligible passenger.

Refunds will not be given at the end of the school year when pupils are on study leave or have finished for exams. Your Direct Debit must still be paid during this period and will be followed up by the council’s debtor services if they are cancelled.