School transport services

School transport services are a statutory duty governed by the Act relating to Primary and Secondary Education and Training (Education Act) of 17 July 1998 no. 61 and associated regulations.

School transport services are a free service for children in Akershus who live far from their school or have special needs. The following can be granted school transport:

• • • Pupils who live at least 2 km from their school
    • Up to 10th grade pupils who live at least 4 km from their school
    • Upper secondary school pupils who live at least 6 km from their school
    • Pupils whose route to school is defined as particularly hazardous by the municipality the pupil lives in
    • Children with special needs

Applications for school transport must be submitted by the local school. Permanent changes during the school year, e.g. new school start and finish times and new home addresses, must also be submitted by the school. School transport services are provided by Ruter on behalf of the municipality or county authority.

Our drivers carry pupils safely to and from school or the nearest public transport hub. Safety and reliability are priorities when we plan journeys. All of our vehicles are fitted with GPS so that we know where they are at all times. Our drivers are trained at our Driving Academy and are well versed in helping children with special needs and dealing with any emergencies.  

In case of deviations from normal service due to traffic accidents, extreme driving conditions, and other challenges, we will do the following if we are unable to stick to our schedule:

1. 1. 1. Text message notifications for registered contact persons
         All mobile numbers linked to the individual pupil will receive a text message in which we provide information about the incident and how it will affect the planned transport. In the case of serious incidents, such as traffic accidents involving our minibuses or taxis, we will call the registered contact people and provide information about the incident and how it will affect the planned transport. In the case of minor delays, drivers will inform registered contact people of the deviation from normal service.
1. 1. 2. Telephone notifications for schools
         In the case of serious incidents, such as traffic accidents involving our minibuses or taxis, we will call the school and provide information about the incident and how it will affect the planned transport.

Journeys to and from afterschool services during school holidays and days off must be booked in addition to regular journeys. This must be booked by the school.

RuterBestilling provides an overview of all your journeys and allows you to cancel journeys or reactivate previously cancelled journeys. Read more about this here: How do I use RuterBestilling?

Planning school transport for 4,500 pupils with different school start and finish times every day is a major job. To avoid delays and inconveniences for you as a parent or guardian, it is important to note that:

• The pupil must be ready for pickup in good time before the agreed pickup time.
• Journeys you do not intend to use, e.g. due to illness or for other reasons, must be cancelled.
• If a pupil does not use the scheduled transport without registering a cancellation, the return journey must be reactivated in order for the pupil to be transported home.
• If you cancel a journey and subsequently change your mind, the journey must be reactivated by no later than 12:00 the day before pickup. In these circumstances we cannot guarantee that you will have the same driver as the one first assigned.
• Deviations from normal service can occur due to traffic accidents or extreme weather conditions. We hope for your understanding that such circumstances can result in delays.