School Transport
Bus Éireann operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of the Department of Education and Science. County Meath VEC assist Bus Éireann in administrating the service in County Meath to all second-level schools. Bus Éireann is responsible for planning routes, employing bus drivers, collecting fares and ensuring compliance with safety regulations and insurance.
Eligibility
Forms
Cost
Contact
Eligibility
| 1.1 | To be eligible for transport under this scheme a pupil must:- |
| a | be enrolled for an approved course in a recognised post-primary school; |
| b | be not less than 12 years of age on the first day of January of the school year in which the pupil enters second level education; |
| c | as a rule, have completed a full course of primary education; |
| d | live 4.8 kilometres (3 miles), or more, from his/her appropriate post- primary education centre. |
| 1.2 |
Eligible pupils may be transported to the post primary centre which caters for the catchment area in which they live. (Pupils availing themselves of such facilities are referred to as "Fully Eligible Pupils"). |
| 1.3 | School transport services are organised as a network of main routes serving each catchment area. Pupils living off a main route are expected to get, or be brought, to a convenient pick-up on the main route. Spurs off the main route will not be operated for such pupils. As a rule, the routes will be planned so that no pupil will have more than 3.2 kilometres (2 miles) to travel to a pick-up point. |
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Concessionary Transport
| 2.1 | Where an eligible pupil attends a school at a centre other than the post-primary centre which caters for the catchment area in which s/he lives, s/he may be allowed the concession of transport from the catchment boundary of the centre attended, provided there is space on a bus serving that centre. |
| 2.2 | The pupils themselves, are responsible for getting to the catchment boundary or to the nearest school bus service within that catchment area. (Pupils availing of such facilities are referred to as "Catchment Boundary Pupils"). |
| 2.3 | A pupil who is approved for catchment boundary transport is not guaranteed school transport for the duration of his/her education at that centre. As this is a concessionary measure, continued transport will depend on the availability of seats on the bus to that centre each school term. Priority will be given to eligible pupils enrolled in or proposing to enrol in a school located in the catchment area in which they live. |
If you are unsure about the catchment area in which you live or the various categories of school transport, please contact your chosen school or the School Transport Section of County Meath Vocational Educational Committee.
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How to Apply for School Transport :
- School Transport forms are available at the post-primary schools from March onwards. The form must be completed fully and signed by the School Principal.
- N FORM - New Application Form: To be completed by all new pupils starting Post Primary School in September.
- E FORM - Existing Application Form: To be completed by pupils already in the school but availing of school transport for the first time or pupils deleted from the requisition.
- T FORM - Transferring Application Form: To be completed by pupils changing residence or changing school.
- The forms are then forwarded to the School Transport Section of the VEC who process the forms and forward details to Bus Eireann. Bus Eireann will then issue invoices and tickets as appropriate.
Cost
The following is the charging system that will apply for the 2010/2011 school year:-
| PUPIL CATEGORY | ANNUAL CHARGE |
| ELIGIBLE POST PRIMARY | €300 |
| CONCESSIONARY POST PRIMARY | €300 |
| CONCESSIONARY PRIMARY | €200 |
| MAXIMUM FAMILY CHARGE | €650 |
Eligible Post Primary pupils from families with medical cards will continue to be exempt from charges
The amount due may be paid in full on or before the 31st July 2010, in which case an Annual Ticket for the full school year will be issued. Alternatively, 50% of the annual amount due may be paid by the deadline date of 31st July 2010, in which case a ticket valid for travel up to 22nd December, 2010 will be issued. In this instance the balance due must be paid by 4th December 2010. Upon receipt of this payment a second ticket, valid for travel up to the end of the school year in June 2011, will be issued.
NO TICKET - NO TRAVEL
PUPILS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TRAVEL UNLESS THEY ARE IN POSSESSION OF A VALID SCHOOL TRANSPORT TICKET |
LATE APPLICATIONS/LATE PAYMENTS
PUPILS MAY NOT GET A SEAT IF THEIR APPLICATION AND/OR PAYMENT ARE RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE DATE OF 31ST JULY 2010 |
DEADLINE DATES WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED
New online payment facility:
Bus Eireann have introduced a change in invoice/payment procedures were payments can be made online. This facility will be only available from the date of receipt of invoice and payment deadline date shown on the invoice. Generally a period of 2 to 3 weeks.
Contact: BACK TO TOP
County Meath VEC
Abbey Road
Navan
Co. Meath