Transportation
Bus Service
Thayer Academy Bus Service Schedule, Standards, and Policies
Thayer Academy has made arrangements with Joseph Ingle Bus Service of Hanover to provide school bus transportation for students to and from various areas in the Greater Boston area. Each route requires a minimum sign-up of 15 students per route in order to be maintained. There is a fixed annual fee for this service.
- Morning pickup: Buses are scheduled to arrive at the Thayer Academy campus at 7:50 a.m.
- Afternoon drop-off: In the afternoon, buses depart from the school at 4 p.m. Students who are not able to catch the afternoon bus due to other school commitments will have to arrange for their own transportation that day. The bus schedule changes during certain times of the year, including exam periods.
- Campus Drop-off, Pickup, and After-School Departure
- Urgent Communication
- Expectations for Students
- Bus Safety & Reliability
- Standards for Buses
- Bus FAQs
Campus Drop-off, Pickup, and After-School Departure
Drop-off/Pickup On Campus: Unless otherwise notified, the drop-off and pickup area for students on the bus is at the Middle School on Hobart Avenue.
After-School Departure Protocol: Students are strongly encouraged to be ready to board their bus FIVE MINUTES prior to the scheduled departure time. For the convenience of parents/guardians on the other end of the line, it is Thayer’s intent for the buses to leave promptly at the scheduled departure time. However, due to extracurricular scheduling delays, it may be necessary to delay departure periodically. In most cases, buses will attempt to depart Thayer within 10-15 minutes of scheduled departure time.
Urgent Communication
Due to inclement weather or mechanical issues, there may be rare delays in the morning or afternoon pickup schedule. Please note that bus drivers may not communicate directly with parents/guardians and students via cell phone. In the event that you need to learn the status of a bus (e.g., if it appears to be more than five minutes late or your student left an item on the bus), CALL Joseph Ingle Bus Service directly at 781.982.9193. A dispatcher will be able to communicate with the bus safely via two-way radio regarding its status. If you have other transportation issues, you may also call Yvette Jones-Bishop at Thayer Academy at 781.664.2340 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
There may also be times when the school finds out about delays/issues in advance. In that case, a Thayer Academy administrator will communicate via the automated phone system.
Students should stay together at the bus stop in the event of a delay. Students will not be penalized for being late to school due to weather-related or mechanical delays related to the bus.
Expectations for Students
All Thayer students have a special responsibility to behave appropriately on buses affiliated with our school. Each rider has an obligation to ensure that the trip, no matter how short, is a safe one.
We urge each student and that student's parents/guardians to read, discuss, and support the rules set forth below:
- The bus driver is in charge. The driver’s instructions and rules are to be followed at all times.
- Students are to enter and exit the bus in an orderly manner.
- Students are to remain seated at all times on the bus.
- Students are to clean up after themselves and to leave the bus neat.
- Fighting, hitting, throwing objects, using profanity, leaning out of windows, and gesturing at others outside the bus is prohibited.
- Any knives or weapons of any kind are strictly prohibited.
Riding the bus is a privilege; it is not an automatic right. Any student who disobeys bus rules will be subject to disciplinary action from the school to include losing the privilege of riding the bus.
Bus Safety & Reliability
Vans/ buses used for the routes must pass all safety inspections as required by law. Thayer will require that Joseph Ingle Bus Service complete all required preventative maintenance.
In addition, ALL bus drivers making these runs shall have the appropriate background checks and licensing as required by law for school bus drivers in Massachusetts.
Standards for Buses
Together with our transportation providers, Thayer strives to maintain clean, appropriately heated, well-maintained, and safe buses on its routes. Please contact Yvette Jones-Bishop at 781.664.2340 if you have any questions about the conduct of the bus driver or the maintenance, including cleanliness, of the bus.
Bus FAQs
I understand buses pick up at a limited number of points in each town. Why not at our door?
With centrally located pick-ups, each bus can serve the greatest number of students and get students to school on time. Only in this way can we reach the greatest number of families in need of school transportation.
My child needs bus transportation for two months this fall. Can you schedule service for him, and can the annual fee be prorated?
Bus transportation is a costly and complex enterprise sustained by the Academy on a below-cost basis to help families without other transportation alternatives. In order to keep a full-year commitment to these families, we need a corresponding full-year commitment from them. We are not able to accommodate occasional, monthly, or even seasonal ridership. Fees will not be prorated for part-year ridership or adjusted for absence.
I understand that certain sports have games and may practice past the normal afternoon bus departure time. How is this handled?
If your child plays a sport which regularly (three or more days per week) practices after school, on request, round-trip riders will receive a $275 credit for each such athletic season. In general, this applies only to certain varsity and JV sports. The drivers take attendance and are aware of ridership patterns.
What is the cost for round-trip and one-way service? When is payment due?
A deposit of $500 is due with your bus application to officially reserve your child’s seat. The balance will be billed through your Smart Tuition account in two installments; the first installment of $1,500 for Round-Trip and $1,000 for One-Way is due no later than Sept. 30 ($150 for the Braintree T pickup and drop-off). The balance will be billed on the second installment, which is due no later than Dec. 31.
Round-Trip | One-Way | Braintree T Only | |
Deposit due with registration | $500 | $500 | |
Due Sept. 30 | $1,500 | $1,000 | $150 |
Due Dec. 31 | $1,500 | $1,000 | $150 |
TOTAL | $3,500 | $2,500 | $300 |
Is there anything else I should know?
We pledge to do our very best to provide your child with reliable transportation. However, we cannot control traffic, weather, and unforeseen equipment problems. Problems beyond our control may in some instances delay or even prevent your child’s bus from reaching its stop. We will do our very best to operate on schedule, but safety takes precedence over schedule. We appreciate your understanding.
If at any time during the year you have concerns about the manner in which a bus is being operated, please bring those concerns directly to the attention of Yvette, Jones-Bishop, manager of Accounts Receivable & Auxiliary Services, at yjones-bishop@thayer.org.
Thayer Academy Bus Schedule
Thayer offers five bus routes reaching parts of MetroWest, the South Shore, and Boston. All bus stops are detailed on the schedule shown below.
Note: Students must be waiting at their bus stops before the scheduled departure times. Some of the stops are on heavily-traveled roads where drivers cannot wait for late students. Drivers have been instructed not to wait beyond the times listed here in order to arrive at school on time.
Stops are subject to change based upon ridership.
- Route #1: Wellesley - Needham - Westwood - Norwood - Canton
- Route #2: Pembroke - Duxbury - Hanover
- Route #3: Scituate - Cohasset - Hingham
- Route #4: Boston (Hyde Park, Mattapan, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester) - Milton
- Route #5: Boston (Beacon Hill, Back Bay, South End, South Boston)
Route #1: Wellesley - Needham - Westwood - Norwood - Canton
Bus Stop | Morning Pickup |
Afternoon Drop-off |
|
M, W, Th, F | Tuesdays only | ||
Greens Hardware & Paint (Wellesley Hills) | 6:25 a.m. | 7:15 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. |
St. Bartholomew Church (Needham) | 6:40 a.m. | 7:30 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. |
St. Margaret Mary Church (Westwood) | 6:50 a.m. | 7:40 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. |
Nahantan/Fulton (Norwood) | 6:56 a.m. | 7:46 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. |
Cobb's Corner (Canton, in front of Rocky's Ace Hardware) | 7:09 a.m. | 7:59 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. |
Westchester Dr. / Randolph St. (Canton) (Morning Only) | 7:25 a.m. | 8:15 a.m. | |
Westchester Dr. / Stratford Rd. (Canton) (Afternoon Only) |
4:15 p.m.
|
Route #2: Pembroke - Duxbury - Hanover
Bus Stop | Morning Pickup |
Afternoon Drop-off |
|
M, W, Th, F | Tuesdays only | ||
Exit 12 - Rte 139 - Stop & Shop (Pembroke) |
6:40 a.m. | 7:30 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. |
Duxbury Town Hall |
6:55 a.m. | 7:45 a.m. | 4:35 p.m. |
Savers Thrift Store (Hanover) (Morning Only) | 7:15 a.m. | 8:05 a.m. | |
Petco (Hanover) (Afternoon Only) | 4:15 p.m. | ||
Braintree MBTA Station | 7:45 a.m. | 8:35 a.m. | 3:50 p.m. |
Route #3: Scituate - Cohasset - Hingham
Bus Stop | Morning Pickup | Afternoon Drop-off | |
M, W, Th, F | Tuesdays only | ||
Knights of Columbus Parking Lot (Scituate) | 6:50 a.m. | 7:40 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. |
Cushing Plaza (Cohasset) | 7:00 a.m. | 7:50 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. |
Leavitt St. / Main St. (Hingham) (Morning Only) | 7:10 a.m. | 8:00 a.m. | |
Hingham Library (Afternoon Only) | 4:33 p.m. | ||
Hobart St. / Cross St. (Hingham) | 7:15 a.m. | 8:05 a.m. | 4:28 p.m. |
South Elementary School (Hingham) (Afternoon Only) | 4:23 p.m. |
Route #4: Boston (Hyde Park, Mattapan, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester) - Milton
Bus Stop | Morning Pickup | Afternoon Drop-off | |
M, W, Th, F | Tuesdays only | ||
Cleary Square (Hyde Park) | 6:25 a.m. | 7:15 a.m. | 5:52 p.m. |
Morton St. / Blue Hill Ave. (Dorchester) in front of Greater Victory Temple Church (Morning Only) | 6:40 a.m. | 7:30 a.m. | |
Forest Hills MBTA Station (Afternoon Only) | 5:40 p.m. | ||
Everett School (Uphams Corner) | 6:55 a.m. | 7:45 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. |
Ashmont MBTA Station (Afternoon Only) | 4:40 p.m. | ||
Glover School (Milton) (Morning Only) | 7:15 a.m. | 8:05 a.m. | |
Elliot St. / Capen St. Shields Park (Milton) | 7:20 a.m. | 8:10 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. |
Milton Town Hall (Afternoon Only) | 4:23 p.m. | ||
St. Agatha's Church (Milton) | 7:30 a.m. | 8:20 a.m. | 4:15 p.m. |
Route #5: Boston (Beacon Hill, Back Bay, South End, South Boston)
Bus Stop | Morning Pickup | Afternoon Drop-off | |
M, W, Th, F | Tuesdays only | ||
Mt. Vernon & Charles St. (Beacon Hill) | 6:50 a.m. | 7:40 a.m. | 4:40 p.m. |
84 Beacon Street | 6:55 a.m. | 7:45 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. |
Marlborough St. & Clarendon St. (Back Bay) | 7:00 a.m. | 7:50 a.m. | 4:50 p.m. |
Appleton St. & Clarendon St. (South End) | 7:10 a.m. | 8:00 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. |
1187 Columbia Road (South Boston) | 7:25 a.m. | 8:15 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. |
MBTA (The T)
MBTA (The T)
Thayer Academy is just a five-minute walk from the Braintree MBTA stop - the last stop on the Red Line.
Transportation to & from Braintree MBTA (T) Stop
Bus Route #2 will stop at the Braintree MBTA stop (see Bus Service tab) for morning pickup at 7:45 a.m. and afternoon drop-off at 3:20 p.m. This bus pass will have an annual round-trip fee of $300.
MBTA Bus
Thayer is also on the #230 bus route that runs from the Quincy Center T station to the Montello Commuter Rail station. Thayer's stop is at the corner of Hobart Avenue and Washington Street.
Charlie Cards / S-Cards
S-Cards can be purchased from the MBTA.