Transportation

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.  

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.

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:

1. The bus driver is in charge. The driver’s instructions and rules are to be followed at all times.
2. Students are to enter and exit the bus in an orderly manner.
3. Students are to remain seated at all times on the bus.
4. Students are to clean up after themselves and to leave the bus neat.
5. Fighting, hitting, throwing objects, using profanity, leaning out of windows, and gesturing at others outside the bus is prohibited.
6. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.