Student Transportation

While we guarantee that a seat will be available for your child on each instructional school day, it is entirely at your own discretion how often the service is utilized. Refunds or reduction of bus fees for service days not used are not possible, though.

No, this is not necessary. The drivers will travel along their given route and will take those on board that are waiting at the stop and will then continue to the next stop.

This is, unfortunately, not possible, as it would keep passengers waiting at all subsequent bus stop and delay the punctual arrival at school of all passengers on board. We are asking all bus passengers to be waiting at their designated bus stop at least 5 min. prior to scheduled time of departure.

If there is no authorized pick-up person at the return bus stop in the afternoon, the driver will call the School and we will try to reach you. It is, therefore, very important that we have various contact numbers (mobile, land line, work number, neighbor, etc.). Arrangements will be made with you for either an alternative bus stop or a later return at the end of the run when all other students are dropped off.

Our youngest students in EC 45 and EC 56 are met by their teachers in the bus park in the morning for the first few days of school, to welcome them from the incoming buses and show them the way to the classroom. They are escorted to the afternoon buses throughout the school year. Junior School students grade 1-4 are escorted to their buses for the first few afternoons only, until they know where their bus is parked. Students G5-12 are expected to find their own way from the bus park to their classroom and their correct bus in the afternoon. There are several duty staff in the bus park both in the morning and in the afternoon to assist students where needed.

By German law, we are required to utilize existing public bus stops where available. There are special traffic laws around public bus stops for other drivers, for the protection of bus passengers. It is, therefore, usually not permissible to have a pick-up / drop-off point at a home address.

When planning to move please contact the Transportation Office with the address you are interested in order to check busing / seating availability beforehand. Bus routes and bus sizes are planned during the summer for the school year ahead. It may not be possible to accommodate new locations at a later point during the school year. When bus availability has been confirmed, please indicate your planned moving date so that seating can be pre-reserved. Please inform the Transportation Office about your definite move about one week before so that passenger lists can be updated and bus companies / bus drivers can be informed.

Bus fees are likely to change from year to year, depending on number of buses required to accommodate all bus enrollees. An updated bus fee table is available on our website or can be obtained from the Transportation Office.

Students can get off the bus and walk home without adult supervision as of grade 5 in Middle School. Younger students are required to be picked up by an authorized adult. Exceptions are possible if a written waiver is received, stating that the parents are allowing us to let the child get off alone and that the parents will assume full responsibility from the moment that the child has left the bus. This should only be considered if the bus stop is within easy walking distance to home, if no major roads are to be crossed and if the child is able to recognize the dangers involved in traffic and know the neighborhood well.

Bus drivers of our regular Junior School return buses will tell the child when the home bus stop is reached throughout the school year. Bus drivers of our later After School Care / Middle School and Senior School return buses will announce bus stops for the first few days, until students have become familiar with their stop.

If a child misses the bus in the morning, alternative means of transportation needs to be made. The School cannot be held responsible for additional costs accrued by alternative transport.

If the child misses the bus in the afternoon, they need to report to the duty person in the bus park or report to our Security staff, for contact to be made with the parents.

The only adult on board is the driver. Older students can be assigned as bus monitors to supervise the adherence to the MIS Code of Conduct on our school buses. For the Code of Conduct please refer to page 10 in the Bus Service Information brochure.

The School strives to ensure punctual bus service. However, traffic or road conditions may cause buses to run late. When receiving message from the driver about a delay, we will send a SMS to the parents as quickly as possible. Students should wait 15 – 20 min. past scheduled departure time before contacting the Transportation Office or the bus company. In case of severe disruption of the bus service, we advise that parents have an alternative plan for their child.

Students as of grade 5 are allowed off the bus by themselves. Please also refer to point 9.

The complete MIS Code of Conduct can be found on page 10 of the Bus Service Information brochure. Most important are wearing seat belts at all times during travel; avoid any loud noise that would distract the driver and no eating and drinking on board.

The use of laptops on the bus is discouraged as it could possibly cause injury in case of an unexpected break maneuver.

Wearing seat belts on the bus is mandatory by German law.

This is possible if adequate seating is available on the given bus to accommodate a guest rider. Parental permission is required before a guest rider ticket (so-called bus pass) can be issued.

Children are welcome to visit each other and travel on another bus, if adequate seating is available on the given bus on the day(s) in question. Permission is required by the parent of the guest rider. Deadline for requesting bus passes is 12:00h on the day of travel on a regular school day and 16:00h on the working day before for travel on a “half” or “early release” day. Pls. see page 5 and 6 of the Bus Service Information brochure for more details and dates.

This is possible if adequate seating is available on the bus. You will need to present a bus pass to the driver to identify yourself as authorized passenger. Please request your bus pass in time for your child to bring it home the day before, if you want to travel on a morning bus.

Cancelling the school bus during the school year is not possible. You have the option, however, to contract the bus service for the first half of the school only, at half the costs and with the option to extend the contract for the remainder of the school year. If in doubt, we suggest that you choose this option rather than contracting the service for the entire school year.

Our school buses are not equipped with tracking devices. You may want to consider equipping your child with a mobile phone if you like to stay in contact during travel.

Deadline for requesting bus passes is 12:00h on the day of travel on a regular school day and 16:00h on the working day before for travel on a “half” or “early release” day. Pls. see page 5 and 6 of the Bus Service Information brochure for more details and dates.

If enrolled with the bus service round trip there is no limit to bus pass numbers in a school year, always if adequate seating is available on the given bus. Some limitations apply for enrollees with one-way service only. Bus passes for non-enrollees must be limited to the odd playdate or in case of an emergency only.

Hotel stays are usually only limited time only. If we can accommodate a stop depends if a public bus stop is near the given hotel, if this bus stop fits in an existing school bus route and the length of stay at the hotel. Short-term arrangements of less than 4 weeks are not possible.