Marin Transit's Yellow School Bus program, in partnership with the Town of San Anselmo, the Town of Fairfax, and the County of Marin, provides students at White Hill Middle School and Hidden Valley Elementary School the opportunity to ride to and from school on a bus that’s been specifically designed for student transportation operated by drivers trained to service this population.
FAQs
General Questions
- What service does the program provide?
- How is the program funded?
- What is the JEPA?
- Is the school district operating the busses?
- My child splits their time between two households. Can they ride different routes on different days?
- How safe are the busses?
- What are the qualifications for the drivers?
- Why can't you add another bus?
- Why do routes depart WHMS at 3:45 PM?
Bus Passes
- How do I buy a pass?
- How much does it cost?
- Are there discounts for multi-child families?
- Are there limited seats available?
- Do you pro-rate the price of the pass during the year?
- When will I receive my student's pass?
- Do kids need to show a pass to board the bus?
- What if my child loses the bus pass?
- Do you sell single use or weekly passes?
- Can I get a refund?
- Does a pass entitle my student to ride any yellow bus he/she chooses?
Bus Operations
- Where and when does the bus stop in my neighborhood?
- Does the bus schedule adjust for Early Release and Minimum Days?
- What if my child misses the bus?
- What if the bus is late?
- What happens if my child leaves an item on the bus?
- Who do I call if there is a problem?
RidePal Bus Tracking App
- What is RidePal?
- How do I sign up for RidePal?
- How do I authenticate my access?
- How do I favorite a route?
- How do I enable notifications for my routes?
- What is RidePass?
- How do I use RidePass?
- Is RidePass required to use RidePal or to use the Ross Valley Yellow Bus service?
- Who can I reach out to if I have more questions about RidePal or have problems using the app?
Riding Privileges
- Can my child be assigned to more than one route?
- Can my child get off at a different stop?
- Can my child bring a friend home on the bus?
Safety
- What if my child has to cross the street?
- Can riders open the windows?
- Can riders stick anything out the windows?
Discipline
- How is discipline carried out onboard the bus?
- What happens if a child doesn't follow the rules?
- Can my bus pass be taken away?
- Are parents financially responsible for vandalism?
- What if my child is being bullied?
- What if my child is accused of bullying?
General Questions
Q: What service does the program provide?
Q: How is the program funded?
Marin Transit's Yellow School Bus program that serves schools in the Ross Valley receives funding from several key stakeholders including the Town of San Anselmo, and the Town of Fairfax, and the County of Marin. Marin Transit distributes Measure AA funds to the Ross Valley program. Without these contributions, bus pass prices would nearly double. In addition to the funding partners listed above, the remaining costs of the program are funded through pass sales and other fees. For a break down of funding sources, please visit the Program Funding page.
Q: What is the JEPA?
On January 1, 2019, the Ross Valley Yellow Bus Transportation Services Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement (JEPA) went into effect. The members of the JEPA form a joint committee including the Town of San Anselmo, the Town of Fairfax, the County of Marin, and the Ross Valley School District.
The purpose of the joint committee is to provide enhanced public oversight and transparency for the yellow bus program operated by Marin Transit and serving public schools in the Ross Valley. The joint committee will provide policy guidance and advice to Marin Transit.
You can learn more about the joint committee and view presentations and meeting materials here. Parents are encouraged to attend the meetings and provide input!
Q: Is the school district operating the buses?
No. RVSD is not funded, equipped, or staffed to operate transportation services. Marin Transit is contracting for the operations of the buses with a local school bus provider.
Q: My child splits their time between two households. Can they ride different routes on different days?
We understand that some students split their time between different households and given the geography in the Ross Valley this may mean that not all bus routes serve both stops where the student resides. Marin Transit makes every effort to accommodate families with split households. For more information and to request access to a secondary bus, email school@marintransit.org.
Q: How safe are the buses?
School buses are some of the safest vehicles on the road today. According the National Safety Council Statistics, school buses are 172 times safer than passenger cars in terms of occupant deaths per 100 million passenger miles traveled.
Q: What are the qualifications of the drivers?
Bauer's drivers are fully certified, courteous, and professional.
In addition to the commercial vehicle and passenger endorsements needed to drive a transit bus, yellow bus drivers transporting students must also obtain a School Pupil Activity Bus (SPAB) certification. This certification process trains drivers on issues specific to student transportation and also includes fingerprinting and a background check.
Q: Why can't you add another bus?
The program is funded through a combination of pass sales revenue and contributions from Measure AA (via Marin Transit), the County of Marin, the Town of San Anselmo, and the Town of Fairfax. In order for a bus to be added to the contract an additional $150,000 in subsidy would need to be raised in addition to the revenue contributed through pass sales. Additional funding from the local partners is not available and we will not be able to add a fifth bus to the contract for the 2023/24 academic year. Click here to learn more about program funding.
Q: Why do some routes depart WHMS after 3:30 PM?
In 2023/24, Marin Transit will contract with Bauer's Intelligent Transportation for four buses to provide 16 routes to White Hill Middle School, Hidden Valley Elementary and Ross Valley Charter. 14 of these routes serve WHMS. In the morning, demand is spread between the 0 and 1st periods which allows for the re-use of the buses for multiple routes. In the afternoon, however, all of the WHMS students are released at the same time. In order to serve the same number of students in the afternoon as the morning, three of the buses return to campus after completing a first route. We understand that these routes after the buses return to campus are the least desirable routes due to their late departure from school. Unfortunately, it is the only way that we can increase the supply of seats available with the four buses under contract. Click here for more information about the bus/route configurations.
Bus Passes
Q: How do I buy a pass?
Passes are awarded through a lottery process. Families must register for the lottery between May 15 and May 21, 2023. After the lottery registration window closes, families will receive an email with their awarded routes with a link to complete the purchase. For more information on the lottery and its terms and conditions, please visit the lottery page here.
Once available, passes can be purchased online using a Visa, Master Card, American Express, or Discover credit card. AM and PM passes are sold separately. For a round trip, you will need to choose an AM product plus a PM product and add them both to your cart before completing the check-out procedure.
If you have an outstanding balance from the prior year's purchase, then you are not allowed to purchase a pass for the new school year until the outstanding balance has been paid.
Q: How much does it cost?
In the 2023/24 school year, one-way pass prices are $575 each, which breaks down to approximately $3.19 per trip. All passes can be purchased online using a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover credit card.
| Payment Option |
Annual One-Way |
|
Pay in Full |
$575.00 |
|
Pay in 2 Installments |
$299 due immediately $299 due September 1, 2023 |
If purchased before August 15, 2023, parents will have the option to pay the full amount at once or pay in two separate installments. If selecting the installment payment option, the first payment will be processed to your card upon placing your order. A $11.50 per charge per pass processing fee is included in the total price. The remaining payment will be charged on September 1, 2023.
Any passes purchased after August 15, will require the pay in full option.
Families that qualify for the free or reduced lunch program and are in need of a bus pass can fill out an application form for a reduced price coupon code here.
For questions about reduced price pass eligibility for White Hill and Hidden Valley, please contact Jenni Wright at the Ross Valley School District office. Jenni can be reached by phone at 415-451-4074, or by email at jwright@rossvalleyschools.org.
For questions about eligibility for Ross Valley Charter, please call the school office at 415-534-6970, or by email at office@rossvalleycharter.org.
| Income Qualified | Annual One-Way |
| Pay in Full | $75.00 |
Q: Are there discounts for multi-child families?
No, there are no discounts for multi-child families.
Q: Are there limited seats available?
Yes. Each route has a limited number of seats available for sale and routes will close once all seats are purchased. You will have the option to join a waitlist for available seats if buses sell out.
Q: Do you pro-rate the price of the pass during the year?
Yes. If you move to the area or decide to use the bus after the year begins, passes will be pro-rated based on the number of months left in the school year. However, availability of these passes is based on unsold seats and are not guaranteed.
Q: When will I receive my student’s pass?
White Hill: At the beginning of the year passes will be available at the school during student orientation. Passes purchased after the start of the fall semester will be mailed directly to pass holders.
Hidden Valley: Your student's pass will be mailed to the shipping address that you provide at check out. For an annual pass, you may use your printed purchase confirmation as a temporary pass in the meantime while you wait for the permanent bus pass to arrive. For single ride pass sheets, see Mariposa at Hidden Valley to pick them up. Please note, single ride pass sheets are made available for purchase in October of each year and only if space is available.
Ross Valley Charter: Your student's pass will be mailed to the shipping address that you provide at check out. You may use your printed purchase confirmation as a temporary pass in the meantime while you wait for the permanent bus pass to arrive.
Q: Do kids need to show a pass to board the bus?
Yes. Students will receive a specific pass based on the bus stop and route selected at the time of purchase. Students must carry this pass whenever they ride the bus, even if the driver already knows them.
Q: What if my child loses the bus pass?
If your child has lost his/her pass, you can purchase a replacement pass for $10. Once purchased, the school coordinator will provide your child with a temporary pass, which can be used until a new pass is mailed out. Replacement passes are available for purchase online.
Q: Do you sell single use or weekly passes?
Single ride pass sheets at Hidden Valley are sold in sheets of ten for $50/sheet. Passes are usually made available later in the fall and only if there is enough space to accommodate more students.
This product is not available for White Hill service as there is no capacity.
Q: Can I get a refund?
There are no refunds, including a situation where the student’s bus pass has been revoked due to not following the rules. The only exception is if your child moves away from the District. Your refund will be pro-rated based on the number of months left in the school year. No refunds will be allowed for any circumstances after April 1 of each academic year.
Q: Does a pass entitle my student to ride any yellow bus he/she chooses?
No, all passes are specific to a bus and route. In the AM and PM, the driver expects your student to board or alight at your selected stop.
Bus Operations
Q: Where and when does the bus stop in my neighborhood?
Routes generally use the existing public transit bus stops in Ross Valley, in addition to Memorial Park in San Anselmo. Parents need to designate their desired stop when purchasing a pass.
Q: Does the bus schedule adjust for Early Release and Minimum Days?
Routes will adjust to meet early release and minimum days for White Hill and Hidden Valley. The School District will actively coordinate with Marin Transit and Bauer’s to ensure buses are available when students need transportation. There will be no afternoon bus service for Kindergarten dismissal times.
Q: What if my child misses the bus?
That does sometimes happen so please be prepared. Every family should have a backup plan where kids have a way to contact a parent or neighbor that can get them to school, or that they can notify if they plan to walk.
Q: What if the bus is late?
This sometimes happens due to traffic or mechanical problems. Parents can download the Ridepal mobile app to track bus location and to be notified if their bus is running late. Our bus operator would have a replacement bus on the way in case of a significant mechanical problem.
Q: What happens if my child leaves an item on the bus?
Bus drivers will drop off items at the White Hill school office shortly after finding the items. The quickest way to find your lost item is to either ask the driver on the following day or contact the White Hill school office at 415-454-8390.
If you are still unable to find your item, please email school@marintransit.org.
Q: Who do I call if there is a problem?
If it involves Lost & Found or any issue relating directly to a bus or driver, contact Bauer's or email school@marintransit.org.
RidePal Bus Tracking App
Q: What is RidePal?
RidePal is a digital tracking software for all Ross Valley school bus routes. Families can sign up, view routing, see where their bus is in real time, and with RidePass, parents can see if their students have tagged on or off.
Q: How do I sign up for RidePal?
Parents can sign up for RidePal at www.ridepal.com. After signing up, please be sure you confirm your account with the link that will be emailed to you on signup. Once you confirm your account, you need to authenticate your access with the Student Transportation Team.
Q: How do I authenticate my access?
You can do so by filling out this form. Please note that the Ross Valley Yellow Bus routes are in a secure digital environment, and it may take up to 3 business days to have your account authenticated.
Q: How do I favorite a route?
After signing up for and authenticating your access, you can favorite your student routes by selecting "Find My Route" from the main RidePal page. Then, click "All Routes". You should be able to scroll down to the appropriate routes (HV-1, WH-9, etc) and click the star beside it. This will allow you to receive notifications for those routes and will pin these routes to the top of your page.
Q: How do I enable notifications for my routes?
After favoriting a route, the 'My Account' tab on the RidePal page will bring you to your notification settings. You can choose to receive alerts and notifications by email or text message.
Q: What is RidePass?
RidePass is a scannable code that can log trips taken via RidePal. RidePass allows your student to 'tag on' the bus and logs the time of each tag as well as the route that it was tagged on. RidePass is a completely optional addition for families to use.
Q: How do I use RidePass?
On the My Account page on RidePal, select "RidePass". This will display the QR code, unique to each account. Parents can print the pass out for their student, or, if the student has a smart phone, they can screenshot the code or can add the RidePass to their digital wallet on iOS or Android.
When boarding a vehicle, students will see a tablet near the entrance of the bus. All they have to do is display the code on their phone or show the printed version of the code to the tablets camera and it will count as a successful 'tag on' when it is scanned.
Q: Is RidePass required to use RidePal or to use the Ross Valley Yellow Bus service?
Not at all. The only requirement to use the Ross Valley Yellow Bus is a purchased pass. Students are asked to continue to keep their plastic passes with them while riding. RidePal will still allow parents to track the routes of their students, regardless if RidePass is used or not. RidePass is simply a digital add-on for families to use if they so wish. RidePass, and RidePal itself, are completely optional.
Q: Who can I reach out to if I have more questions about RidePal or have problems using the app?
If you have any issues creating an account, tracking a vehicle, or using the RidePass program, please contact support@ridepal.com.
Riding Privileges
Q: Can my child be assigned to more than one route?
All students are assigned to one route and one stop. If your student splits their time between more than one household in the District, parents can request a secondary stop after purchasing their primary route and stop. If your student requests different drop-off locations after school, parents are also encouraged to consider this when purchasing their PM pass and select a route that serve all desired stops. For more information, please email school@marintransit.org.
Q: Can my child get off at a different stop?
Drivers expect students to only travel to/from their assigned stop. This is done for safety reasons and allows the drivers to better monitor students.
Q: Can my child bring a friend home on the bus?
Students can only ride home with a friend if they have purchased a pass on the same afternoon bus route. Hidden Valley students who do not have a pass and wish to ride home with a friend can purchase single ride passes online when they become available.
Safety
Q: What if my child has to cross the street?
Service is provided along both sides of Butterfield Road to eliminate the need for students to cross to get to or from a bus stop. If needed, yellow bus drivers also have the ability to stop oncoming traffic and escort students across the street.
Q: Can riders open the windows?
Yes, kids are allowed to open the windows, except when common sense or the bus driver dictates otherwise.
Q: Can riders stick anything out the windows?
No. No part of a child's body should ever extend through a window, and no item of any kind may be thrown out a window.
Discipline
Q: How is discipline carried out onboard the bus?
Drivers are responsible for maintaining proper student supervision and monitoring of all students onboard. Drivers are assigned to a specific route and you and your student should expect the same driver every day.
Q: What happens if a child doesn't follow the rules?
A verbal warning will first be issued to the student by the Driver and documented with the school coordinator. If the student continues to violate student behavior guidelines, then an Incident Report Form will be filed and sent to the school. The school may take appropriate disciplinary action and the riding privilege can either be suspended or permanently revoked without refund.
Q: Can my bus pass be taken away?
Yes. If your child does not respond to the progressive discipline assigned, your pass may be suspended or revoked without refund.
Q: Are parents financially responsible for vandalism?
Yes, parents/guardians are financially responsible for vandalism caused by their child.
Q: What if my child is being bullied?
Contact your school principal or the school transportation coordinator immediately.
Q: What if my child is accused of bullying?
Your child may be entered into a progressive discipline process. If bullying is happening and does not cease, your child may be temporarily suspended from the bus, and/or may have the annual pass revoked without refund.