Watertown Public Schools

2023-24 Bus Information

HOSMER BUS REGISTRATION INFORMATION

School bus transportation is available to the Hosmer School from shared pickup points throughout Watertown. Regardless of grade or distance from school, all students must register online for the bus each year. Registrations do not roll over from year to year.  

Bus ridership determination is based solely on walking distance (as determined by the business office) to the school that the student attends. Please note that other criteria apply: transportation is not available to students who live less than 0.75 miles' walking distance from their school, or to out-of-neighborhood students (email or call for details).

Fees

For families who want to apply, or reapply, for the school year need-based fee waiver please use this link. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service will update the waiver form for the school year in mid-late July. To use the fee waiver for transportation (in addition to the school food program) you must check off the “permission to share with the Business Office” option. Please note that fee waivers do not affect eligibility or take priority over the distance determination. Please contact Brandon Rabbitt, the Director of School Nutrition at [email protected] , with any Free & Reduced lunch questions.  There is no “transportation only” waiver – the transportation waiver only applies if Free/Reduced lunch applies.

Families whose students secure a seat will be emailed a confirmation with instructions for payment via check or money order.

Seating Capacity

We will be reducing the capacity on the Hosmer buses to 52 seats, to enhance safety.

Timeline

All registrations received by June 12^th will be will be processed by the WPS Business Office to determine the walking distance. Registrations that are received after June 12^th will only be considered if space allows.  Depending on the number of registrations we receive, we may have a waitlist for seats even if the registration is submitted by June 12^th. Bus routes and scheduled pickup times will be determined based on actual ridership.

School Bus Routes

Only students may board the bus.  Parents/caregivers are never allowed on the bus.

Bus routes and scheduled pickup times are reviewed each year and will be determined based on actual ridership. The routes are posted on the WPS Transportation page: WPS Transportation webpage early August, all families whose student has a seat on the bus will also be sent the route information.

Afternoon bus routes from all 3 elementary schools do not include the Boys & Girls Club.  If Watertown Public Schools is able to offer transportation to the Boys & Girls Club a separate online registration form will be sent to all families from their school principal in early September. 

2023-2024 Hosmer Bus Registration Link

MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL BUS REGISTRATION INFORMATION

This fall, when we open our Watertown High School at Moxley, we will be managing pick-up and drop-off for over 1200 students. Middle School and High School start and end times will be staggered to help mitigate the confluence of students. We anticipate that pick-up and drop-off times will be congested and we are encouraging all families to consider alternative options for arriving at the site, including walking, biking, or taking a bus. There will be no student parking in or around the site, and the expectation is that students will not be driving to school.

During the Watertown High School Construction, the building project plans provide for bus transportation to middle school and high school students in grades 6-12 who live .75 miles or more from the Middle School/Moxley site without a fee for students. Students and families who are interested in busing will be required to sign up for busing in the coming weeks, with the expectation that anyone who signs up for busing will ride the bus to school every day and will carry with them their bus pass at all times. No one will be allowed to ride a Middle School/High School bus without a pass. We understand that there will be fluctuations in the number of students riding the bus in the afternoon due to after school activities. It is important to note that we will adjust bus schedules and stops if it is determined that students are not regularly riding the bus.

Regardless of grade or distance from school, all students must register online for the bus each year. Registrations do not roll over from year to year.  

There is no fee for Middle School or High School Students who live .75 miles or more from the Middle School during the Watertown High School Construction.

Timeline

All registrations received by June 12^th will be will be processed by the WPS Business Office to determine the walking distance. Registrations that are received after June 12^th will only be considered if space allows.  Bus routes and scheduled pickup times will be determined based on actual ridership.

School Bus Routes

Only students may board the bus.  Parents/Caregivers are never allowed on the bus.

Bus routes and scheduled pickup times are reviewed each year and will be determined based on actual ridership. The routes are posted on the WPS Transportation page: WPS Transportation webpage early August, all families whose child(ren) has a seat on the bus will also be sent the route information.

Additionally, afternoon Late Bus service will be provided to Middle School students who are registered for the regular Transportation Program. The late bus will stop at the bus stops of the students who ride the bus on a given day. This service does not start the first day of school; the Middle School principal includes the start date for this in the weekly newsletters.

2023-2024 Middle School Bus Registration Link

2023-2024 High School Bus Registration Link

MBTA for Students

Middle School and High School students may sign up for reduced-fare Student CharlieCards, valid on MBTA buses and subway. There are two types of Student CharlieCards available:

• Unlimited Pass: This pass offers students unlimited access to the MBTA bus and subway system at a cost of $30 per month. This pass must be paid in two installments: $150 for September through January, then $150 for February through June. Contact the WPS Transportation Office for information on use of this pass during the summer months. If payments are not made when due the card is shut off by the MBTA.
• Pay-As-You-Go Card: This card works like a prepaid charge card balance. Students can load money onto their passes at any MBTA kiosk. Funds are then deducted from the balance at a discounted student rate of 85¢ per bus ride and $1.10 per subway ride. There is no charge for students to obtain a pay-as-you-go card, but it will come loaded with $0 prepaid, so students are responsible for loading money onto their pay-as-you-go cards.

*The MBTA may change their fees at any time – WPS fees will change accordingly

Pay-As-You-Go Cards are available for pickup at both the Middle School and High School main offices.  If you would like to purchase the Unlimited Pass please email: [email protected]

Contact

If you have additional questions, please contact us at  [email protected].