Dear North Side Parents,                              

[ 2013/14 Update Pending ]

T

he Laboratory Schools’ North Side Bus service is a safe, convenient, and green transportation option for North Side families. It reduces traffic at arrival and dismissal times, and plays an increasingly important role in the Schools' emphasis on green and sustainable environmental awareness.

The Lakefront route, which is the original North Side service, includes two buses each way each day; the two runs address the different schedules of younger and older students. The third run home, for High School students, will operate on Tuesdays and Fridays to accommodate the later U-High schedule on these days.

The Bucktown/South Loop route will have one bus each way, and the South Loop portion is included in the afternoon only. This bus is for Lab's younger students, i.e., grades 4 and below in the mornings and grades 2 and below in the afternoons. U-High students may also use this bus for Monday mornings which start later than Tuesday-Friday.

All buses are staffed by uniformed drivers and monitors, with the exception that the late late Tuesday/Friday bus has no monitor.

To register your child or children to use the bus, please familiarize yourself with the Policy and Procedures document, and fill in and submit the Lakefront Registration Form or the Bucktown/South Loop Registration Form. Some additional details are provided below. 

Several parents have agreed to share how Lab's North Side Bus service has served their families' needs and from time to time exceeded expectations. If you would like to hear testimonial from families who use the bus, click here and we will connect you up.

Bus Passes

Three kinds of passes are available: Annual Round Trip, Annual One-Way "Flexipass", and Daily. No physical passes are issued. Rider attendance is taken and compared to payment balances. You will receive a reminder if your inventory of daily rides is low. Please see below for pricing details. Note: Quarterly passes have been discontinued, but scheduled payment plans are available for a small premium.

Itinerary

Itineraries are available for download in the box to the right. Choose Lakefront or Bucktown/South Loop.

Pricing

We are pleased to continue these service improvements in response to your feedback. Reduced price for the first sibling and no charge for additional siblings remain in place. One way every day remains an option with the Flexipass.

Flexipass - Annual One-Way passes are good for one ride per day in either direction. If the second ride is taken, an additional single "daily" ride will be charged. Note South Loop is afternoons only, therefore one-way.

Guest Riders

Your child may invite a guest or guests. If guests are regular users of the bus, the guest’s parent or guardian needs to authorize the change in stop, if any. If, however, your child’s guest is not registered to ride the bus, the guest’s parent or guardian must authorize the ride in writing, in advance. You, as host family, will be charged for the guest ride. E-mail notice is sufficient.

Billing & Payment

Please keep your children's daily passes current. Rides in excess of the pre-purchase will be billed at $18 per ride. Single rides may be purchased for $18 each. Refunds for un-used dailies will not be made, so plan and purchase accurately. If you select quarterly or monthly payment plans for annual passes, please keep these accounts current also. Recurrent late payment will incur late payment fees. Click here to view payment plan options for annual passes.

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Registration forms are due back to Lab not later than September 6, 2012, if you choose to use the bus on opening day. Receipt of the on-line forms will constitute agreement to pay the corresponding fee, and agreement to use the Schools' new on-line payment system. Following opening day, registration remains open. For safety reasons, do not put your child on the bus without having submitted the form and payment.

Please feel free to call us with any questions. Many thanks.

Ned Reece
Director of Auxiliary Programs
773 834 4272
nreece@ucls.uchicago.edu