Transportation

This transportation is available for students in grades pre-K through 12 who live within a 1.5 mile radius of the school. Priority is given as follows:

• Lower school students
• Then middle school students
• Then upper school students with siblings in lower or middle school.

The School provides two routes, designed for door-to-door service wherever possible and aims to have a route length of no more than 60 minutes. The bus will be scheduled so that it can arrive in the school parking lot by 7:50 a.m. in order to meet the 8:00 a.m. start time for Middle and Upper School classes. Lower School students upon arrival go to the Dining Hall supervised by Friends Select staff and wait until they are dismissed for their 8:15 a.m. class start. The bus will depart promptly after the 3:00 p.m. dismissal.

The School determines which route a student is placed on as well as drop off and pick up times based on a scheduling algorithm that minimizes total route time. Families may not request an earlier or later drop off or pick up time as we aim to have the most efficient route for all students, nor may they request that their student be on a specific route or with other specific students.

Families will be notified if they have a spot on a route via a phone call or email in mid May. Any student who is not placed on a route because it is full will be placed on a waitlist and the family will be contacted when a spot opens up. A follow up call or email will be sent in late August notifying parents of pick-up or drop off times. Please note that there could be some adjustments in routing/times in the first two weeks or so as the route “settles out” and the potential for some late adds/deletions of students on the route.

The fee charged is for the entire school year. If a student is involved in an after school activity that goes beyond the departure time of the bus, other arrangements need to be made to get the student home. No credit will be made on your bill.

Occasionally we receive a request from a parent whose child rides the private bus to go home with a schoolmate who also rides the private bus service. This is permissible but we request that you notify the Lower School or Middle School Assistant in writing at least one week in advance.

Parents must make their own arrangements for guests who do not ride one of the private buses.

If you are interested in this bus service, please complete this form (link here) by May 1, 2022. A new request form must be completed even if your child rides the bus this year.
 

Philadelphia School District
Bus transportation is available at no cost to children in grades 1 through 8 who live more than 1.5 miles, but no more than 10 miles from the school. (Note: due to the school’s location, the Philadelphia School Board has extended this service to grades 7 and 8). Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students are not included in this program. The Philadelphia School Board transportation office determines whether a student is eligible for the free bus transportation. If you sign up for the public bus, you are not entitled to a student transpass.

School Districts Outside of Philadelphia
If you live in a school district other than Philadelphia and are interested in transportation to Friends Select School, please contact your local school district transportation office. In order to qualify, the boundary of your school district must be within 10 miles of Friends Select School and your district must be already providing transportation for public school students. Districts that currently provide a school bus or a transportation subsidy to students attending Friends Select are: 

• Abington
• Cheltenham
• Haverford
• Lower Merion
• Radnor
• Springfield
• Upper Darby
• William Penn

Philadelphia School District
A monthly “Student Transpass” is available at no cost to students in grades 1 through 12 who live more than 1.5 miles but no more than 10 miles from the school. The passes are picked up monthly at the reception desk in the front lobby (one week prior to the month they are valid) by the students who are enrolled in this program. The transpasses may be used on SEPTA bus, trolley, and subway transportation systems. Transpasses can be used on regional rail lines when upgraded by the parent/guardian or student for a fee at SEPTA Customer Service. The Philadelphia School Board transportation office determines whether a student is eligible for the free student transpass. Please note that it can take up to one month for a transpass request to be processed.

If you sign up for the student transpass, you are not entitled to any busing option provided by the School District of Philadelphia.

Suburban (non-Philadelphia) School Districts
Transpasses are also available to students living in the Cheltenham School District and Lower Merion School District (for Lower Merion only when busing is not available). Other suburban districts do not offer transpasses for students.
 
For students outside of the Cheltenham and Lower Merion School Districts, families can purchase weekly/monthly transpasses via the SEPTA website (link here). Prices will vary based on distance from FSS and train line.

PATCO
Students attending FSS from New Jersey can take the PATCO line to Center City Philadelphia, followed by a short walk to FSS. Prices may vary.