Bus Communication Channels:
- Sign up for Bus Text Alerts by texting @mastbus to 81010. If MaST is notified that a bus is off schedule, a text alert will be sent to those registered. You must know your child’s route number.
- Transportation Email: transportation@mastccs.org
General Information:
- Transportation for Philadelphia students attending MaST Charter Schools in any elementary or middle school grade is provided by the School District of Philadelphia either by yellow school buses or Septa transpasses.
- Students must reside more than 1.5 miles from the school locations to be eligible for either.
- The School District of Philadelphia uses ESRI, a state of the art system for determining the distance between a student’s residence, school location and school bus stop.
- The School District attempts to ensure that all yellow bus stops are within .5 miles of the legal residence of each student. The School District is careful to assign the correct number of students to each school bus route for safety purposes.
- Students may only ride on the bus they are assigned to by the School District.
- All MaST students are expected to follow the same behavior rules on buses as they do during the school day. All must be respectful to other students and bus drivers.
- The School District works with many different bus companies and can assign any one of them. Please ensure that the bus is the correct route for your child and is going to your specific MaST location.
- Always be at your stop 10 minutes before your assigned time. While buses are on a schedule, many things can affect timing such as traffic, weather, and students not being at their stop in a timely fashion.
Septa Information:
- Transpasses are provided by the School District of Philadelphia to students who reside 1.5 miles (or greater) from the school.
- Septa transpasses are good on school days until 6 p.m. and can be used on all Septa buses.
- Please check on Septa.org for routes closest to your residence. If your child misses a Septa tripper that stops at MaST, they must use their transpass to get to school on another bus. There are maps to assist you, and all routes are listed on Septa.org.
- All Septa routes are open to the general public as well as other schools.
- Students who are not distance eligible for transpasses are still permitted to ride all buses. Go to Septa.org for info on purchasing a Septa key card for your child.
Change of Address:
If you have moved or are planning to move, it is imperative you let the school know so that the transportation change process can begin. This will require submission of paperwork.
Out of County (Students residing outside Philadelphia) Early Dismissals
- On days listed “K-12 Half Days” Out of county school district buses will now transport all students on early dismissal days. They will arrive at MaST at our early dismissal times for scheduled early dismissals.
- One days listed “9-12 Half Days” Out of county school district buses for 9th – 12th grade students will not arrive early but students can wait and still ride their bus at the normally scheduled dismissal time.
Out of County Emergency Alerts
We strongly advise you to contact your local school district of residence and register for their emergency alerts so you will be aware of weather closings and delays.
Bus Change Request:
- If your child’s bus stop is more than .5 miles from your residence, if circumstances are an emergency situation, or you’d like the school to consider changing the bus stop for other reasons, a request may be made to the school. The school will either review, deny, or take the decision to The School District of Philadelphia and the local bus company via their process.
- All final decisions are made by the local school in coordination with the bus company, the School District of Philadelphia and may be denied at any time.