Transportation Solutions
Now that you’ve found the perfect field trip to match your curriculum needs, how do you get your students there safely and in a cost effective manner? At the 2007 Field Trip Fair we introduced the Transportation Station – a one stop shop approach to answering your questions about meeting your transportation needs on field trips.
As always, email us if you have other suggestions for this page.
Bus Bursaries
BC Field Trips recognizes that sometimes travel by charter bus is the most efficient way to travel to a field trip. Since the 2007 Field Trip Fair we have given away ‘bus bursaries’ to attendees to the Fair. In 2010 we started to give away more transportation bursaries to recipients of our newsletter, On the Road.
Translink
Learning to use and support public transportation is an environmentally friendly skill. At the 2007 Field Trip Fair, representatives from Coast Mountain Bus, a subsidiary of Translink, attended to talk with teachers about ways to incorporate transit as a realistic field trip transportation alternative.
BC Field Trips collected over 300 signatures from educators interested in encouraging Translink to make public more accessible to school groups. In October 2007 we presented to the Translink board a petition lobbying for changes to Translink policy to make a one zone student fare valid for travel across all zones if students are participating in a registered field trip.
In January 2008 the Translink board changed membership, so we’re back to the drawing board.
To read the requested policy changes or to add your name to the online version of the petition, go to www.gopetition.com/online/14462.html
Daytrippers – financial support to take learning on the road
In September 2007, BC Field Trips was pleased to introduce Daytrippers Children’s Charity from Ontario to BC teachers. Daytrippers exists to provide funding to help teachers overcome financial barriers to accessing field trips. A short application form is available online and is reviewed by a trip review committee at the charity. To date over 20 BC teachers have benefitted from support from Daytrippers!
Booster seat legislation - making it work for field trips
As you may be aware, new child passenger restraint legislation came into effect on July 1, 2008 in British Columbia. This legislation now aligns with best practices for child passenger safety. It does have implications for volunteer drivers - teachers and parents - driving students under 9 years of age on field trips. BC Field Trips has worked with the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation to create a plain language document to explain these changes and simple, low cost solutions for accessing booster seats. Print a copy and post it on your field trip board at school! More detailed information for administrators is being prepared by the Risk Management Branch of the Ministry of Finance. BC Field Trips also gave away 'six packs' of booster seats to four lucky teachers at the 2008 Field Trip Fair.
Interested in a trip to our provincial capital?
The Provincial Capital Commission provides some travel funding for student groups making educational visits to the Capital. Also eligible are student groups from the Capital Region arranging an educational exchange with groups from other parts of the Province. As a new feature of the program, these "Capital Exchanges" are also available to youth-oriented service groups such as boy scouts, girl guides, and 4H clubs.
HASTE - Interested in transportation alternatives?
HASTE (Hub for Action on School Transportation Emissions) is a wealth of information for educators looking for resources on trasnporation alternatives and solutions. A few features:
- an emissions calculator to determine personal and classwide emissions, or the difference between doing your field trip by private car vs. walking;
- funding to support emission reduction education initiatives - up to $175 per school;
- information on starting a walking school bus or bicycle train at your school;
- safety information for cyclists, pedestrians and transit users.
Need a Motorcoach / Bus for your field trips, day trips and overnight trips?
International Stage Lines provides charter Motorcoach services for BC public schools located in Victoria, Vancouver Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, and Okanagan Valley since 1978. We can assist with your group planning, scheduling, itinerary and routings, as you plan your trips to Seattle, Victoria, Whistler, Field Trips, Ski Trips, Band Trips and Athletic competitions. As well we can coordinate multiple buses for Grad functions, as well as airport transfers to Bellingham, Seatac, YVR for those longer trips or visiting delegations. For week day trips to Victoria, Whistler, Seattle please ask about our complimentary upgrade, per www.bcfieldtrips.ca. Please contact Carla or Kathryn in the charter department at(604) 270-6135 or email info@islbus.com for more information.
