Your Back-to-School Bus Guide

Going to secondary school might be the first time you’ve used the bus by yourself. We understand that this might be exciting or maybe a bit nerve-wracking! Here’s our handy guide so you know what to do: 

1. Get to your bus stop a couple of minutes before you expect your bus to arrive
2. If it's dark, you can help your driver by shining your phone screen or torch
3. Raise your arm as the bus approaches, to let your drive know you are waiting
4. Get your cash, ticket or pass ready as the bus approaches - this helps speed boarding up
5. Take your seat and enjoy your journey!
6. Press the 'stop' bell in good time before you need to get off the bus
7. Wave to your driver as you get off to say "thank you!"

Download our app

Download our app so you can plan your journey and buy your ticket in advance. Before you leave home, you can check when your bus will be departing from your bus stop and you can even live track your bus, so you can see where along the route your bus is. 

Your parent or guardian can also download the app and can buy your tickets for you, using the gift feature. They can also track your bus to see when you’ve been picked up from the bus stop and when you get to school. 

Tickets

Check out our page about tickets for young people and our page about KCC Travel Saver Passes for detailed information. 

Until Friday 12th September, you will be able to use the bus without showing your KCC Travel Saver pass as we understand that you might not have been able to pick up your pass yet, so don’t worry about not being let on the bus. You do still need to tell the driver that you are waiting for your pass, as they will need to record that you have boarded on their ticket machine. 

If you’re feeling nervous...

We recommend you practice your route to school if you’re feeling nervous, and maybe take a grown-up who you trust with you the first time you catch the bus. 

If you have a question, you can get in touch with our friendly customer service team. If you have a question about your ticket or pass, you can also ask your driver - just be sure that they are stopped at a bus stop before asking.

You and your parents can also speak to one of our managers at our weekly Meet the Manager session. These usually happen at Bluewater Bus Station, on Wednesdays between 11:30-12:30. We will have a selection of leaflets with further information, such as timetable booklets. We might also have some fun freebies for you!

If you lose something on the bus

If you lose something, try to remember what time you got off the bus and where the bus was going. Call up our customer service team and they can find out if it’s been handed in at our bus garage. If it has, they’ll advise you when you can go collect your item. Please don’t come to our bus garage without being advised of a time, as we are a busy site, so it might not be safe for you to come in all the time. 

You can call 01322 941020 or contact us on our app or website. 

Remember your item might not get found until that evening by our cleaners.

We find it helpful if you put your school name on items, such as coursework folders, as we can call your school to let them know we have it.

If something wasn’t right 

If something wasn’t right with your journey, let us know. If the bus didn’t turn up, the driver was rude or we didn’t do our job, you can call this number to complain.

 01322 941020 or contact us on our app or website. 

If another passenger on the bus did something wrong, maybe they were staring at you too much or said something they shouldn’t, ask an adult you trust to help you report it to the police. If you can give us clear details of when and where it happened, we will be able to provide CCTV to help support your case.