Bussing Programme

CDNIS is committed to the safety and well-being of our commuters, being courteous and conscientious neighbours, and to complying with the recommendations of local authorities; including the Southern District Council and the Education Bureau. Our bussing programme provides convenient and safe transportation for our commuters while minimizing the volume of private and hired vehicle congestion on Nam Long Shan Road; the sole emergency vehicle access to our school and for our neighbours. Starting Academic Year 2021/2022, CDNIS will implement a new bussing programme.

CDNIS will implement the bussing programme as follows:

  • All full day students, Lower and Upper School CDNIS families.
  • Half-day students, Early Years 1 and Early Years 2, will be exempt from the bussing programme but are highly encouraged to take advantage of the bussing on offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why did CDNIS decide to introduce a new comprehensive bussing programme?

CDNIS made the decision to introduce the comprehensive bussing programme (bussing programme) for several reasons, including but not limited to: the significant increase in the use of private and hired vehicles (taxis, Ubers, etc.) for arrivals and dismissals, the congestion created by double parked and idling vehicles, concern about road safety hazards and emergency vehicle access problems the aforementioned reason are creating for CDNIS and its neighbours, the decision of the Southern District Council and the Education Bureau to encourage schools to adopt all student bussing programmes in advance of it being mandated, and because the current labour-intensive arrival and dismissal system is unwieldy, unsafe, and unsustainable.

2. Do other international schools have similar bussing programmes?

Yes, CDNIS is joining a growing list of international schools with similar bussing programmes including Chinese International School, ESF Island School, German Swiss International School (Pok Fu Lam), Hong Kong International School, and Yew Chung International School. Other international schools strongly endorse a bussing only recommendation for their students.

3. Will bus rides be longer because of the increased number of passengers?

Our bus service provider is committed to minimizing the duration of every student’s time aboard the bus. For this reason, it is extremely important that all families register for the bus programme so the bus service provider can accurately tailor the pick up and drop off locations, bus routes, and bus schedules. Our bus service provider has agreed to add more routes, push back pick up times as much as possible, and to utilize all tunnels if it reduces commuting time.

4. Will the school continue the shuttle bus service from the MTR?

Yes. A free shuttle bus service for Prep to Grade 12 students will operate between the Wong Chuk Hang MTR station (near Exit A2) and the school campus. The Lower School bus will depart at 7:25am and the Upper School bus will depart at 8:20am. Return service is also being provided. Students who wish to take the free shuttle bus must pre-register via the KCM website.

5. How will the bussing programme be enforced?

Private and hired vehicles will no longer be allowed to access the CDNIS roundabouts. Early Years 1 and Early Years 2 families will be required to register their vehicle(s) and display window signage provided by CDNIS to access the roundabout. Parking on Nam Long Shan Road will be reserved for these registered families. Vehicles parked without displaying the window signage provided by CDNIS will be monitored and have their number plates recorded. Repeated or patterned attempts to access the CDNIS roundabouts or parking in the area reserved for registered families is not acceptable and may jeopardize your family’s enrollment.

6. Are there any exceptions to the bussing programme?

Yes, there are a few exceptions to the bussing programme. They are as follows:

  1. All Early Years 1 and Early Years 2 students.
  2. Any student commuting with an Early Years 1 or Early Years 2 student (sibling or carpool). Arrival time or departure time must be the same as the Early Years student and the Early Years students must be in the vehicle.
  3. Any student who uses the MTR, CityBus, NWFB, or other public bus that services the Wong Chuk Hang MTR/Nam Long Shan Road vicinity.
  4. Any student who walks to or from campus with parental permission.
  5. Any student in Grades 4 or above who registers and utilizes the shuttle service.
  6. Any student with prior CDNIS approval due to a special circumstance e.g. ambulatory issues, doctor appointment, dentist appointment, or onset of illness during the school day. Pick up or drop off must occur at least 30 minutes prior to any CDNIS arrival and dismissal time.
  7. Any student being picked up after participating in a CDNIS approved after-school programme that finishes after the completion of the regularly scheduled daily school dismissals (approximately 4:30pm at the earliest). CDNIS encourages students to utilize the buses provided following participation in after-school programmes.

No exceptions will be made for students participating in non-CDNIS after school activities located off campus.

7. What if there is no bus stop within walking distance of where we live? Can I drive most of the way to school and drop my student off at the Wong Chuk Hang MTR instead of the nearest bus stop?

Yes, if your student is in Grades 4 or above you may drop your student off at the Wong Chuk Hang MTR to utilize the shuttle service. Before registering for the shuttle service, we ask that you first register with the bus service provider so they can better tailor their pick up and drop off points.

8. My student prefers to arrive by bus in the morning and depart as a pedestrian in the afternoon. Is it possible to register for one-way ridership?

Yes, our bus service provider offers one-way ridership as part of the registration process. Many of our students, with parent permission, will arrive and depart school by different modes of transportation. The combination of bus riding and walking is just one example. You may also register for different bus programme pick up and drop off locations if it is more convenient for your family.

9. I have students in Upper School and Early Years. Can I drop my Upper School student off at the same time as my Early Years student?

No, students are not allowed to arrive early on campus because we must provide supervision for all students on campus. Due to the staggered starting times of our programmes there will be no supervision for Upper School students until their normally scheduled arrival time.

10. Can my student take different busses on different days that stop near their non-CDNIS activities?

Yes. Students registered for the school bus service may switch buses to accommodate afterschool activities. KCM will accommodate afterschool bus changes for students in Prep to Grade 12. In order for students to switch buses, parents must fill in CDNIS 2021/2022 - Dismissal Bus Change Request Form no later than 10am the day of the switch (but 3-days in advance is preferred). Each bus change requires one form. Further details can be found in this letter from KCM.

11. Can my student take a different bus to a playdate, birthday party, etc.?

Yes. Students registered for the school bus service may switch buses to accomodate afterschool activities. KCM will accomodate afterschool bus changes for students in Prep to Grade 12. Please contact KCM for details.

12. My student missed the bus. Should I contact the bus service provider?

Yes, please contact the bus service provider and CDNIS immediately to inform us that your student has missed the bus. Repeated or patterned missing of the bus is not acceptable and may jeopardize your family’s enrollment.

13. My student is new to riding the bus and I am concerned about supervision. Is supervision provided on the busses?

Yes, every bus is staffed with an escort (known at CDNIS as a “bus mother”). Their responsibilities include assisting students on and off the bus, scanning and checking student bus cards upon entering and leaving the bus, assisting younger students (seat belts, backpacks, etc), maintaining a safe and orderly atmosphere on the bus, and reporting any behaviour of concern to CDNIS.

14. I am concerned about COVID-19 exposure on the bus. Is the bus service provider taking preventative measures against COVID-19 on the busses?

Yes, our bus service provider has implemented the measures published by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) in their Health Advice on Prevention of COVID-19 for Drivers, Crews and Operational Staff of Public Transport and adopted additional measures that exceed the CHP’s recommendations. You may find the CHP publication and a description of the extraordinary measures in the Arrivals and Departure tab of the CDNIS COVID-19 Information section of our website or by clicking here.

15. Will the cost of the fees associated with the bussing programme be added to the overall cost of tuition?

No, the bus service provider is an independent contractor that provides bus service to each individual family on a contractual basis based on their specific needs. These include location, ridership, frequency, and other considerations. We worked closely with the bus service provider to arrange more tailored pick up and drop off points, one way ridership, and payment by installments for the first term of the school year.

16. Who is the bus service provider and how do I learn more about them?

The contracted bus service provider is Kwoon Chung Motors (KCM). KCM has been the educational bus service provider in Hong Kong for over 50 years. CDNIS has a long relationship with KCM and they know our school and students well. KCM has been a willing partner in our efforts to make the bussing programme more attractive to all our families. You may visit their website at any time for information and to register for the bussing programme.