Pupil Transport

Pupil transport is offered by the municipality of Zoetermeer to support travel to and from school. 

Parents

As a parent, you are responsible for your child. You first look at what you yourself can do for your child and what your child could learn in traveling to school. There are also packages offered by the municipality for learning to travel independently.

Transportation

If you need support from the municipality, there are different forms of transportation and reimbursement. These forms are transport by bicycle, public transport (ov), adapted transport (bus or cab) and transport with your own car (ev). These forms are available with and without assistance.

Students

Pupil transport can be an option for students with disabilities and/or students who attend a so-called directional school. This school must be located more than six kilometers from the home address.

Education

The education the students attend involves special education (so), secondary special education (vso), special school for elementary education (sbo), directional school or regular elementary or secondary education for students with disabilities.

What you need to know

Is your child already using pupil transportation? If so, you will receive a letter in April as a reminder that you need to apply again for the new school year.

Terms

An application for pupil transportation must meet certain conditions. These conditions can be found in the pupil transport regulation and policy rules.

The starting point is to see what your child can do on his or her own, possibly with supervision. Then we calculate a reimbursement of the costs of public transportation or transportation by bicycle. If this is not possible, then private transportation may be involved. And finally, adapted transportation may be a possibility. 

To determine whether your child is entitled to pupil transportation, we take into account:

  • the distance between home and the nearest accessible school
  • the travel time by public transportation
  • the age of the child
  • the child's impairment(s) (physical, ear and eye, mental or psychological)
  • the type of school

Does your child live in a boarding or foster home to attend appropriate special (continuation) education? Then you can also get transportation during vacations and/or weekends.

Transportation by cab

We provide transportation by cab only if your child cannot travel to and from school by public transportation (even accompanied) due to a disability.

Own contribution

Does your child attend (special) primary education? Then you must pay a contribution of your own. We calculate this contribution based on your joint income.

Is your income for the school year higher than the specified standard? Then you must pay the costs for the first 6 kilometers yourself. Is the distance from your home to the nearest elementary school more than 20 kilometers? Then the municipality may ask you to pay part of the costs yourself. This depends on your income.

Does your child have a disability? Or is your child unable to travel (accompanied) by public transport? Then you do not pay a co-payment.

For all basic standard amounts Pupil Transport, check the VNG website.

Medical Statement

You must enclose a "Medical Statement" with the application. This declaration must be drawn up by an expert. An expert is an independent medical or pedagogical expert or an independent expert determined by the partnership for Appropriate Education. The policy rules describe this expert in more detail.

Transport advice

  • You must include a "Transportation Advice" with the application.
  • You can request this advice from your child's school.
  • In this statement, the school advises what form of pupil transportation is needed.

Changing your situation

Does your situation change during the school year? Then you must tell us. This can be done by email or by mail.

By e-mail to

leerlingenvervoer@zoetermeer.nl

By mail to

Municipality of Zoetermeer
Attn: Pupil Transport
PO Box 15
2700 AA Zoetermeer

Request

For school year 2024-2025

Pupil transportation 2024-2025, applications

Please send the following documents with the application:

How long will it take?

  • We will process your application within 8 weeks.
  • Is information missing? If so, it will take longer than 8 weeks.
  • You will receive the decision by mail.

Useful links