Bus & Shuttle Services for Children

2 parent questions ▼
Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Parent Q&A

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  • Service to get 2.5yo to preschool in the mornings?

    –
    Sep 4, 2019

     Hello,

    I am looking for help with getting my 2.5 year old son to preschool in the mornings. We live in Oakland but he attends preschool in Berkeley at EB. I am a full-time teacher and am unable to maintain the drop offs with my class schedule. If anyone could recommend an organization or service that would help besides Kango, I would greatly appreciate it.

    Best,

    Carol

    Sep 4, 2019

    Is there another mom/dad/guardian at the preschool that could help? Maybe offer to pay them or trade. 

    Sep 17, 2019

  • Arranging Private Bus for Students

    –
    Sep 20, 2016

    Hello,

    Does anyone have any experience arranging regular school bus service to private school?  We have about 15 families who commute from one East Bay town to another (~20 students) and I'd like to explore options beyond standard family carpools.      

    Any advice on how to get started or what the costs are is appreciated!  

    Sep 20, 2016

    Prospect Sierra in El Cerrito uses school bus service through camp any name Metro which I believe is based in east bay, which was much better than the one they were using before. You might be able to get information by calling their office at Avis campus. I'm sure they don't mind sharing the info about those companies. 

    Sep 26, 2016

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Questions

Help getting kindergartener to school

Sept 2009

Hi BPN, I need help getting my kindergartener to school 2-4 mornings each week so that I can get to work! Anyone have recommendations for reliable, safe, trustworthy people/companies who provide this service? THX!! Late to work

I highly recommend A Car 4 Kids. Their website is www.acar4kids.com Their telephone number is 510-234-5437. It is a licensed/insured transportation service that serves Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The owner, Brenda Mason is professional, responsible and is a pleasure to work with. I love that their service is dependable and reliable. I have been with them for four years and I have only had three drivers, including Brenda. Each time I've been assigned a new driver I get to meet them first. I have an Asperger's child who does not do well with change and new people, so it's great that she's had the same driver for two years now.

They offer transportation to/from school. They are a regional center vendor and they can also offer full or part-time transport depending on their availability. spedlawyer


Editor note: during 2005-2006, we received 9 requests for reviews of kids' transport services. Below are the only responses we received. Sorry!

Trying to get kindergartener to after-school care

Dec 2006

I've checked the archives and the recommendations are relatively old. Can anyone recommend a kid's transportation service? I'm trying to get my daughter from kindergarten to after school care. This would be between Kensington Hilltop to West Berkeley. Also, can anyone give me a ballpark cost for this type of service? I'm assuming it is based on distance traveled. I've tried to get ahold of one service to ask about cost (can't remember the name), and have had no luck getting a response other than a brochure. (Not a good sign about their customer service!) Thanks for any help you can provide.

You may have seen the posts I put in last summer. All of the old recommendations were no longer in service. I found ''I Can Before and Afterschool'' Transportation Service. They are fully licensed and take their job very seriously. They have been very responsible and conscientious. Valerie is the director and she can be reached at 510-655-7495. I am getting a ''special'' financial assistance rate, so I don't know what the regular cost is. My reduced rate is $230 a month for transportation one direction Mon-Fri. Good luck 

Shuttle for 2nd grader in Oakland

Oct 2006

Hi, I am a single mother of a 2nd grader that attends Thornhill school in Oakland. I will be going back to work soon and my hours will vary and that poses a huge problem in getting my daughter to school as well as pick-up. Does anyone know of a service that will bring children to school and pick up? Stephanie

Someone I'm working with was told to call Banana's on Claremont in Oakland. She received several names of drivers and advise on how to interview the people. Although she didn't use any of these people, it might be a starting point for you Sue

Aug 2003

I'm desparately looking for some form of children transportation service in the Albany-El Cerrito area. School starts next week, and I have yet to find a person or company willing to ferry my kids to school and childcare. The children transportation recommended on http://parents.berkeley.edu/recommend/childcare/transport.html appear to be outdated. I tried calling Kids Express, but nobody has returned my calls despite repeated voice mail. I'd like to hear from anybody who has had a recent experience with kids transportation services that are recommendable. Andy

I highly recommend the services of Ailee Ho d/b/a Kids-A-Go-Go. She drove my 7 year old daughter and a friend from morning soccer camp to an afternoon program this summer. She is very efficient: she took a test run the weekend before so that she would know exactly where to pick up and drop off the girls. She's also very warm - my daughter and her friend loved her. I'd still be using her for my child's after school activities, but we live in Oakland, and Ailee concentrates her school-year service in the Berkeley/Albany/El Cerrito area. 

2002

Can anyone recommend a van pick up service. And if you could tell me what the going rate is that would be helpful. I need someone who will pick up the kids from home in the morning and drop them off at school and daycare. Then pick them up and bring them home after school. I would like to find someone in the Berkeley and north Oakland area. Thanks Gail

Note from Moderator: This question has come up a few times with no responses. I called Banana's this morning to get information about this service - check with Bananas for current info.

1998

In response to need after-school driver in Berkeley: you might want to try Kids Express. It is a parent-owned taxi service - for children only. Though I have never used their services I see them around quite a bit in the Albany/Berkeley area, and they seem to be reliable. They have two vans with seat belts, etc. (I am a neighbor of theirs and am sending this message without their knowing.) Marie-Josee

Kids Express
Albany