Dudley Council provides education travel support for eligible children and young people up to the age of 25.
Travel support can come in a variety of forms including travel training, bus pass, personal allowance or other direct transport, as appropriate to individual pupils' needs as determined by Dudley Council.
Home-to-School Transport
All applications for home-to-school travel support are considered on an individual basis.
Applying for the new school year from September 2025
Please note that application forms are typically processed within 10 working days of receipt. However, as students are now applying for transport for September, these applications will be reviewed in batches. As long as the application is submitted on time, you will receive the outcome by the 11 July 2025.
Please note that the deadline for submitting travel support applications for a September start is Friday, 27 June 2025. Applications received after this date may experience delays in processing and outcome confirmation.
Parents/Carers, please note:
If you have not received any communication from the Travel Support Team regarding your child’s transport arrangements for the upcoming academic year 25/26, please assume that these arrangements will continue as usual with the same contractor from September onward.
Please be advised that while the contractor will remain the same, we are unable to guarantee that the same crew members will be assigned to provide the transport service. Crew allocation and staffing are managed independently by the contractor and may be subject to change without direct oversight from the Travel Support Team.
In the event of any changes to the assigned crew made by the contractor, the contractor is responsible for informing parents and carers directly to ensure you are kept fully informed. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to provide safe and reliable transport services.
Retender Changes:
As part of our ongoing commitment to providing safe, reliable, and cost-effective transport services, the Travel Support Team periodically undertakes a retender process. This involves reviewing and re-tendering transport contracts to ensure that routes are efficiently managed and that we are securing the best value and quality of service for our students and families.
When the Travel Support Team implements any changes resulting from the retender to transport arrangements, parents and carers will be notified directly via email to ensure timely and clear communication.
We also communicate these changes with the relevant schools and request their support in helping to manage the transition smoothly. This collaboration helps address any concerns and ensures parents and students receive the appropriate information and assistance during this period.
Contractor details will be shared later in August. At that time, it will be the contractor’s responsibility to inform you of the morning pick-up time and crew details. Please note that morning pick-up times may be subject to change once the route is fully established or if adjustments are made due to the addition or removal of students throughout the term.
The Travel Support Team cannot release contractor details until the contractor has formally confirmed acceptance of the route and its full specifications. Occasionally, contractors may initially accept a route but later withdraw for various reasons beyond our control. We work diligently to minimise any impact this may have on students’ transport arrangements. Consequently, you may receive contractor information that could change before the start of service.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to maintain high standards of transport provision during and after the retender process.
Eligibility
There are a number of ways your child can qualify for transport support. Please read Education Travel Support Policy (PDF), section 5 for details of eligibility.
Education travel support consultation 2025
The council is undertaking a review of its Education Travel Support Policy (compulsory school age) and it’s Post 16 Travel Support policy.
Getting in contact
Non-urgent calls regarding transport matters should be made between 10am and 2pm.
This designated time frame allows our transport team to efficiently address inquiries in the morning and later in the afternoon from parents, contractors, and schools concerning existing transport arrangements.
- Telephone: 01384 816972
In managing our transport services effectively, we ask for your understanding in allowing a period of 3 working days for the response to non-urgent emails. This timeframe enables our transport team to prioritise their tasks, ensuring that urgent requests receive prompt attention.
Further information
Transport contract information
Our contracts with contractors are reviewed annually, or as needed, to align with service requirements. The H2S team is responsible for ensuring that routes are both effective and economically viable. As part of this process, the H2S team will be reviewing certain contracts to ensure they meet service needs. Non-compliance with our policy may result in contract termination.
Transport Contract Update
Transport letters have been sent to parents where there may be a change in their contractor for the next academic year. If you have not received a letter, it means we anticipate the contractor will remain the same for the 2024/25 academic year.
Please note that some changes may occur outside the control of the H2S (Home to School) team, such as crew changes. Other factors that may affect your child’s transport include changes in the students they travel with, which can result from students changing schools or adjustments to the route for geographical reasons.
In implementing these changes, we will ensure that the needs of the children remain our priority, that they are not disadvantaged, and that parents/carers are kept informed.