FAQs

Do I need to sign my student up to ride for the whole year, or can I just pick the trips I want/need them to take?  

• Bus ridership is a shared financial responsibility among the registered riders, therefore it is necessary to sign up for the whole year.  

What do I do if I decide to pick up my student for an extended break instead of having them ride the bus?  

• Please notify your bus coordinator that your student will not ride for that trip so that they can maintain an accurate roster and headcount.  Students should update their Orah sign out to indicate their mode of travel.

Are reminders sent out prior to each trip?

• Yes. Your bus coordinator will send out email reminders before each extended trip or break.

Are refunds given?

• Because the bus is a shared financial responsibility for the entire year, refunds per trip or for any portion of the year are not given. However, if there is a financial burden issue or your student withdraws from NCSSM before the end of October, please feel free to reach out to charterbuses@ncssm.edu to discuss it.

What if my student wants to bring a guest home for an extended break?

• Only current NCSSM students are allowed as guest riders if space permits.  Please check with your bus coordinator at least 48 hours in advance to determine seat availability as well as cost.   The guest rider must submit an Orah signout indicating the bus trip.

Can my student bring a guest onto the bus that isn't a student of NCSSM?

• For liability reasons, only current students of NCSSM may ride on any of the buses.  Students' siblings/family members, friends (that are not NCSSM students),  alumni, etc. are not permitted to ride charter buses.  

What if my student is registered on a bus, but wants to ride a different bus for an extended? (i.e..student is a registered rider on the Asheville bus, but wants to visit grandparents in Wilmington for an extended break?)

• In this case, guest rider fees and seat availability requirements for the bus that the student isn't registered on will apply.

What time do the buses depart/arrive?

• Generally, when leaving NCSSM for Extended Breaks the buses depart at 3:45pm. Arrival times depend upon travel distances and traffic. 

  • Please note, your student is responsible for checking into the bus before departure time and you as the parent/legal guardian are responsible for notifying the bus coordinator if your student is riding or not. If, after multiple attempts to contact both you and your student, they are not at the bus by 4PM (which is the latest we can hold the buses), the buses will depart and you are responsible for arranging alternate travel for them, including coming to pick them up yourself.  

What happens when there is inclement weather?

• In the case of inclement weather, NCSSM will assess the situation and make a decision regarding travel which keeps the safety of the students as the top priority.  If there is to be a change in travel plans, this will be communicated to students and families by NCSSM administration and also by each bus coordinator.

Can I request a special stop for my student?

• Due to the large number of students that use the bus system, individualized requests cannot be accommodated.

What happens if the bus is running late?

• Fortunately, technology has made it easier for students and parents to communicate and share locations so that estimated times of arrival are updated.

• Each family is encouraged to stay in communication with their students while they are traveling on the bus, as circumstances which are beyond our control such as traffic and weather may alter arrival times.

Is food allowed on the Bus?

• Yes, food is allowed on most buses.  Please make sure that all trash is cleaned up when you depart the bus.

What if there are more students that want to register for the bus than seats available?

• In this case, the bus coordinators and NCSSM staff will make every effort to place students from the home counties into vacant seats on a per trip basis. However, it may not always be possible to do this.  Please check your NCSSM emails frequently during the summer months and if you intend to register your student on one of the buses, do so ASAP.  

How much does the bus cost?

• The cost for each bus varies but is typically in the $650 - $1,300 range. This covers all 9 extended breaks (to and from campus).  We do anticipate an increase in cost due to higher gas prices.

What if I need to make special payment arrangements?

• Special payment arrangements can be made by contacting charterbuses@ncssm.edu.

Thank you for considering bus ridership. We look forward to meeting all of you!

If you have additional questions, please email charterbuses@ncssm.edu