Some bus rides end; a seat now costs $1,595 a year

What happened

For the 2026-27 school year Ridgewood is stopping courtesy busing on some routes and offering a paid seat instead. The board authorised a subscription busing programme on March 23, 2026 with a non-refundable fee of $1,595 per student, due by July 31, 2026. Seats go on existing routes, first come first served, and families who just lost courtesy service get priority. The board also redrew which walks it calls hazardous, which is what removed service from routes like the W9 serving Undercliff Road.

Why it matters to families

Families who counted on a free bus now either pay $1,595, drive, or have their child walk. At the April 20 meeting parents said the affected walks cross the Ho-Ho-Kus railway tracks or Glen Avenue with no crossing guard, and one described a 1.4-mile walk to Ridge Elementary through downtown. The district says the change may be reversed if voters approve a November ballot question on courtesy busing.

The evidence

The March 23, 2026 board addendum sets out the subscription busing programme, the $1,595 fee, the July 31 payment deadline and the first-come first-served rule. The 2026-27 budget presentation lists 'Remove some courtesy bussing (ballot)' among its tax-levy relief strategies and says some families will lose the service. The April 20, 2026 minutes record the hazardous-route objections and the first reading of a new subscription busing policy.

The source