Transportation

Families living in Philadelphia County and Suburban families within 10 miles of both FCS campuses have a variety of transportation options. Please click the tabs to learn more. 

The school districts listed below will provide school bus transportation to Friends’ Central School campuses. Their contact information is provided. If you have questions about your route, or eligibility, please contact the district directly.

There are no bus options available to families living outside of the 10-mile radius. We recommend looking into SEPTA Regional Rail or other options or carpool. 

Yes, please complete the transportation form annually here. 

Yes. In addition to filling out the FCS transportation form, families with students taking public school busing are required to submit an Act 372 form to their School District's Transportation Department annually. Please contact your local school district for submissions requirements as they vary between districts. 

If you intend on using School District transportation in September of the following academic year, please complete this form so we can alert your school district of your intentions. 

The School District of Philadelphia is the only district that offers a program. Families are not eligible if they utilize the Yellowbird bus service or Student Fare Card. Please contact SDoP if you are unsure of your eligibility status. Click here to learn more about the Philadelphia Flat Rate Program.

School District & FCS Busing do not run a late bus. The Overbrook shuttle runs at 5:20 and 5:40 pm to the Regional Rail station. 

All services provided are free of cost. 

We view the bus as an extension of the school day, meaning the same behavior guidelines apply to our students as they ride. We expect that students are respectful to one another and their drivers. If we learn about behavior that is not acceptable for our community, we will communicate with the student and their family. There could be moments where students take a break from using the bus if they cannot follow safe bus riding guidelines. When the bus is in motion, all bus passengers will wear seatbelts when available, stay in their seats, face forward, and keep all arms, hands, and feet to themselves. Please note all buses are equipped with cameras and the video is used to monitor driver and rider compliance. More information about bus riding expectations will be shared with parents/caregivers and students at the start of the school year.

On days when public school district's offices are closed, (major holidays etc.) they will NOT transport. However, public school district buses do pick up on days when their offices are open (ie. In-Service days).

​On weather-related delayed opening days, Yellowbird buses will pick up at times that mirror the delay. 2-hour delays will result in a 2-hour later pickup time. If a public school district is on an opening delay, public school district busing pick up will mirror the delay, regardless of FCS's opening time. If a public school district is closed due to weather issues, but FCS remains open, there will be no public school district busing. 

Additional questions? Contact Mark Dodds, Director of Transportation, at mdodds@friendscentral.org or 267.698.0587.

Friends' Central currently contracts with Yellowbird Bus Company. 

Stopfinder is the all-in-one parent app that allows your school district to share your student’s transportation schedule, announcements, and more. Stopfinder works with your district’s transportation software to provide you the most accurate schedule information as quickly as possible. Stopfinder is secure and only for registered users. Your school will send you an invitation providing access to log in to the Stopfinderapp. Invitations will be sent through email. Click here for the Quick Start Guide!

This application is only available on the routes that FCS operates and not on the public school district buses. However, some public-school districts also offer applications of this nature. 

School districts provide school bus transportation to Friends’ Central School campuses. Each School District is unique, and their websites provide details regarding getting signed up. If you have questions about your route, or eligibility, please contact the district directly. Most public schools will transport Kindergarten through 12 grade. However, some will not transport Kindergarten students. None of the public schools will transport Nursery or Pre-Kindergarten. 

If you intend on using School District transportation in September of the following academic year, please complete this form so we can alert your school district of your intentions. 

• Families with students riding public school bus transportation are required to submit an Act 372 form to their School District's Transportation Department annually. Access to this form will be on the School District Transportation webpage with an "Act 372" or "Non-Public School Transportation" title. Please check with your local school district to see if this form is required. 
• School districts will contact families directly to process requests for busing. Families should receive route information annually no later than the last week of August. If you do not hear from your school district by the last week in August please contact the Director of Transportation, mdodds@friendscentral.org.  
• Please note that Lower Merion School District will now be sending route information directly to you.

The school districts listed below will provide school bus transportation to Friends’ Central School campuses. Their contact information is provided. If you have questions about your route, or eligibility, please contact the district directly.

Friends' Central's City Avenue campus is conveniently located within a short commuting distance of both the SEPTA Overbrook Train Station (with service from Paoli-Thorndale through Philadelphia), and SEPTA's 63rd and Malvern Bus Depot (one block from Overbrook Train Station). Friends’ Central sponsors a shuttle to the Overbrook Station and 63rd and Malvern Bus Depot. This shuttle runs a continuous loop in the morning, starting at 7:15 am until 8:15 am. In the afternoon, the bus does three single runs departing at 3:20 pm, 5:20 pm, and 5:40 pm. There is no fee for this service. Note: In the morning, a bus will be available for dispatch to meet the SEPTA R5 8:39 am arrival. Please call 610.247.3520 as soon as you are aware you will need this service.

• Students eligible for SDoP Student Fare Cards can pick them up and sign for them in the Upper School and Middle School Administrative Offices.

Friends' Central sponsors an Inter-Campus shuttle between the City Avenue and Lower School campuses in the morning and afternoon. There is no fee for this service.

• Morning: the City Ave campus to Lower School campus shuttle departs at 8:00 am SHARP
• Morning: the Lower School campus to City Ave campus shuttle departs at 7:55 am
• Afternoon: the Lower School campus to City Ave campus shuttle departs when loaded (approximately 3 pm).  The commute takes 15 to 20 minutes of travel time depending on traffic.
• Afternoon: The City Ave campus to Lower School campus shuttle departs at 3:20 pm.  The commute takes 15 to 20 minutes of travel time depending on traffic.

Upper School students of legal age with a valid driver's license may choose to drive to Friends' Central. There is limited on-campus parking. Seniors (and Juniors after Spring Break) can apply for on-campus parking permit for a fee.

After registering and submitting payment online here, students must contact David Sexton to pick up their pass before parking on campus. On-campus parking passes are $65 each for the full school year.

If you are interested in any of the transportation methods listed above, please fill out this form. If you are riding one of the FCS buses our Director of Transportation will reach out to you to confirm. The school district will reach out directly for public school district busing. If you do not hear from your school district by the last week in August please contact the Director of Transportation, mdodds@friendscentral.org. 

The School District of Philadelphia (SDoP) provides a hybrid transportation service which includes buses and SEPTA Student Fare Cards. The only form of transportation for SDoP students grades 9 through 12 is SEPTA Student Fare Cards (see SEPTA information below).  

If you intend on using School District transportation in September of the following academic year, please complete this form so we can alert your school district of your intentions. 

• Bus service is offered to students in grades 1-8.  Middle School students can choose between bus transportation or SEPTA Student Fare Cards (seee SEPTA information below).
• Families with students riding public school bus transportation are required to submit an Act 372 form to their School District's Transportation Department annually. Access to this form will be on the School District Transportation webpage with an "Act 372" or "Non-Public School Transportation" title. Please check with your local school district to see if this form is required. 
• SDoP will contact families directly to process requests for busing. Families should receive route information annually no later than the last week of August. If you do not hear from your school district by the last week in August please contact the Director of Transportation, mdodds@friendscentral.org. 

Friends' Central's City Avenue campus is conveniently located within a short commuting distance of both the SEPTA Overbrook Train Station (with service from Paoli-Thorndale through Philadelphia), and SEPTA's 63rd and Malvern Bus Depot (one block from Overbrook Train Station). Friends’ Central sponsors a shuttle to the Overbrook Station and 63rd and Malvern Bus Depot. This shuttle runs a continuous loop in the morning, starting at 7:15 am until 8:15 am. In the afternoon, the bus does three single runs departing at 3:20 pm, 5:20 pm, and 5:40 pm. There is no fee for this service. Note: In the morning, a bus will be available for dispatch to meet the SEPTA R5 8:39 am arrival. Please call 610.247.3520 as soon as you are aware you will need this service.

• Students eligible for SDoP Student Fare Cards can pick them up and sign for them in the Upper School and Middle School Administrative Offices.
• Directions and FAQs for Student Fare Cards can be found on this SDoP web page. 

Friends' Central sponsors an Inter-Campus shuttle between the City Avenue and Lower School campuses in the morning and afternoon. There is no fee for this service.

• Morning: the City Ave campus to Lower School campus shuttle departs at 8:00 am SHARP
• Morning: the Lower School campus to City Ave campus shuttle departs at 7:55 am
• Afternoon: the Lower School campus to City Ave campus shuttle departs when loaded (approximately 3 pm).  The commute takes 15 to 20 minutes of travel time depending on traffic.
• Afternoon: The City Ave campus to Lower School campus shuttle departs at 3:20 pm.  The commute takes 15 to 20 minutes of travel time depending on traffic.

FCS has partnered with Yelllowbird Bus Company to provide free Route Busing for School District of Philadelphia students in Pre-K through 12th grade within the following geographic areas below. Buses will pick up at an agreed upon corner near your home in the following designated areas. Families who live outside of these routes are welcome to come into the service area on their own and take advantage of the FCS Route Bus. There is no fee for this service. 

• West Philadelphia 
• Center City, bordered by 2nd St/Christian St/22nd St and Fairmount 
• East Falls: Midvale Avenue & Conrad Street Hub

Stopfinder is the all-in-one parent app that allows your school district to share your student’s transportation schedule, announcements, and more. Stopfinder works with your district’s transportation software to provide you the most accurate schedule information as quickly as possible. Stopfinder is secure and only for registered users. Your school will send you an invitation providing access to log in to the Stopfinderapp. Invitations will be sent through email. For the Stopfinder Quick Start Guide, click here, and for a video walkthrough of the Stopfinder app, click here.

Upper School students of legal age with a valid driver's license may choose to drive to Friends' Central. There is limited on-campus parking. Seniors (and Juniors after Spring Break) can apply for on-campus parking permit for a fee.

After registering and submitting payment online here, students must contact David Sexton to pick up their pass before parking on campus. On-campus parking passes are $65 each for the full school year.

If you are interested in any of the transportation methods listed above, please fill out this form. If you are riding one of the FCS buses our Director of Transportation will reach out to you to confirm. The school district will reach out directly for public school district busing. If you do not hear from your school district by the last week in August please contact the Director of Transportation, mdodds@friendscentral.org.