Student Transportation
We know you are busy and that's why we make getting to Woodward as convenient as possible.
Our top-safety rated buses are equipped with state-of-the art amenities including air conditioning, WiFi, USB ports, reading lights, and a student tracking system that lets parents see in real-time when their child gets on and off the bus. (See our Bus Schedule to find your nearest stop.) Because we are sensitive to the needs and schedules of our families, our buses even leave early on Fridays to get our students home promptly! Woodward security officers accompany 400+ students on MARTA every day, and other families join our Carpool-to-School service. Learn more details below.
- 2018-19 BUS SCHEDULES
- Transportation Maps
- Safestop App - student Alerts & GPS Tracking
- Fees & Registration for 2018-2019
- Transportation Policies
- Contact Information
- ABOUT WA STUDENT TRANSPORT
2018-19 BUS SCHEDULES
Transportation Maps
Safestop App - student Alerts & GPS Tracking
Woodward is providing the mobile app SafeStop, a combination GPS and student ID tracking app for students who regularly ride the bus, as a free service to our parents. The app can be used to track your student’s bus as well as send you automatic notifications when your student enters and exits the bus. (It is important to note that while the GPS tracking for buses is updated every 30 seconds, there may be occasional delays in position updates.) Directions for downloading and installing the app are listed below.
HOW TO GET STARTED
1. Sign Up:
Please follow these instructions to create a SafeStop account with your email, a password, and your child’s School Code (Woodward school code: EAGLE).
- You may use Woodward's Main Campus zip code (30337) if needed.
- Choose your bus stop.
- If your student is riding MARTA and you want to know when they board and exit the Woodward bus, it is not necessary to choose a specific bus stop.
2. Download the App
SafeStop is available for download through the Apple App Store and Google Play. You can also access SafeStop through a web browser like Google Chrome.
3. Start Tracking:
Once you’ve registered and downloaded the SafeStop app, log in to your account to start tracking the school bus.
- To add ID scan notifications to track when your student boards and exits the bus, click on the gear symbol in the lower right corner of the screen and select "Manage Notifications."
- Please use the number on the back of your student's ID card for the Scan Code.
- You also may find it helpful to set SafeStop notifications to "persistent" on your mobile phone.
Contact login@woodward.edu with questions or if you need additional assistance setting up the service.
Fees & Registration for 2018-2019
Fees:
- Round-trip/daily (a.m. and p.m. with late run flexibility) = $2,370 per semester
- One-way/daily (a.m. or p.m. with late run flexibility) = $1,590 per semester
- A monthly payment plan is offered for the convenience of our families. Details will be provided upon registration.
- Rides for students who are not registered for the bus will be billed to student accounts in the amount of $20 for each one way trip. For tracking and billing purposes, your student will be required to scan their student ID card when they board the bus.
- Students who do not have their student ID may be asked for another form of identification when boarding the bus. Students who repeatedly board the bus without their student ID (more than five times in a row) will be assessed a fee of $5 per ride.
- Lost or broken student ID cards should be reported to the school office. They will assist students in obtaining a replacement.
Discounts:
- A $474 per semester ($94.80/month) discount is offered for a sibling registered for round-trip service.
- A $318 per semester ($63.60/month) discount is offered for a sibling registered for one-way service.
- There is no charge for additional siblings after the first two students are paid in full.
- Siblings must reside in the same physical home address to qualify for a discount.
- Discounts will be applied to the lowest bus fee.
Custom scheduling is available at prorated pricing on select dates. Contact accounts@woodward.edu for more information.
Transportation Policies
To ensure that Woodward students are safe while moving to and from school-related activities:
Students who travel to school-related activities in school vehicles must also return with the group/team unless:
a) Before traveling, the student presents the driver and/or faculty member/coach responsible for transporting the students with written authorization* from the parent permitting the student to leave the activity with another specified adult; OR
b) At the event, the parent meets directly with the driver and/or faculty member/coach responsible for transporting the students and provides oral authorization for the student to leave the activity with the parent or other specified adult. Telephone calls are insufficient verification of parental authority.
Students may drive themselves to and/or from school-related activities as long as:
a) The faculty supervisor/coach/employee does not require the team/club/group to travel together AND
b) The faculty supervisor/coach/bus driver receives prior written authorization* from the student’s parent for the student to drive to and/or from the activity.
Faculty members / coaches / employees will not transport students in their personal vehicles.Contact Information
Emergency contact for bus riders:
Bus Dispatch at 404.765.4520 or bus@woodward.edu.
Transportation operational questions:
Student Transport at 404.765.4523 or bus@woodward.edu.
Registration and/or payment questions:
Business Office at 404.765.4021 or accounts@woodward.edu.
ABOUT WA STUDENT TRANSPORT
Woodward Academy Student Transport has earned the highest safety rating possible by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Every school bus has seat belts, and they are equipped with global positioning systems with radio communication to the school along with digital video cameras. In addition, our buses offer the following amenities:
- Our buses use a student tracking system that records when students enter and exit the bus in real-time. Parents have the option of tracking their students with a smartphone app. Please see the Student Bus Alerts section below to set up the app for your student(s).
- All buses are air-conditioned and equipped with Wi-Fi, reading lights, and USB charging ports.
A Woodward shuttle bus between Main Campus and the College Park MARTA station (one mile from campus) is provided in the morning and afternoon on all school days. This shuttle service is provided by Woodward's Student Transportation department. Parents may also track when students board and exit the Woodward shuttle for MARTA using the SafeStop app, instructions can be found in the Bus section. Please note we do not offer GPS tracking for the MARTA shuttles.
- Shuttle Times
- Station Departure Times
- Morning & Afternoon Procedures
- safety & security
- MARTA See & Say App
- Transferring Trains
- Breeze Cards
- Age of Riders
- Contact Information
Shuttle Times
- Morning Shuttles: 7:40 to 8:30 a.m.
- Monday-Thursday Afternoon Shuttles: 3:50, 5, 5:30, and 6:10 p.m. All afternoon shuttles depart in front of Gresham Chapel.
- Friday Afternoon Shuttles: 3:30, 5, 5:30, and 6:10 p.m. All afternoon shuttles depart in front of Gresham Chapel.
- Late Start Days: Shuttles on Late Start Days will begin running at 9 a.m. and provide service until 9:55 a.m. Afternoon shuttle times will remain the same.
Lower School students are shuttled directly to and from the Lower School building in the morning and afternoon. Please see Morning Procedures section below.
If a student misses the shuttle, he or she can call Woodward Security at 404.557.7790 to arrange a ride. Students should not walk to the MARTA station unattended.
Station Departure Times
The estimated trip time to College Park from the northernmost stations (North Springs and Doraville) and easternmost/westernmost stations (Indian Creek and Hamilton Homes) is about 40 minutes. Travel time from Midtown is about 20 minutes.
Trains depart every eight minutes from those stations. Trains depart every four minutes from stations located south of Arts Center and Five Points.
Morning & Afternoon Procedures
MORNING PROCEDURES
- MARTA attendants at all stations help direct Woodward students into the first two cars. Many Woodward faculty and staff members also ride MARTA and monitor our students.
- Upon arrival at the College Park MARTA station, a designated Woodward faculty member greets students and ensures that they go directly from the MARTA train to the Woodward shuttle.
- The Woodward shuttle drops US and MS students off at the US Dining Hall. It drops LS students off at the LS bus lane.
AFTERNOON PROCEDURES
- A dedicated Woodward security officer oversees all four afternoon MARTA shuttles by accompanying students through the station and on the platform until trains depart.
- As a general policy, we ask that all students move as far forward as seating is available in the train. This assures they will be seated in the most populated cars along with other Woodward students. MARTA makes every attempt to keep the first four cars available for Woodward students.
- Due to the large volume of Woodward students who take the 3:50 p.m. shuttle, two uniformed MARTA Police Officers greet the students at the College Park MARTA station and ride with them to the Lindbergh station.
- For the 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. shuttles, one uniformed MARTA Police Officer greets the students at the College Park MARTA station and rides with them to the Lindbergh station.
- For the 6:10 p.m. shuttle, one uniformed MARTA Police Officer greets the students at the College Park MARTA station. Although MARTA Police are not designated to ride with the 6:10 p.m. students to the Lindbergh station, they routinely do so. In addition, there is a visible presence of MARTA Police and attendants at all stations.
- If a student ever misses the shuttle, he or she can call Woodward Academy Security at 404.557.7790 to arrange a ride to or from the College Park MARTA station.
safety & security
- All evidence indicates that travel by MARTA to and from Woodward is as safe as, if not safer than, vehicular travel.
- MARTA maintains a visible presence of MARTA Police and attendants at all stations.
- There are intercoms on every car and direct contact phone lines in every MARTA station. Please be aware of the location of the intercoms and use them to communicate any incidents to the train operator.
- A dedicated Woodward security officer oversees all four afternoon MARTA shuttles by accompanying students through the station and on the platform until trains depart.
- A number of Woodward staff members join our MARTA team by offering additional daily supervision of our students on the train platform.
- Parents may also track when students board and exit the Woodward shuttle for MARTA using the SafeStop app, instructions can be found in the Bus section. Please note we do not offer GPS tracking for the MARTA shuttles.
- Woodward provides all students with a card with emergency MARTA numbers, Woodward security, and the text number for the MARTA See & Say app.
- All riders are encouraged to download the MARTA See & Say app, a free smartphone application that allows users to report suspicious activity directly to MARTA's police.
- All students should move as far forward as seating is available in the train. This assures they will be seated in the most populated cars along with other Woodward students.
- Be sure to pay attention to the car number and/or train number when boarding.
- Always pay attention to your location as you are riding.
- Safety tip placards are posted in the MARTA shuttle bus.
- Please note that MARTA is public transportation and not under the administration of Woodward Academy. Patronage is at your discretion.
MARTA See & Say App
DOWNLOAD THE App
All MARTA riders are encouraged to download the MARTA See & Say app, a free smartphone application that allows users to report suspicious activity directly to MARTA's police.
MARTA See & Say is available for iOS and Android devices. You can download it for free from either the App Store and Google Play below.
After downloading the Marta See & Say App, please enter your registration information as it appears below and enable the location on your device.
When reporting an incident via the app, please do the following:
- State the problem.
- Give a detailed description of the person or item, providing as much information as possible.
- Give the location and direction of travel.
- Give the train and/or car number.
If the situation seems unsafe or uncomfortable at any point, please safely exit the train and locate an officer immediately or pick up the white customer service phone or blue police phone to be directed to MARTA Police dispatch immediately.
MARTA Police also can be contacted directly via phone at 404.848.4911.
Please remember that the See & Say app is:
- Discreet | You can send texts and photos anonymously. The app prevents your smartphone from using its flash so no one knows you're taking a photo.
- Tunnel Smart | The app sends the message as soon as a data signal is reestablished.
- 2-Way Communication | You can receive and respond to police alerts. If your call is urgent, please dial 911.
Transferring Trains
No transfer is necessary while traveling on the North-South lines. College Park is the next-to-last stop before the airport.
Students using the East-West line will have to transfer at Five Points. We recommend that parents take one or more practice runs with their students to become familiar with the logistics of the transfer.
Students returning on the north line will need to be sure to take the appropriate train as the northern route splits after Lindbergh Station into Doraville and North Springs lines. Students returning on the eastern line will need to make sure their train continues to the end of the line.
Breeze Cards
Age of Riders
The judgment as to when a student is ready to ride MARTA as a transportation option is left to the parents. In an average year, riders include 150 Upper School and Middle School students, 50 Lower School students, and 10 Primary School students. Woodward recommends that Primary and Lower School students be accompanied by a Middle or Upper School sibling.
Contact Information
Because our families arrive at Woodward from more than 100 zips and 23 counties, we know the ability to carpool is of high value to you. For your convenience, Woodward Academy offers a carpool service that will allow you to find other families in your home area who would like to carpool to campus or to the nearest MARTA station.
Please visit Carpool to School today to join this service, where you will have access to instructional videos and a chat window for assistance. In addition, you may email the Woodward IT Department at login@woodward.edu or call our IT Department at 404.765.4130 for assistance.
We hope our family carpool service will make the school commute easier and more enjoyable for your family. Carpooling not only saves time and expense but also offers students and their families an opportunity to make new friends within our Woodward community.