Lakeside School

Mark your calendars! Registration for Lakeside’s 2026-2027 custom bus program begins on Tuesday, May 26. Here are some commonly asked questions to help your family prepare for registration. For detailed information about the program, visit the transportation webpage at lakesideschool.org/transportation. 

About the custom bus program

Q: What is the Lakeside custom bus program?

A: Lakeside School contracts with King County Metro and Zum school bus service to provide specially designed bus routes for students traveling to and from Lakeside, University Prep, and The Evergreen School. Students enrolled in the program receive a custom bus sticker to place on the back of their student ID card as proof of eligibility to ride and must show this sticker to the driver when they embark. An ORCA card is no longer required for students riding the custom bus routes. An ORCA card alone is also not valid for boarding; students must be registered in order to ride a custom bus route.

Q: Who can use the program?

A: The program is available to all Lakeside School, University Prep, and The Evergreen School students. Students must be enrolled in the custom bus program in order to take the bus; the program does not allow for intermittent riders. Interested employees should check with the business office about availability on the custom routes.

Q: Can you use a regular ORCA Card to ride the custom buses?

A: No. An ORCA card is neither required nor valid on its own for students riding the custom bus routes. However, it can be used to ride regular Metro transit, including the Light Rail, for free. We encourage students to apply for a Youth ORCA Card at Free Youth Transit Pass.

Q: What’s the cost of the program?

A: Pricing is based on the cost Metro and Zum charge the school for the custom bus service. For the 2026-2027 school year, the cost of the custom bus program is:

• Full school-year service: $3,750 (10 months — $375 per month)
• Fall or spring service: $1,875 (5 months — $375 per month)

Q: Is financial aid available for the custom bus program?

A: Financial aid is available to qualifying families. Please contact the financial aid team at info@lakesideschool.site.

Q: What are the buses like to ride?

A: The buses are regular King County Metro buses or Zum yellow school buses, designed to meet the needs of commuters. If a student has never ridden a Metro bus before, we encourage parents and guardians to take a trip on a Metro bus with their student before the beginning of the school year and discuss expectations and respectful and safe behavior on public transit.

Timetables are constructed to take traffic into account; however, traffic and weather are not under our control, and buses can sometimes run late. Seating is not assigned, as registered riders may take the bus on varied days or at varied times of day. As on all Metro buses, there are occasions when students may need to stand on the Metro bus routes.

Q: What routes are available?

A: Our goal is to offer routes that serve the most students as efficiently as possible. Routes are commuter-style, which means they run on major arterials with occasional stops, thereby serving the greatest number of families in the shortest amount of time. Families generally walk, drive, or carpool to the bus stops.

For the 2026–2027 school year, we have six morning routes, six afternoon routes, and two evening activity buses. The final routes and stops are dependent upon ridership; if a route is undersubscribed at the start of the school year, it may be canceled. Once a route is set, changes cannot be made during the school year. Route-specific information and maps are located on the transportation webpage: lakesideschool.org/transportation.

Q: Can members of the public ride the Lakeside Metro custom buses?

A: While our students are the primary users of the custom routes, anyone looking for transportation along these Metro routes can find them on Metro's website and use these buses as long as they pay the applicable fare. This does not happen often.

Q: What happens during inclement weather?

A: If Lakeside is in session, buses will continue to run, though they may operate on snow routes. When snow or ice is present, routes with hills may be affected, some stops could be temporarily eliminated, and delays are likely. Learn more on the transportation webpage: lakesideschool.org/transportation.

Q: Does Lakeside offer any shuttle service connecting the Shoreline South & 148th St Light Rail station and the school?

A: Yes, Lakeside provides a complimentary transfer bus operated by Zum as well as our minibus, offering service between the Shoreline South/148th Street Light Rail station and both school campuses. The bus runs 2-3 trips in the morning and 2-3 times in the afternoon, picking up light rail riders before school and dropping them off after school. This service is fully funded by Lakeside and is available at no cost to members of our community. Please note that the transfer bus operates on a fixed schedule with 2-3 trips each way per day. Service may not be available on a small number of school days, when all mini buses are committed to use for school-sponsored academic activities. These days will be communicated in advance. Students must be enrolled in the custom bus program to use the transfer bus service. The Shoreline South/148th Street station is a 10 to 12-minute walk from the Upper School campus. 

Registering for the custom bus program

Q: When do we sign up for the custom bus program?

A: Registration for the 2026-2027 school year runs from May 26 to July 26, 2026. A link to the registration page will be emailed to all new and returning families on May 26. Families may sign up for up to three routes from six morning routes, six afternoon routes, and two evening activity buses.

Q: What if we do not sign up for the program during registration but realize later that we do want our student to take the bus?

A: A student must be enrolled in the program in order to take a bus; the program is not for intermittent riders. Late registration may be possible if room is available on the desired route. If you signed up for a half-year service but want to switch to a full-year service, please contact the transportation team in the business office at info@lakesideschool.site. 

Q: Can we cancel before the end of the contracted period?

A: Routes are planned and paid for based on registration volumes. Therefore, we cannot allow mid-year cancellations. On rare occasions, if another family is able to take their place, a family may be released from their bus agreement, with the cost prorated based on usage.

Q: Where can I find more information about Lakeside’s custom bus program?

A: Additional information — including bus schedules and interactive maps of all routes — is located on Lakeside’s transportation webpage: lakesideschool.org/transportation.

Q: Where can I direct additional questions about Lakeside’s custom bus service?

A: Lakeside School has staff dedicated to supporting its transportation program. You can reach a member of the team at info@lakesideschool.site.