Funding for school transport

For children who attend school, the local authority assumes that, in principle, you are responsible for ensuring your child gets to school safely. However, transport can sometimes be a problem, for example if your child has to go to a school that is a little further away. In that case, you may be eligible for some form of school transport.

 
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To be eligible for funding under the school transport scheme, we apply a distance threshold of more than 6.0 kilometres between home and school.

Firstly, we check whether the pupil is eligible for a cycling allowance. This is the case if the pupil can cycle to school and you, as a parent or carer, cycle with them if necessary. You can then receive an allowance of €0.10 per kilometre from us. If it is not possible to travel by bicycle, but it is possible to travel by car, you may be eligible for an allowance to cover the costs of your own transport. This includes a mileage allowance of €0.42 per kilometre that your child spends in the car.

If your child is able to travel independently (or with assistance) on public transport, such as by bus or train, you may also be eligible for a reimbursement. The amount of the reimbursement depends on the cost of the travel pass.

If none of the above options are possible, transport by taxi or coach may be an option. It is also possible to combine the options mentioned; we refer to this as a ‘hybrid allocation’.

From the 2023–2024 school year onwards, it will be possible, subject to certain conditions, to use an e-bike to travel to school. This applies only if the distance between home and school is more than 6.0 kilometres.

For further information on this matter, please contact the department by email at leerlingenvervoer@apeldoorn.nl or by telephone on 14055, option 3.

  • Your child has a disability.
  • The school that reflects your beliefs is too far away (more than 6 km). If your child attends a mainstream school, you will usually receive an allowance for cycling.
  • In all cases, we use the nearest accessible school for the pupil. We assume that if the school is less than 6 kilometres from your home, you will arrange transport yourself. We measure the distance between the school and your home using the ANWB route planner and use the shortest cycling distance.

The local authority determines which funding options apply to you. Having a job or several children in the family is not, in our view, a reason to grant school transport.

  • Who has a temporary disability, such as a broken leg, for example.
  • Going to a holiday home, a nursery, an after-school care centre or a medical treatment centre.
  • You choose a particular school for a reason other than your personal beliefs. For example, because you consider the education at that school to be better, even though it is not the nearest, most accessible school.
  • Who attends mainstream secondary education and does not have a permanent disability. This also includes the International Transition Class (ISK).

Log in to the Apeldoorn council website using your DigiD and password. Once you have logged in, complete the form and submit it. You will receive a reference number as soon as the form has been submitted. The processing time for the application is a maximum of 8 weeks. The response to your application will be shared with you via the digital portal within the same case file.

In cases of joint custody where your child follows a fixed timetable for travelling to school from both addresses, both parents must submit separate applications for school transport. These applications will be assessed independently of one another.

Professionals can log in via E-herkenning.

When you apply for school transport, it is important that you also enclose the eligibility statement straight away.

If you have previously sent a valid eligibility certificate, we would ask you to include it with your application once again. If you do not have the eligibility certificate, you can request one from the school. If the certificate is not yet available and you still wish to submit your application, please contact the school transport department by telephone on 14055, option 3, or send an email to leerlingenvervoer@apeldoorn.nl.

When do you not need a declaration of admissibility?

If your child attends mainstream primary or secondary school (not special education), this certificate is not required.

Cluster arrangement: Pupils attending schools in cluster 1 (deaf, hard of hearing) or cluster 2 (blind, visually impaired) require a cluster arrangement, not a statement of eligibility. Please attach the cluster arrangement to the application form, which is available from the school.

Income statement: Required for applications for mainstream primary education where the family income is less than €28,800. Please attach the income statement, which can be obtained digitally from the tax authorities. Further information on the rules regarding the income threshold can be found on the website under the heading ‘What do you pay for school transport?’.

Authorisation for foster carers: As a foster carer, you may be authorised to act on behalf of the guardian, the guardianship authority or the legal representative to make arrangements for your foster child. Please enclose the written authorisation with your application.

Need help logging in with your DigiD or filling in the application form? For practical help and answers to your questions, please contact:

You are required to pay a personal contribution towards school transport if your child attends mainstream primary school and has no disability. If your household income exceeds the income threshold, the personal contribution is €635 per pupil.

  • The income threshold for the 2026–2027 school year has been set at €33,750

If there are any changes to your child’s circumstances, please let us know.

This applies, for example, to:

  • Moving house within or outside the municipality of Apeldoorn: This may affect your entitlement to school transport, as the distance between your home and the school is likely to change as a result of the move.
  • School: If your child leaves school or moves to another school, or if your child is absent from school for more than two weeks outside of school holidays.
  • Reimbursement: If you receive reimbursement for transport under another scheme or legislation.

If your child is ill, you must inform the transport provider.

How can you notify us of these changes? There are four ways to notify us of changes:

  • Report the change online straight away (using your DigiD).
  • Please send an email to: leerlingenvervoer@apeldoorn.nl
  • Please call 14 055.
  • Please send a letter to Leerlingenvervoer, PO Box 9033, 7300 ES Apeldoorn.

If you have any problems with school transport, please contact the transport provider, Willemsen de Koning.

You can submit your complaint as follows:

Please complete a complaints form online on the Willemsen de Koning website. This is the only way to ensure that your complaint is recorded and made available to the local authority.

Willemsen de Koning will respond to your complaint in writing within 5 working days of the date it was submitted.

If you have not received a reply within 5 working days, or if your complaint has not been resolved, please contact Apeldoorn City Council. You can send an email to leerlingenvervoer@apeldoorn.nl or call 14055 and then select option 3. Please make sure you have your complaint reference number to hand.

The transport provider has 15 minutes before and after the agreed pick-up time to collect your child. In addition, the transport provider has a further 5 minutes (making a total of 20 minutes) after the pick-up time to contact the parents and let them know if they will be arriving later.

For example: If the pick-up time is scheduled for 08.00 and the transport provider arrives at 08.25 due to a delay, then, in accordance with the agreement with the local authority, the transport provider must contact the parents from 08.20 onwards to let them know that they will be late.

Do you have an urgent matter that requires immediate action from the transport provider, such as if your child was not picked up that morning? If so, you can report this to the transport provider in the following ways:

  • Submit a report via the WdK app;
  • Please call: 026-3840210 (Group Transport) or 085-4894550 (Customer Service);
  • Please send an email to the following address: groepsvervoer@wdkgroep.nl.

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