Isle of Man Transport have confirmed that the sales of Go School smart travel cards are going well with more than 2,000 snapped up before Christmas.
 
However, with more than 2,500 children carried on school buses each day they wants to remind parents that they will need to obtain a card and purchase journeys in advance of travel to benefit from the concessionary 25p fare on school buses from Wednesday 7 January 2015.
 
Anyone travelling without a Go School card from that date will be required to pay the standard bus fare – half fare for children aged up to 15 years and all IoM College students on production of a College card; full fare for anyone 16 and over.
 
The number of Go School cards in circulation includes free school travel cards distributed by the Department of Education and Children to eligible students. Anyone who has not yet obtained a free travel card who requires one should contact the DEC on 685808, or helen.fowden@gov.im. 

You can purchase Go School cards and make top-ups online or in person at Port Erin Railway Station, Ramsey Bus Station and the Welcome Centre, which is open 8am to 6pm except New Year’s Eve when it is closing at 4pm. All are closed on New Year’s Day.

Usual opening hours are:

Welcome Centre, Douglas – open Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm.
Ramsey Bus Station – 7.30am-5pm Mondays to Fridays; 9am-5pm Saturdays.
Port Erin Station - 9am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-5pm Mondays to Fridays.

Or see their website for more information:  http://www.gov.im/categories/travel-traffic-and-motoring/bus-and-rail/go-cards/

Three types of Go School cards are available:

1. Go School 1 (SCH1) is for primary school children and valid on school days up to 6pm
2. Go School 2 (SCH2) is for secondary school children and valid on school days up to 6pm
3. Go School 3 (SCH3) is for full time A level students (or those on equivalent post 16 vocational courses) aged 16-19 years attending the IoM College of Further & Higher Education. It is valid during college term time up to 9.30pm on journeys to/from the college to enable students to access evening classes. A college ID card must also be carried and shown to the driver. Journeys can be taken only on Douglas routes away from the college after 6pm.

All school journeys within the time limits above can be taken for a fare of 25p, which will be deducted from the card each time it is used.