Field trip transportation · North Jersey
School buses for field trips, with our own drivers
Museums, science centers, farms, Broadway matinees, college visits. NW Transport takes North Jersey schools where the lesson is, on our own yellow buses, with a driver who stays with your group when you need one. Request online and a written quote with every stop and time comes back within one business day.
Based in Little Falls, NJ. Trips across New Jersey, into New York City and Pennsylvania.
What a field trip with NW Transport looks like
You send the date, the group and the two addresses. We do the rest, the same way we run our daily school routes.
A named driver and a confirmed bus
You know who is driving and which bus is coming before the day. The driver has the trip sheet with every stop and time, the teacher's cell number and the school's instructions.
The driver stays with the group
For most trips the bus waits on site, so an early finish, a change of plans or a child who needs to leave early is handled on the spot. If you prefer a drop-off and a return pickup, say so and we quote it that way.
An office that picks up
Dispatch knows every driver and every trip. Weather, a venue that opens late, a bus that needs to swap: a person on the phone handles it, not a ticket queue.
The paperwork your business office needs
Certificate of insurance, driver credentials and vehicle inspection records on request, and a written quote your purchasing office can attach to a PO.
Aides, car seats and vests
Tell us the grade level and any accommodations on the request. Aides ride when the school requires one; car seats and safety vests are available for the youngest riders.
Wheelchair-accessible buses
Lift-equipped buses with trained drivers keep every student on the same trip. See wheelchair-accessible buses.
The right bus for the group
Every bus carries seat belts and the emergency equipment New Jersey requires. Not sure which one? Give us the head count and we recommend one.
| Vehicle | Good for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 54-passenger school bus | A whole grade, two classes with chaperones, band and athletics with gear | The most economical seat on a per-student basis |
| 16- to 29-passenger bus | One class, a club, a small-school trip, tight parking at the venue | Easier at urban destinations and museums with small bus lots |
| Wheelchair-accessible bus | Groups with riders who use a wheelchair | Lift-equipped, trained driver, aide when required |
| Van | Small groups, competitions, a handful of students and a teacher | Up to 5 passengers |
How booking works
Tell us the trip
Date, pickup time, pickup and destination addresses, head count. Five questions online, or call dispatch.
Get the written quote
Within one business day, by email, with the bus, the driver plan, every stop and time, and the terms. Forward it to whoever approves trips.
Accept and ride
Accept online. The driver and bus are locked in, the trip sheet goes to the driver, and the office confirms with you the week of the trip.
Booking two or more weeks ahead gets the widest choice of buses in May and June, the busiest field trip months.
Where North Jersey schools go
From our Little Falls depot, most of the region's field trip destinations are under an hour away. Trips we run all year:
- Science and nature: Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, the Newark Museum of Art, the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton, the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, environmental centers and county parks across Passaic, Morris and Sussex counties.
- New York City: the American Museum of Natural History, the Intrepid, the Bronx Zoo, Broadway student matinees, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferries. Our drivers know the bus drop-off zones and the tunnel and bridge timing at school hours.
- History and civics: Morristown National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange, Paterson Great Falls, Trenton and Philadelphia.
- Farms, orchards and seasonal trips: pumpkin patches and apple orchards in Morris and Sussex counties in the fall, and end-of-year trips to parks and pools in June.
- College visits: campuses across New Jersey and New York for juniors and seniors, with the bus waiting through the tour.
Tolls, parking and any venue bus fees are listed on the quote at cost, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Field trip questions
How far ahead should a school book a field trip bus?
Two weeks is comfortable; a month is better for May and June, when every school in the region is on the road. Short-notice and same-day requests are welcome, by phone, and we fill them when a bus is free.
Does the driver stay with the group at the destination?
Usually, yes. The driver waits with the bus and is available if plans change. If the destination has no bus parking or the trip is long, we quote a drop-off and a return pickup instead. Choose either on the request form.
Can the bus go into New York City or Pennsylvania?
Yes. Field trips and charters go wherever the school needs to be, including New York City and Pennsylvania. Tolls and parking are itemized on the quote.
What does a field trip bus cost?
$124 an hour with a 4-hour minimum, plus tolls and parking at cost. Fuel, the driver, insurance and dispatch are included. The written quote is the exact number for your trip, not an estimate. See what a school bus costs in New Jersey for what drives the price.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancel free of charge until 48 hours before pickup. Inside 48 hours, half the trip price applies; once the bus has arrived, the full price. Weather closures are handled case by case with the school.
Can a PTO, a charter school or a private academy book directly?
Yes. Public districts, charter schools, private academies, PTOs and parent groups all book the same way. Schools and districts can book on a purchase order; other organizations pay before the trip date.
Tell us where they need to be. We'll take it from there.
A quote within one business day, a named driver and bus, and a phone number that answers.
Field trip buses for schools in Wayne, Clifton, Paterson, Passaic, Montclair, Bloomfield, Nutley, West Orange, Fair Lawn, Paramus, Hackensack, Livingston, Parsippany and Newark, and across Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Morris, Hudson and Union counties. Also see athletic team buses, summer camp transportation and school bus rental in North Jersey.