Thomason Transportation Fund: Overview

About the Thomason Transportation Program

Dear Educator,

The Thomason Transportation Program provides an opportunity for students from Title I schools and daycares/preschools serving low-income families in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County to enjoy fun and educational field trips to branches of the Public Library Albuquerque-Bernalillo County.

The Thomason Transportation Program provides free, round-trip transportation for students (high school age and younger), faculty and chaperones, allowing them to visit public library branches, participate in library programs and events, visit the Center for the Book, and more.

Who is Eligible?

• Title I schools
• Daycare & Preschool programs serving children from low-income families
• Organizations serving children with special needs

How to Apply

• First, contact the branch of the Public Library Albuquerque-Bernalillo County you would like to visit. Work out all of your visit details with staff at that branch at least 4 weeks in advance. A listing of all Library locations can be found at www.abqlibrary.org. All educators applying for transportation must have an account (Library Card) in good standing with The Public Library Albuquerque-Bernalillo County.
• Download the application from from this page.
• Fill out and submit the transportation application via email (No faxes, please) at least 3 weeks before your visit. Do not skip any questions on the application, or your application will be delayed. If that delay causes your request to miss the 3-week minimum bus scheduling window, your Public Library visit will need to be rescheduled. Any Thomason Transportation application submitted by a teacher without the inclusion of the barcode number from that teacher's own library card will NOT be processed.
• Once your application is approved, you will receive official confirmation via the e-mail address noted on your application.
• There is a limit of one round-trip Public Library visit per semester per class. (A second bus can be requested for larger groups all visiting at the same time. Just be sure to tell us how many students and teachers/chaperones will be riding the bus, and we'll do the math.)
• Because busses and their drivers are needed to service before- and after-school routes, the earliest possible pickup from school to visit a Public Library branch is 9:15 am. The latest possible pickup for a return to school is 1:30 pm. On Fridays, the latest possible pickup for return to school is 11:45 am. Please keep these times in mind when scheduling Library visits.
• Please also keep in mind, this service is for round-trip journeys between schools and branches of the Public Library Albuquerque-Bernalillo County only. We are unable to accommodate any side trips to museums, parks, restaurants, etc. This service is not available to any school outside of Bernalillo County.

This program would not be possible without the generous support of the Tom and Jo Thomason Estate and the Friends of the Public Library.