The School Bus
Canada has a very good and very safe school bus system
THE SCHOOL BUS
Roughly 800,000 students in Ontario get bussed to school everyday. According to Transport Canada, the yellow and black school bus is the safest mode of transportation for school children - in terms of construction, driver standards, training, and passenger safety. Red flashing lights and a stop arm halt traffic in both directions when children are boarding or leaving a school bus.
On a per passenger, per kilometre basis, the occupants of school buses are 16 times less likely to be injured in road collisions than the occupants of any other vehicles.
BUS CANCELLATIONS
A variety of factors, such as weather, fog, snow squalls, and road conditions determine whether the bus will be cancelled for students. There are so many variables that it is impossible for a parent to guess about cancellations. Local radio and TV stations and news websites give constant updates about which busses to which schools are cancelled.
Know the name of your school and your school bus company. During days that the bus is canceled, the school will still be open for those who walk to school, or are brought there by their parents. However, if the bus did not pick up your child in the morning, it will also not bring your child home in the afternoon.
EARLY DISMISSAL
Sometimes, students will be send home early because of upcoming bad weather conditions. The schools will try to contact you to let you know about this. Make sure you have alternate plans in case your child cannot arrive home early. Give the school directions as to what to do.
Be aware of the possibility of early dismissal from school when the weather turns ugly and discuss your plan with your child beforehand.
