Making school busing safe and secure

Education Minister Tom Hedderson today said that government will invest $3 million in Budget 2005 to begin to reduce the age of school buses, enhance safety programs, and complete a comprehensive review of school busing.

In fiscal year 2005-06, $1.5 million in new funding will enable the Department of Education to work with bus contractors to reduce the age of school buses for new busing contracts. Government will also spend $500,000 to finance the purchase of 53 brand new buses for board-owned busing systems, at a value of approximately $4.5 million. "Our Blueprint commitment is to reduce the age of all school buses to no greater than 10 years of age within five years," said Minister Hedderson.

Additionally, $175,000 is allocated for driver training and other safety programs. Government will also complete a comprehensive review of school busing that will focus on maintaining a safe, efficient and cost-effective system.

"We have 920 buses transporting 61,000 children each day. It is vital that we continue to seek improvements in all aspects of our school transportation system to ensure that our children are safe and secure," said the minister.

Government Services Minister Dianne Whalen noted that her department is working with the Department of Education to ensure the overall quality of the province�s school transportation system. "As indicated in our Blueprint, school buses carry our most precious cargo � our children � and must be held to the highest levels of safety. We will continue to work together as we seek ways to strengthen our school transportation system. It is imperative that students and parents have confidence in the safety of our school bus fleet."

Media contact:
Nora Daly, Education, (709) 729-1906, 728-2819
Tracy Barron, Government Services, (709) 729-4860, 690-6157

2005 03 21                       3:05 p.m.