Bus safety every week

Bus safety is every week in Pembina Trails. More than 3900 students travel to and from school every day across the division and their safety is a top priority. Specific bus safety training is held in the autumn and spring to help ensure both daily riders and those who are bussed for special events are reminded of their role in staying safe while riding a school bus.

“The main focus of the safety training is to teach students how to perform in a situation where an evacuation is required,” says Jonathan Clinch, Driver Trainer with Pembina Trails. “Students also learn how to behave on the bus so that they aren’t distracting the driver.”

Road safety, safe riding and evacuation

Clinch says road safety involves everything around the bus. 

“Students learn where to stand while waiting for the bus, how to cross the road in front of the bus and where not to walk around the bus,” says Clinch. 

Safe riding is also very important, and riding behaviour is a big part of that. Students are reminded of the rules of the bus and how the bus is an extension of the classroom. Always remain seated, no eating and to keep your hands to yourself are all great reminders for the riders. 

 “It is amazing how many times I need to remind everyone to stay seated and speak quietly,” says Kiran Sembi, a bus driver with Pembina Trails. “It can be really distracting when children don’t behave on the bus.” Drivers Sharon Plett and Ron Frechette agree: “We are continuously reminding students to remain seated.”

“We need to help allow the driver to remain focused on their task, so everyone gets to school, home or daycare safely,” says Clinch. “Bus drivers are constantly having to remind students to remain seated, so having parents and caregivers help reinforce this with their children is helpful.”

The third part of ridership is the focus on school bus emergency equipment and evacuation procedures. Everyone who travels on a school bus is shown how to use the emergency exits and how far from the bus they should meet after evacuating. 

“We perform an evacuation drill from the bus because it’s important for students, teachers and everyone involved to know how to safely evacuate in any situation, remain calm and to stay together as group.” Clinch says the drills are taken seriously because they are life lessons on how to keep everyone involved safe, healthy, aware and involved for the students, teachers, educational assistants, parent volunteers, other motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and drivers.

 “This is what safe ridership is about.”