Busing & Transportation

Keeping students safe on the bus is a shared responsibility — between drivers, students, families, schools and CBE Transportation. Administrative Regulations 6001 and 6095​ inform the School Bus Rules and student behaviour expectations.

Expectations

School Bus Rules

Restricted Items on School Buses

Under the Traffic Safety Act and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Regulation, certain items are not allowed on school buses. 

These include: 

Items related to school programs may be allowed if there’s enough space and they can be stored safely. In those cases, special arrangements must be made in advance between the principal (or their designate) and the bus driver.​

Consequences

If a student breaks a safety or behaviour rule on the bus: will result in the following:

Note: We encourage drivers to fill out these reports as a communication tool in order to ensure students are safe and supported. The school will keep a record and may take action, which could include suspending bus privileges. Students will never be removed from the bus during a trip.

If your child sees something on the bus that bothers them, please let the school and the bus company know. If your child is involved in an incident, the school or bus company will also let you know. Everyone will work together towards a solution. ​

Safety Features

School Bus Capacity

The standard capacity of a school bus is up to 72 passengers, or 3 students per seat.

Bus Evacuation Drills

Twice a year, emergency evacuation practices are carried out for most students on yellow buses, in cooperation with the school. An evacuation video is available for both general transportation and specialized transportation when in-person bus evacuation drills are not practicable.

Specialized Transportation

​Specialized transportation is available for CBE students with complex learning needs who require extra  support to travel safely to and from school. This service is usually provided on smaller yellow school buses and is customized to meet each student’s individual needs.

Seatbelts, Harnesses and Safety Equipment​

• ​​Specialized transportation buses may have seatbelts given a capacity of 36 passengers or fewer. When school buses are equipped with seat belts, drivers are required to ensure passengers under the age of 16 years old are secured in the seatbelts. Drivers are required to ensure passengers under the age of 16 years old are secured in the seatbelts, when available.
  
• Some students may need to wear a harness or vest to help keep them safe on the bus. This decision is made together with families, the school, and CBE specialists. Harnesses are safety tools, just like seatbelts or car seats.
• If a parent or guardian does not agree to using a harness or other restraint, they will need to arrange their own transportation.
• Parents and school staff are responsible for putting the harness or vest on the student before they board the bus. Once the student is seated, the driver or attendant will secure it. In some cases, depending on the child’s needs, parents or school staff may also help with fastening. If so, the bus company will provide training to the school.
• Harnesses must be worn and fitted properly to work as intended. While they may feel snug, drivers are trained to ensure they are safe and that students cannot slip out of them.
  

Car Seat / Integrated Seat

Students under 40 pounds, must use a car seat or built-in (integrated) bus seat. These seats stay on the bus, and schools don’t need to send permission forms.

To help with buckling, please don’t dress your child in bulky winter coats. ​

Additional Supports

Attendants or Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) may be added to a route where there is a need for medical support, typically requested for students in:

Requests will be referred to LifeCare for an assessment.

A Transportation Safety Plan can also be used to communicate important safety, medical, and behavioural information proactively.

For the safety of all, some vehicles record video daily. Vehicles are clearly marked as having a recording device.

Parents and students are prohibited from taping or recording for reasons of privacy.

​Emergencies

CBE and its service providers follow clear steps to keep students safe during unexpected situations. Here’s what happens in different types of emergencies:

If the bus has a mechanical failure:​

• The driver contacts dispatch and a replacement vehicle will be sent if required;
• The service provider will provide delay information to families;
• If the delay is expected to be long, the service provider will contact the school with updates; and
  
• If a student becomes distressed, appropriate emergency procedures are followed.
  

If there is a serious emergency:

• Dispatch calls emergency services, then the students' parents/guardians.
  
• Students with possible injuries are only released from the scene to a parent, emergency services or a school official.

In serious cases, dispatch would be called, emergency services would be sent out as appropriate, students would be evacuated, and parents informed.

No parent at the stop to meet a child when expected:

If a student is expected to be met at their stop and no adult is present:

• The driver contacts dispatch and continues the route;​
• Dispatch will try to reach all of the contact numbers provided;
  
• Once the driver completes the route and contact is made, the driver will return to the student’s home or corner stop;
• If there is still no parental contact, the school will be contacted to see if the child can be returned to the school; and
  
• If necessary, the appropriate emergency service will be called.

A student is missing: