Question: Follow Up

Back on May 31, one of our members asked a question about bussing and educational programs. 

She was kind enough to get back to us with some very valuable answers!

Note: Keep this sort of information in mind for our upcoming autumn PLC on October 20 (details to be in your inbox soon!)

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I am finally following up on a question that I posed for the group during the spring in terms of bussing and their schedules. I chatted with the director of Transportation for the District School Board of Niagara and the Niagara Catholic School board about busses needing to leave early.

In short many of the buses are doing two runs and need to be back for high school pick up at 2:00, which involves at 1:30 departure. There are buses that do not have the high school run and typically need to leave their destination by 2:00pm. These are first come first serve. The secretary must request a bus that has a 2pm departure from their destination. At Ball’s Falls we also have some programs in the spring that go until 2:30. There are a few buses as well that can leave their destination at 2:30. Again this is first come first serve.

One thing that we can do is make it clear to teachers their departure date when booking. I know at Ball’s Falls it is on their confirmation letter, but I am also going to redraft the e-mail they receive with the note in bold that they need to confirm with the bus company that the bus is able to depart at 2:00pm.

If no later departure date is requested, or all later departure buses are already taken the bus will need to leave at 1:30. Teachers can call other bus companies in order to find a bus that does have a later departure date.

She recommended that the teacher bring a copy of the bus confirmation sheet along to the class trip in case there is a conflict between what the confirmation sheet says and what the bus driver says. If there is a conflict she also provided a list of numbers to contact.

If there are any issues as well she would like us to report them to her so that they are aware.

 

I included her e-mail below as well as NSTS contact list for all busing companies. Since we deal mostly with Niagara Schools I only contacted the Niagara School Transportation.

lori.powell at nsts dot ca