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Unit 4 - 75 Thornhill Street, Morden, MB, R6M 1P2
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Western School Division
FAQ

How are bus drivers trained?

All school bus drivers must receive a minimum of 24 hours of instruction prior to operating a school bus carrying passengers and a minimum of eight hours in-service training during each school year. A person who is certified as a School Bus Driver Instructor by the Pupil Transportation Unit of Manitoba Education Citizenship and Youth provides this instruction.

Why are there no seat belts on school buses?

School bus transportation is one of the safest forms of transportation in Canada and the United States. All new school buses are required to meet safety standards over and above those applying to all other passenger vehicles. These include requirements for improved emergency exits, roof structure, seating and fuel systems and bus body joint integrity. These requirements help ensure that school buses are extremely safe.

Rather than requiring seat belts, the "National Highway Traffic Safety Administration" decided the best way to provide crash protection to passengers is through a concept called "compartmentalization." This requires that the interior of large buses provide occupant protection so that children are protected without the need to buckle-up. A protective envelope consisting of strong, closely spaced seats that have energy-absorbing seat backs provides occupant crash protection. The effectiveness of compartmentalization has been confirmed in the National Transport Safety Board and other studies.

If my child is not going to be on the bus do I need to contact transportation staff?

When ever possible please notify your driver directly. A phone call or note to the driver works well. If you cannot make these arrangements a message may be forwarded to the driver by calling the School Division offices at 822-4448 or the Division's maintenance shop at 822-6513.

How long will the bus wait for my child at the pick-up location?

Route schedules are planned to minimize route times. It is expected that all students will be at their designated pick-up locations prior to the times designated for that location. Drivers are not able to wait past the scheduled time without affecting the balance of the route. If you are unsure of the time for your location please contact your driver. The in town schedule is available on this site.