With an Arctic high pressure system parked over northern Alberta driving temperatures as low as -41 C Jan. 12, Pembina Hills Public Schools suspended some of its bus routes.
Seventeen routes were cancelled, including seven to Pembina North Community School, two to Neerlandia Public Christian School and Eleanor Hall School and one to Busby School. Five routes to Barrhead Composite High School were also stopped for the day.
PHPS Supt. David Garbutt said that while the routes were cancelled, schools always remain open.
“Some students live near the school and do not ride the bus to school and other students are transported to school by parents,” he said, noting that things should be back to normal division-wide by Monday, Jan. 15.
“It all depends on weather and temperature conditions.”
Pembina Hills school buses travel approximately 11,000 kilometres daily.
Because weather and road conditions vary from region to region, decisions about whether or not to cancel a route are made as close to the local community as possible.
The PHPS website states transportation director Shantelle Haitel gathers weather information before 6 a.m. and contacts bus drivers before making the call to suspend routes.
If they do cancel routes, bus drivers contact parents on their route, via the bus status report on the division and school websites and by posting notices on the division website and the PHPS Facebook page.
Individual bus drivers can also decide to suspend service if they deem a route is unsafe.
When a bus driver decides to cancel service they notify parents on the route, the school principal and the transportation director.
“They know their equipment (bus) and their route best. We trust their professional judgment in making the decision to cancel a run if conditions warrant,” said Garbutt. “As well, first and foremost, parents may choose to not have their child ride the bus if they wish.”
