School Bus Safety

1. Riders must be at the bus stop 3–5 minutes before scheduled pickup time and appropriately dressed for weather conditions.
2. Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before getting on or off the bus. Cross the road 3 meters in front of the bus. Do not cross the road until the bus driver signals you to do so.
3. Go directly to the seat assigned to you and remain in that seat for the bus trip. Sit in your seat facing forward at all times while the bus is in motion.
4. Do not open windows without permission from the bus driver. Do not put arms, hands or head out of the window. Do not throw anything from a bus window.
5. Loud or noisy behavior is prohibited as this is distracting to the driver.
6. No smoking or vaping. Alcohol products or illegal substances of any type are prohibited.
7. No person shall bring on the bus the following item(s): animals, firearms, explosives, pocket knives , lighters (or any combustible), hockey sticks, or anything of a dangerous nature that might endanger the lives or safety of others.
8. Electronic audio equipment with adequate sound retention headphones may be used by passengers, at the discretion of the driver.
9. The aisle of the bus must be kept clear at all times. Check with the bus driver before taking any sports or band equipment on the bus as size restrictions apply.
10. Please inform the bus driver when you will not be on the bus.
11. The Bus Driver is responsible for passenger safety. Follow the direction of the bus driver at all times.
12. Any violation of the rules or damage to the bus will be reported to the principal. The passenger or their guardian may be charged with the cost of repair for any damages.
13. Students in kindergarten or grade 1 must be accompanied to and from the bus stop by a parent or other responsible person as designated by the parent.
14. Bullying, threatening or any other forms of intimidation will be immediately reported to the school principal.

Each pick up and drop off location has a designated Safe Zone where the driver has instructed students to wait. Once the Safe Zone is established students should always wait at this location.  

Students must NEVER cross in front of the school bus until the driver has signaled them to do so. Bus drivers will not signal students to cross until the traffic has come to a complete stop within the bus driver’s Safe Zone.

A bus driver is only permitted to let students off at their designated stop.

Bus Stop Location

Outside of Town Limits: Peace River School Division has established a 400 meter walk limit for students living outside of the 1 km (Kindergarten through Grade 6) and 2 km (Grade 7-12) walk distances. Often the pick up point is located at the end of the driveway as yard service is not provided. If the distance between the driveway and the existing bus route is less than 400 meters, students may be required to walk along the road to a safe stop location along the main bus route.

Inside Town Limits: School bus stops located within the town limits are in accordance with the 400 meter walk limit policy and are reviewed annually by the Transportation Department. Considerations regarding stop placement include:

• A safe location for all students while waiting for the bus;
• A visible location with consideration to bus maneuverability;
• Location of student residence in relation to the stop.

A school bus driver is responsible for operating a school bus in a safe effective manner according to all provincial regulations, traffic laws, divisional policies and procedures including the Class 2S driver training.

The training provides stringent procedures that are used for safety on the school bus as well as during loading and unloading. Drivers must ensure that students follow the correct procedures for loading and unloading or their safety may be compromised.  

All School Bus Drivers are certified with standard first aid.

School bus drivers communicate with parents when student behavior requires assistance.  Inappropriate or abusive behavior must be reported to the School Administrator.

To learn more about our driver training program, click HERE

Peace River School Division runs a school bus fleet of over 100+ school buses.  All buses are equipped with GPS tracking systems and some buses have camera systems.

Each bus is inspected daily by the school bus driver and follow a bi-annual CVIP inspection schedule.

All buses have radio communications systems installed in the event of minor communication or other incidents.