During winter there may be times when the weather will cause school bus and special vehicle transportation to be disrupted. The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario is working cooperatively with bus contractors and our co-terminus Board to ensure that our approach to transportation during inclement weather is coordinated and designed with the safety of students in mind. We have designed systems with Pelmorex/World Weather Watch, our co-terminus Board and bus operators in order to receive the most up-to-date information regarding local weather and road conditions. Decisions concerning the cancellation of school bus and special vehicle transportation are made cooperatively based upon this information. Unless otherwise announced, schools will remain open for students and staff even if transportation is cancelled.

Announcements regarding the cancellation of school bus and special vehicle transportation will be broadcasted starting at 6:15 a.m. on your local radio station. If transportation is cancelled in the morning, afternoon transportation will not operate. Please do not call the bus companies. Please listen for the radio announcements.

Parents/guardians and students can verify if buses are cancelled by accessing the Board’s website at www.cdsbeo.on.ca and click on the “School Bus Cancellations” icon.

Winter weather conditions can change rapidly and unpredictably. If roads become impassable during the school day or are judged to be risky, rather than closing schools early, students will be kept at school until either their parents come to pick them up or it becomes safe to resume school bus transportation once again.

Fog
Occasionally fog patches occur. Fog greatly increases the risk that motorists may collide with a stopped vehicle or with a student in the process of crossing a road to board the bus. Consequently, bus drivers have been instructed not to stop in fog patches where visibility is significantly reduced. If a student is not picked up due to foggy conditions, the bus driver will provide the names of those students to the School Principal upon arrival at the school. We recommend that you do not permit your child to wait for the bus if visibility is significantly reduced by fog.

Blocked Roads
It is each parent’s responsibility to ensure that their child is safely aboard the school bus. Occasionally a road may become blocked and, as a result, the bus may be unable to service sections of a route. If this occurs, the bus driver will communicate the name of each student who was not picked up, to the School Principal, upon arrival at the school.

Parental work schedules in some families may require parents to be away from home before their child leaves for school in the morning and/or when their child arrives home in the afternoon. If this is the case in your family, please ensure that your child has access to your home or to an approved alternative home where he/she can go in the event of the bus being unable to service your section of the route.

Mechanical Breakdown

The possibility of a mechanical breakdown of a school bus or special vehicle always exists. This is a particular concern during the winter. Please ensure that your child is dressed warmly enough to cope with the potential loss of heat due to a mechanical breakdown on the bus. If mechanical failure occurs, alternative transportation will be arranged as soon as possible. In this circumstance, however, the bus may be late picking up your child in the morning or returning him/her home in the afternoon. Again, in the event that parental work schedules require parents to be away from home before or after school, please ensure that your child has access to your home or an approved alternative home.

Parental Responsibility

The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario strive to ensure the safe transportation of children.  Ultimately, each parent has the right and legal obligation to protect their child.  You may decide to keep your child at home at any time if you feel that it is too risky to have him/her transported to school.


The decision to cancel or alter transportation services shall be broadcasted on the following radio/TV stations:
 

The Transportation Department can be reached Monday to Friday from
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at: