ROAD CLOSURES DUE TO CONSTRUCTION
- Should a road or street closure occur in your school zone that will affect transportation to your school STSTB will work with Service Providers to find an alternative route and possible changes in pick up and drop off spots for students.  STSTB will notify schools and school will notify parents should there be any changes.  Every effort will be made to ensure buses arrive at schools on time.  Click here for current road closures.

LOOSE CLOTHING, SCARVES, DRAWSTRINGS, BACKPACK STRAPS ETC
- These clothing items can be dangerous if they are hanging loose.  They could become caught on bus handrails, doors etc.  

 KNOW YOUR CHILDREN’S BUS NUMBER, DRIVER AND SCHOOL BUS OPERATOR
- In case of an emergency it is easier to locate your child if you have the correct information at hand.
LET US KNOW ABOUT LIFE THREATENING MEDICAL CONDITIONS - Member Boards each have an Anaphylactic policy in place.  Let your school know if your child is allergic to anything, suffers from
asthma or has any other life threatening medical conditions.  The school will provide this information to
STSTB and in turn will be passed on to your child’s bus driver.  This will allow the bus driver to be aware of an existing condition and enable them to recognize an emergency situation more quickly.

 SEAT BELTS ON SCHOOL BUSES
- Currently the Ontario School Bus Association, Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Transport Canada do not feel that seat belts will increase safety, actually the opposite.  The yellow school bus is the safest vehicle on the road and is designed with the safety of your child in mind.  The seats are compartmentalized and padded and if an accident were to occur, the design is intended to contain your
child between the two seats.  Studies have shown that seat belts (specifically lap belts) cause more injuries to children in school buses especially those whose abdominal area is still developing.  Most young children require assistance in putting on their seatbelts and there wouldn’t be a guarantee that they would leave it on.  Should an accident occur and the driver is injured, they may be unable to assist passengers and young children would be unable to free themselves.

CAR SEATS AND BOOSTER SEATS
- In 2004 the Ontario Legislature passed Bill 73, An Act to Enhance the Safety of Children and Youth on Ontario’s Roads.Student Transportation Services of Thunder Bay consortium’s responsibility is to ensure this Bill is adhered to by all taxis and public vehicles with a seating capacity of less than 10 persons (non chrome yellow school purpose vehicles).

Booster seats must by used by passengers who
• are under 8 years of age and
• weigh more than 18 kg but less than 36 kg (40-80 lbs), and
• are less than 145 cm (4'9" tall)

Forward facing car seats must be used by passengers who:
• weigh more than 9 kg but less than 18 kg (20-40 lbs).

It is the responsibility of the parents and the schools to ensure the children are properly buckled into their seats from home and school and visa versa.