PRINCE.EDWARD.ISLAND (CBC) - Running school buses as old as the ones on Prince Edward Island is an unacceptable safety risk, says a U.S. group devoted to the safety of school buses.

Alan Ross, of the National Coalition for School Bus Safety, said serious corrosion in buses built before 1995, as was recently discovered in vehicles being used on the Island, is to be expected.

"That's simply unacceptable. Our standards tell us vehicles of that age, unless they are meticulously maintained, like loving antiques, vehicles of that age are simply unsafe for children," said Ross.

The provincial government pulled all school buses off the road Wednesday while it conducted an inspection of the vehicles which were built before 1995. The recall came after 20 buses were inspected for corrosion, and 16 of them were found to be rusted to a degree that their structural integrity was at risk.

The province says it has now inspected all the pre-1995 buses. Fifty-five of them have been taken out of service, but bus service will resume on Monday.

Buses built 1995 and later were not subject to special inspection.

Ross said in the United States, it is unusual for any buses more than 15 years old to be on the road, and those would only be used in drier climates. In New England and other areas with climates similar to the Maritimes, few buses would be older than eight or nine years old, he said.

School buses, with their riveted construction, are not particularly sturdy to begin with, said Ross, and more prone to rust damage.

The National Coalition for School Bus Safety recommends quarterly inspection of school buses. P.E.I. inspects its buses twice a year.

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