PRINCE.EDWARD.ISLAND (CBC) - School bus service will return on Prince Edward Island on Monday, Education Minister Gerard Greenan said Friday.

On Wednesday, the province announced there would be no school bus service Thursday and Friday after severe corrosion was found in some older model buses.

The province has completed inspection of the 76 school buses that were built before 1995.

An official with the Department of Education said a previously reported number of 104 buses requiring inspection is not correct.

Of the 76 buses inspected, 55 are being taken out of service for more detailed investigation. Some of those 55 are being replaced by 24 new buses that are being rushed into service for Monday.

That will still leave the province 31 buses short, out of a full complement of 320. Some buses will have to make extra trips. Notices with specific school details were given to students Friday.

Western School Board superintendent Dale Sabean said students in that district should go to their bus stop at the regular time on Monday morning. In most cases, they'll be picked up at the regular time but some students may have to wait up to half an hour for the bus to come. The return home will be much the same.

The Eastern School District is reporting there will be no significant delays on Monday. Everything is expected to run normally for the French school board.

Buses will not be available for activities beyond taking students to and from school.

Province considering policy on age of buses

P.E.I. may implement a policy that will see school buses automatically taken off the road after 12 years.

Similar policies are already in place in a number of Canadian provinces.

"That's certainly something that we have to look at," said Education Minister Gerard Greenan.

"We'll be looking at other provinces and other jurisdictions and coming up with a plan."

Part of that policy would mean buying more school buses every year. Currently, the department buys about 20 buses each year.

"We're into a process here where we have to do something to secure the confidence in the public that we're running a safe system," said Greenan.

Government will do whatever is necessary to ensure the fleet is safe, he said.

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