Head of N.L. Federation of School Councils applauds NLESD on bus safety
The president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of School Councils is pleased with the actions of the province's English School District (NLESD) after it forced about 50 buses off the roads last week.
Twenty-two schools were affected when the NLESD suspended the operations of Kelloway Investments due to safety concerns. Inspectors from Service NL found defects in brake lines and emergency doors on several buses owned by the company.
Officials from the district spent the weekend making sure alternate buses were put on the routes left vacant by Kelloway's suspension, and hoped to have everything running smoothly for the Monday morning commute.
The president of the federation of school councils, Paulette Fifield, said she wasn't overly surprised when she first heard the buses were suspended, and applauds the school district for being proactive when it comes to bus safety.
"I think that the ESD has been doing a great job of staying on top of the whole situation since October," she told the St. John's Morning Show.
"The fact that we had like 3,500 students at a school not taking the bus for those two days shows loud and clear that the district is stepping up here and taking every step to make sure safety is ensured."
Peace of mind
Keloway Investments owner Jim Kelloway insists he is being treated unfairly by the district, saying that the only buses found to have issues weren't even being used to bus students.
Despite that, Paulette Fifield said the Federation of School Councils has been getting positive feedback from parents regarding the school district's decision to take the buses off the road.
Fifield said that as the parent of a student herself, she understands the hassle of trying to find transportation when buses are cancelled at the last minute — but also understands how important student safety is.
"Obviously parents were finding it was a huge inconvenience that day, but overall I think most parents are just worried about the safety of their children on the buses," she said.
"My son goes on the bus every single day, and I feel much more confident. Now I know the checks are being done, the inspections are more stringent now, and I just feel that the school district is stepping up here."
