This week we’ve looked at what our drivers do beyond driving, and at the work our transportation office and Central Operations team do behind the scenes. Today we want to talk about the people on the other side of the bus door: all of our families.

Getting students to school and home again safely depends on more than the transportation team. It depends on families, schools and the wider community, and each has a part to play.

For families, a lot of it comes down to information. Accurate details about pickup locations, schedules and student needs help the office build routes that work. When something changes, letting transportation know as early as possible makes it easier to adjust. And when there is a concern, communicating respectfully and allowing time for staff to investigate helps lead to a solution that is accurate and fair.

Families also play a part every time a student boards. Every PRSD bus rider has a bus card, and students scan it when they get on and when they get off. That quick scan does a lot of work. It lets drivers keep their attention on the road instead of on attendance. It alerts the driver if a student tries to get on or off at the wrong stop. It gives spare drivers, who may not know every child, an accurate attendance list and directions to every stop. And if a student ever does get off at the wrong stop, the scan record shows staff exactly where to start looking.

However, the system works best when everyone uses it. Each rider who doesn’t scan leaves a gap in what we know about where students are. Please make sure your child has their card every day, and consider attaching it to a lanyard or badge reel so it’s easy to keep track of. If a card is forgotten now and then, students can still ride, and drivers can record attendance manually. If a card is lost or damaged, contact the transportation office

The role our transportation team plays in maintaining student safety is to follow policies and procedures, communicate, work together with other Divisional staff and families of school bus riders to solve problems as they come up - and doing all of this with student safety as the primary goal.

The community’s part is simple, and it matters. Be patient at bus stops and on the road. Be understanding when a route runs late or a plan changes. Remember that there are real people doing real jobs, and treat them with respect.

Thank you to our drivers and transportation staff for the work they do, and to our families and communities for supporting our team.