Image: M. Vanden Bosch / PML / A Chilliwack School District bus is shown. SD33 plans to outfit more and more of its older buses with interior and exterior cameras, according to a staff report prepared for Tuesday night's monthly school board meeting.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Bus Safety

Chilliwack School District to enhance bus safety measures, expand cameras inside and outside buses to its entire fleet

Oct 12, 2022 | 11:53 AM

CHILLIWACK — When students get on a Chilliwack School District bus to and from school, or on field trips, parents want to be assured their loved ones are safe and sound no matter what.

SD33 has a similar mentality when it comes to its bus fleet that transports thousands of students each month around Chilliwack.

According to a staff report prepared by Al Van Tassel, director of facilities and transportation, 85 per cent of the district’s buses are equipped with cameras that monitor the interior and exterior of the bus. All new buses come equipped with cameras. Little by little, the district has been gradually upgrading its older buses with cameras.

Although Secretary-Treasurer Gerry Slykhuis’ name appeared on the staff report, Slykhuis clarified that Van Tassel prepared the report, which came in response to a request for an update on the district’s bus safety measures at the board’s meeting on September 13.

The school district continues to enforce motorists who ignore the mandatory red-light flashing arms that activate when buses come to a designated stop. For example, if a stop swing arm is activated and a motorist brazenly ignores it, bus drivers can press a button to initiate a time stamp on a video. After a bus run, the driver can complete what’s known as a Red-Light Runner report and submit it to the district transportation manager, who has the authority to complete the report and submit it to the Chilliwack RCMP on a monthly basis.

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During the 2021-22 school year, there were 138 Red-Light Runners reported. RCMP have the power to review these reports and issue ticket violations to the registered owner of a vehicle at a cost of $368 with three points on their respective record. Routes with a high frequency of violations will be monitored by RCMP personnel.

To further implement bus safety measures, the district transportation manager now participates in regular advisory panel meetings on school bus safety with Transport Canada every three weeks. The manager will also partake in the Transportation Advisory Committee alongside the City of Chilliwack, Safer City Chilliwack, ICBC, RCMP and Speed Watch.

by Mike Vanden Bosch

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Chilliwack School District to enhance bus safety measures, expand cameras inside and outside buses to its entire fleet

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