Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario is preparing their bus cancellation process.
STEO staff check forecasts every day, before 2:00pm, for weather alerts that may affect busing. Bus companies are notified if it is believed challenging conditions may be coming and forecasts are reviewed again at 9:30pm. On the morning inclement weather is expected STEO begins contacting MeteoGroup or the Weather Network at 4:30am.  STEO’s acting GM and CAO Janet Murray says the decision to cancel a bus is not made lightly.
She adds that STEO look at more just forecasts. The region is split into 18 zones and each has a captain reporting road and weather conditions back to STEO. They receive information confirming the amount of snow or ice built up on roads and whether it seems like the weather will continue. They also consult municipal road crews, police and other school boards before cancelling a bus.
The final decision to cancel a bus is made by the Director of Education from each school board, in collaboration with STEO. The decision must be made by 5:45am because bussing starts as early as 6:00am. Once busses are on the road STEO does not pull them back because parents could leave for work believing their children are at school.
Murray says that cancelling busses can have a big impact on families and that students are best served in the classroom. She added that STEO sincerely care about students, that their top priority is safety and sometimes cancellation is the best way.
Parents with children in both school boards will receive letters outlining how bus cancellations will be issued.