During the winter (roughly late October to early April), Tri-Board utilizes professional weather monitoring & forecasting services and works closely with our school bus companies to determine if it is safe to offer school bus transportation on inclement weather days. School buses function differently than other vehicles and sometimes, although it is safe for the average family vehicle to travel, it is not safe for a school bus to be on the road. We know cancelling school buses is disruptive to families, but we are always putting the safety of our 30,000+ bus riders first and foremost in our decision making. Below are some tips to make the winter season and “snow days” easier for families to manage.
To Do: Sign Up for Bus Status Alerts
Sign up for bus status alerts by creating an account in the Student Portal. As long the email address used to sign up is also on file with the school, your student will be added to your account and you will be subscribed to their bus(es) alerts. Users can also subscribe to alerts for specific bus routes, which may be a better option for daycare providers, school administrators, and other organizations that rely on school transportation services.
When all transportation is cancelled across Tri-Board, the notification is sent as a general notice to everyone with an account. We endeavor to post this alert by 6:00AM.
To Do: Have a Backup Plan
We understand that cancelling transportation is inconvenient for working families. We recommend creating backup plans for alternative travel or childcare when busing is not available. If a student is taken to school when buses are not running, it is the family’s responsibility to arrange their travel home at the end of the day.
Timing and Duration of Cancellations
The decision-making process occurs every morning and we do not normally decide to cancel transportation the night before. This is because conditions change, and we want to make the best decision closest to the time buses are actually on the road in the morning. To avoid students being taken to school by bus and then stranded without transportation home, we cancel transportation for the whole day, even if inclement weather is only expected for part of the day. Sometimes the weather is not as predicted and this can be frustrating, but we would rather be safe than sorry.
School Attendance
The cancellation of school buses does not mean schools are closed. Should the need to close a school arise, that information will flow from your school board. Ask your school about reporting absences on inclement weather days. Tri-Board does not take into consideration how many “snow days” have already occurred when deciding whether or not conditions are safe enough to offer transportation by bus. If you are concerned about your students’ education on inclement weather days, please speak to your school or school board.
Weather Zones
Tri-Board is responsible for over 600 bus routes in a 16,000+ square KMs service area. Weather patterns and road conditions can vary greatly throughout our region. That is why our service area is divided into “weather zones.” Tri-Board relies on localized professional weather monitoring & forecasting services as well as our Weather Captains to make the most informed decision on whether to run buses in each zone or not. This makes it possible to cancel transportation only in zones where it is not safe to operate. Many buses travel through multiple weather zones and may be cancelled due to conditions in one that are not as severe in others.
