Students in School District 73 will soon get to ride in five new schoolbuses, courtesy of the provincial government.
The five buses will cost a total of close to $500,000 and will include a number of innovative safety features.
The money is part of $10.5 million the government is distributing to 32 school districts to replace old buses in their fleets.
"This new fleet of buses reflects government's commitment to the safety of our children," said Minister of Education George Abbott. "This investment is a great example of how, by working together and being innovative, we can save time and money so that even more resources can be focused on our students and teachers in the classroom."
About 100 buses will be purchased and this year, for the first time, the ministry and the Association of Student Transportation Services of BC negotiated fixed prices from multiple B.C. vendors, to help save approximately 15 per cent on bus replacements. This allows districts to choose from different vendors and purchase buses at the most competitive prices, regardless of where they are in the province. The same offers are also available to independent and band-operated schools so they can save on bus orders.
To read about school bus safety visit: www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/safedrivers-childsafety-schoolbus-index-142.htm