The owner-operator of a privately-run shuttle service is seeking the same treatment regular school buses are given when it comes to dropping students off at Heather Park Elementary School.
Speaking to trustees on Tuesday night, Janet Vleich, who operates From Here to There Shuttle Service, which transports out-of-catchment children to their respective schools, said she's being denied the privilege of using the busing lane at Heather Park.
Like parents who drive their children to the school, she's been using the Elksentre as the drop off point and from there the students cross Heather Road with the help of a crossing guard to reach the school.
Vleich, who drove a regular school bus for 25 years prior to starting up the business four years ago, said that has not been a problem for most of the school year but now she has a kindergarten child who uses the service every second week.
"In all my years [of driving school bus] you had to watch these children get into the school, especially kindergarten kids," she told trustees. "I can't see this school [from the Elksentre], I can't see the door that the kids will go in from where they expect me to drop them off and I just have a real issue with it.
"I think it's about safety. Safety is supposed to be first in all regards."
As part of efforts to tackle a budget shortfall, Heather Park was converted into an elementary school from a middle school starting this school year. As a result, the school's population rose to 693 in September 2010 from 626 the year before and it also meant younger children are now attending the school.
As many as 17 school buses line up along the lane into school property and parents have been encouraged to use the Elksentre to reduce congestion and the possibility of a student getting hit by a bus.
Vleich said she decided to go directly to trustees only after attempts to speak to school district administration were rebuffed. As well as Heather Park, she has contracts to transport students to Edgewood, Quinson, Ron Brent, South Fort George, Highglen and Lac des Bois schools.
"I'm a bus, I'm just not yellow," she told trustees.
Vleich said Wednesday an assistant superintendent spoke to her immediately after she gave the presentation and was told the issue will be addressed.
Vleich hopes it gets resolved by Monday because that's the next time she's busing the kindergarten student.
