Bus Transfer System

Bus Transfer System: Bus Routes for Gabrielle-Roy, Joseph-Moreau, Maurice-Lavallée, Michaëlle-Jean, and Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc schools

The safety and well-being of your children is our top priority during school transportation. To ensure an efficient transition between home and school, the Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord (CSCN) has implemented a transfer system.

Below you will find an explanation of how it works; how transfers operate at designated locations, how to identify on-site staff, and how to react in the event of an unforeseen situation. We invite you to read this information carefully and review the process with your child before they begin using school transportation.

Why is there a transfer system in place?

Gabrielle-Roy, Joseph-Moreau, Maurice-Lavallée, Michaëlle-Jean, and Sainte-Jeanne-D’Arc schools are all located within a 2.5 km radius. The transfer system allows us to optimize the shared bus network among these schools, reduce route durations, and manage the number of students on board the buses serving these locations.

Where are the transfer locations?

All transfers take place within the designated bus loading zones at one of the following CSCN schools:

• École Gabrielle-Roy (GR)
• École Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc (SJD)
• École Joseph-Moreau (JM)
• École Maurice-Lavallée (ML)
• École Michaëlle-Jean (MJ)

How to read a bus schedule that includes a transfer?

It is essential that the student is familiar with their schedule, specifically their bus numbers and transfer location.

Here is an example of how to interpret the transfer line indicated on a morning bus schedule:

Below you will find how to interpret or read the transfer line shown on the schedule above:

• GR: The student's attending school (GR = Gabrielle-Roy).
• ÉCOLE MAURICE-LAVALLÉE: The location where the transfer takes place.
• 186F: Bus A (the bus departing from home to the transfer location).
• 182F: Bus B (the connecting bus the student must board at the transfer location to get to Gabrielle-Roy).

In practice: In the morning, the Gabrielle-Roy (GR) student boards bus 186F near their home. Upon arriving at Maurice-Lavallée, the student disembarks from the 186F and boards the 182F to continue to Gabrielle-Roy school.

How is safety ensured for Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 students?

 At the beginning of the school year, the school administration distributes clear or colored transparent pouches containing transportation details for students from kindergarten to Grade 2. Please ensure this pouch remains up-to-date and is clearly visible on your child's backpack.

These pouches help identify younger students who may be too shy to give their names if they board the wrong bus. Drivers and supervisors at the transfer location can use the information in the pouch to point your child in the right direction.

• Red Pouches (Kindergarten & Grade 1): Indicates to the driver that a parent/guardian must be present at the stop to meet the child.

• Yellow Pouches (Grade 2): Indicates the student may be dropped off alone at the stop in accordance with school board policies; they must not be dropped off earlier than the time indicated on the route instructions.

• Clear Pouches (All other grades): Distributed to students in other grades (e.g., students with special needs, newcomers) at the discretion of the school administration to help drivers and supervisors identify the student.

Supervision and Important Rules at the Transfer Location

School staff, identifiable by fluorescent safety vests, provide supervision at all transfer locations. If your child is unsure of which bus to take or has any questions, they should speak directly to these supervisors.

Important Transfer Rules:

• The student must go straight to their connecting bus and remain in the designated zone until boarding.
• Leaving the bus loading zone is strictly prohibited.
• Students must strictly adhere to their assigned buses, as connections are scheduled specifically for those routes. Taking an unassigned bus could result in the student being stranded at the transfer school in the afternoon with no ride home.
• If a student misses their bus due to negligence (e.g., playing around, intentionally delaying), parents will be responsible for picking up their child from the school.

Q&A – What to do in case of delays?

Q: In the morning, the bus from home arrives late at the transfer location. What happens?

A: If all connecting buses have already left the transfer location, the driver of the home bus is responsible for driving all the students on board directly to their respective schools. The student must remain on board until the bus arrives at their school.

Q: In the morning at the transfer location, the connecting bus is not there at departure time.

A: Multiple buses are assigned for the same connection. On-site supervisors will give students specific instructions (e.g., directing them to another assigned bus heading to their school).

Q: In the afternoon, the transfer bus is late arriving at the school.

A: Your child's school staff will direct students to an alternative bus to ensure they arrive at the transfer location in time for their connection. It is crucial that your child pays close attention to the instructions given by staff in the school's bus loading zone.

Q: In the afternoon, my child is at the transfer location, but the bus home is late.

A: Students will wait safely at the transfer location under the supervision of school staff until their bus arrives.

Important Notice: If you decide to pick up your child directly from the transfer location in the afternoon, you must call Transportation Services at 587-782-2322 so we can notify the on-site supervisors.

Additional Suggestions for Parents

• Behaviour and Bullying: Any behavioural issues or bullying must be reported immediately to your child's school administration.
• Technical Inquiries: For any issues related to driver behaviour, route details, or stop locations, please fill out the "Contact Us" form available online under the Transportation tab on the CSCN website.