The school division will make every effort to eliminate all unnecessary idling of school buses. Idling of school buses can cause the accumulation of exhaust fumes in and around the bus and may pose a health risk to both students and staff. Unnecessary idling of buses also wastes fuel.

Therefore, the following procedures are to be followed:

1. When school bus drivers arrive at loading or unloading areas to drop-off or pick-up passengers, they shall turn off their buses as soon as possible to eliminate idling time and reduce harmful emissions. The school bus shall not be restarted until the students are ready to load and there is a clear path to exit the pick-up area. Exceptions include conditions that would compromise passenger safety, such as:

a) Extreme weather conditions

b) Requirements of special needs students

2. At the school bus compound, idling time will be limited during early morning warm up to what is recommended by the manufacturer (generally 3-5 minutes) at all times except in extreme cold weather. In extreme cold weather, idling times may be up to 20 minutes.

3. Buses shall not idle while waiting for students during field trips, extracurricular activities or other events where students are transported off school grounds.

4. In cold weather, schools shall provide a space inside the school where bus drivers who arrive early can wait.

5. In cold weather, if the warmth of the bus is an issue, idling is to be kept to a minimum and occur outside the school zone. The “warmed” school bus is to enter the school zone as close to pick-up time as possible to maintain warmth. It is an expectation that the students will be ready to load upon the bus arrival.

6. All drivers shall receive a copy of this bulletin at the beginning of every school year.

Adopted: