Bus driver concerned over child safety

Poll

Should the federal government be allowed to deal directly with municipalities without interference?

• YES
• NO

View Results

 Loading ...

Recent News →

• Jets finish off Vegas schedule
• Edlund shines at Best of the West
• Ellis: Vacancy rates within Alberta’s RCMP are concerning
• From the Archives of Western Newspapers
• Is it time to defund the CBC?

Recent Blog Posts →

• From the Archives of Western Newspapers
• From the Archives of Western Newspapers
• From the Archives of Western Newspapers
• From the Archives of Western Newspapers
• From the Archives of Western Newspapers

On Sept. 10 at approximately 3:45 p.m., I was travelling south on RR 170, driving a school bus full of children. Before I made my second stop, a truck and flat-deck trailer pulled out from a side road and drove quickly behind me. Our bus training advises us to stay centered on country roads, they are narrow, bumpy, loosely gravelled, potholed with very often steep edges.  Beside my training, the truck behind me was following much too closely. Sensing his impatience and knowing I had two stops ahead, with seven children needing to cross from my exit to reach their homes on the left hand side, I stayed centered. Furthermore, there was not enough space for a school bus and his truck and trailer to safely pass each other. There was a turn shortly up ahead. Unfortunately, we were both turning west onto Township Road 94. As I proceeded my turn onto this even narrower gravel road, this driver hit the gas and with this spinning, trailer skidding, began to pass our bus on the left hand side. As he forced me to pull into the ditch and brake hard, he glared at me angrily.   

My bus kids are mostly young boys, they are really excitable. They wanted to chase him down. I explained that what he had done wasn’t safe, and for us to chase him down would be just as bad. We know the colour and make of this truck, we have a partial plate number. To teach these young students the proper way to deal with a situation like this, we are waiting and watching for that truck to appear again, to accurately get his plate number and report the incident to the proper authorities. We will find him. We will report this dangerous driver. I need to. This is a real-life teaching opportunity for young boys who will soon be driving on our same roads with our same children.

On a final note, if this driver could possibly muster the integrity to come forward on his own, that would be the absolute best example to these young people. I hope for the best.

Charlotte Allred

Get More The Taber Times →