WINNIPEG — River East Transcona School Division has purchased seven new school buses to begin the 2020-21 academic year.
The division says the new vehicles will be equipped with radios and cameras and be available the week of September 14. The seven buses cost a combined $840,000.
Officials say the purchase will help the division transport students with the physical distancing requirements in place related to COVID-19.
Trustee Brianne Goertzen, chair of the RETSD finance, facilities and transportation committee, says the buses will serve students well during the pandemic and afterwards to help meet the transportation needs of the growing school division.
“As well, the start of this school year has been challenging enough for both parents and schools without having the additional burden of worries about transportation. We understand this as parents ourselves,” said Goertzen.
Transportation routes for the upcoming school year were shared with parents in the division earlier this week.
River East Transcona operates 92 school buses and transports an average of 4,200 students more than 1.1 million kilometres per year.
Students return to the classroom provincewide on September 8.
