Procedure for Inclement Weather
Methods of Communicating School Vehicle Cancellations
Due to Inclement Weather
Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario (STEO) would like to advise students and parent(s)/guardian(s) that we have three (3) methods in which you can check for school vehicle cancellations:
1. Announcements regarding the cancellation of school bus and special vehicle transportation will be broadcasted starting at 6:15 a.m. on local area radio stations.
2. Access our Website at www.steo.ca and click “View Bus Delays & Cancellations”. School vehicle cancellations will be posted by 6:15 a.m. Scroll down to check the transportation status for your school.
3. Call 1-866-629-0629 to access a pre-recorded message.
During inclement weather the message will be posted by 6:15 a.m.
Please note that the message for this phone line is only updated on inclement weather days.
Please do not call the bus companies as the radio and website reflect the most accurate information.
If transportation is cancelled in the morning, afternoon transportation will not operate.
Inclement Weather Procedure
- Reviewing and preparing the inclement weather process begins in July and is completed by the first of November each year.
- The school jurisdictions are separated into 18 zones, with a bus operator as a weather captain in each zone.
- STEO contracts with Pelmorex/The Weather Network, one of the top weather forecasters in the country, to provide the most accurate weather information.
- Forecasted inclement weather information is verified the day before at 2:00 p.m., and depending on this forecast the bus operators may be notified.
- Weather forecasts are reviewed at 9:30 p.m. and again at 4:00 a.m.
- At 4:30 a.m. the bus operator weather captains and their staff drive various roads in their zone checking road and weather conditions.
- At 5:00 a.m. both the STEO General Manager/CAO and the Operations Manager begin to receive phone calls from the weather captains for updates on conditions.
- At 5:40 a.m. each school board’s director or designate is contacted to discuss a recommended decision.
- At 5:45 a.m. the decision is made on whether or not busing is cancelled for the day.
- At 6:15 a.m. if busing is cancelled, radio and TV stations are faxed and called. The cancellation page on STEO’s website, in conjunction with the message on the 1-866
inclement weather phone number, is updated.
Please visit the STEO website for further details: www.steo.ca