Drivers asked to be patient at collector school bus stops

A change to Catholic school transportation routes over the past few years means school buses in Regina sometimes have to hold up traffic on busier streets.

The Regina Catholic School Division made a change to collector dropoff points three years ago to save money and the length of time students spend on the bus. In the Cathedral neighbourhood, for example, there are currently several collector dropoff points at intersections along Victoria Avenue west of Albert Street.

Previously, buses would turn down more of the neighbourhood sidestreets that cross Victoria Avenue and drop off children a little closer to home, but it still was not quite full door-to-door service. Catholic school buses now only drop off students at the corner collector stops, a plan that spokesperson Twylla West said has been working well.

On roads like Victoria Avenue, sometimes that means traffic is temporarily blocked at each collector stop, while allowing the student pedestrians to cross the busy street.

“I know it feels like we’re still downtown but that’s a residential area,” West said. “I guess drivers who are waiting, you have to be patient — (the child) is a pedestrian.”

When dropping off students at a school, the bus pulls over on the same side of the road, preventing the need for students to cross and allowing drivers to pass. The City of Regina bans the use of the school bus stop arm.

“At the schools, they’re only dropped off on the same side (of the street) but when it’s a dropoff at the end of the day, they are crossing the street or they are walking a block to get home from their bus stop,” said West.

While students who take the bus may have to walk a little further from the collector stop to their homes, West said under current rules, no child has to walk more than 350 metres to reach their doorsteps.

Speed limit change being considered

On Thursday, the city’s public works and infrastructure committee is to consider a recommendation calling for the reduction of speed limits in Regina school zones.

The change would see speed limits reduced from 40 kilometres per hour to 30 km/h. Starting Sept. 1, motorists would be required to drive at 30 km/h through school and playground zones from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.