Pass his bus, you’ll be fined

In the span of 42 school days, Ryan Kehler has gone to the police five times.

“There were two that got away from me...it’s hard when you’re responsible for the kids and making sure they get off the bus okay that sometimes, you can’t get the licence plate number when they’re driving by you at 60, 70 kilometres per hour.”

Kehler has been a school bus driver in Winnipeg for a year, driving for a local private school and a school division.

He says on one of his routes down Roblin Boulevard, seven cars have passed his bus when the lights were flashing, signalling drivers to stop. Five of those times, he was able to get a licence plate number and passed it onto police.

“It’s not just Roblin...now that I’m a bus driver, I’m more keenly attuned to this problem and I see people passing buses on Portage, on Ness Avenue, on Main Street, everywhere.”

The Manitoba Highway Traffic Act states that all traffic, ongoing or oncoming, must come to a complete stop five metres behind or before a bus when it is stopped and its red lights are flashing.

“Most of the time, people pull up right beside the bus and stop. It’s not right, but it’s better than passing.”

If there is a physical barrier between the bus and the oncoming driver, such as a dividing meridian, no stopping is required.

Passing a bus with its red flashing lights on is a $530 fine and two demerits, but this doesn’t seem to stop uneducated drivers, says Kehler.

After making five police reports, Kehler said he tried contacting Charleswood councillor Bill Clement about the problem specifically on Roblin Boulevard.

“I don’t know why that particular stretch is bad, there aren’t any obstacles.”

Kehler says Clement told him it was a Manitoba Highways problem.

Manitoba Highways told him it was a City of Winnipeg public works department problem.

They, in turn, told him it was a Winnipeg Police Service problem.

After that, he simply decided to continue reporting drivers.

“I have an idea that would reach every single driver in Manitoba,” he says.

That idea is a simple card inserted in every driver licence renewal envelope explaining the law under the Manitoba Highway Traffic Act.

“I know that at that point, it’s up to the reader to read the card, however, you’re guaranteed to reach every single driver in Manitoba.”

He also admitted it’s up to bus drivers to report cars that drive past their buses illegally.

“I can appreciate that that can be difficult,” says Kehler, adding not only is that done on their own time, going to court should someone challenge the ticket is also time-consuming.

“But this is about our children’s safety...there are hundreds of bus routes driven every day with thousands and thousands of children taken by bus.”

Manitoba Public Insurance spokesperson Brian Smiley says on occasion, MPI does insert information and reminders in drivers licence renewal forms.

“We have done safety reminders in the past, and have done other information inserts, relating to auto thefts and other things,” he says.

“It’s a good suggestion and one we may consider in the future, however the law is very clear and anyone going for their driver’s licence should be aware of the laws.”

A spokesperson for the Winnipeg Police Service said about 145 people were pulled over for illegally passing a school bus in 2005.