The Mayor, along with Jo-Anne Harrison, CEO/Manager of the Sudbury Student Services Consortium and Sgr Gary Lavoie, Traffic Branch from the City of Greater Sudbury Police were present yesterday at the signing of the proclamation stating that October 17th to the 21st is School Bus Safety Week in Sudbury.

The Regional Police will be designating officers to ticket vehicles who go through bus lights.

Schools have been invited to organize Poster Contests in their own schools. Thursday, October 20th has also been designated as School Bus Driver Appreciation Day. This is a great day for students to write a “thank you” note or maybe draw a special picture of the bus and its driver.

The proclamation reads:

WHEREAS October 17-21 is School Bus Safety Week in Ontario; and

WHEREAS this is a time to recognize the area’s 440 school bus drivers and other transportation staff who safely transport students to and from school every day; and

WHEREAS the Transportation Services of the Sudbury Student Services Consortium, on behalf of its member school boards and with the assistance of its school bus operators, daily transports more than 23,000 students – that’s 23,000 good reasons to drive safely and remain alert when you see a school bus on the road; and

WHEREAS the theme for this year’s celebration is “Flashing Red Means Stop Ahead”, a reminder to motorists that it is unsafe – and againstt the law – to pass a stopped school bus that is picking up or dropping off students. The flashing red stop sign extending from the bus is a visual reminder to stop and be on alert for children.

NOW THEREFORE, I, David Courtemanche, Mayor of the City of Greater Sudbury, do hereby proclaim October 17 – 21, 2005 as SCHOOL BUS SAFETY WEEK in the City of Greater Sudbury and urge all citizens to support the efforts of bus drivers in reducing preventable injuries to our children.