May 7, 2008 * Transportation and Public Works [to Jan 2010]School bus service will not be offered by the three Island school boards on Thursday May 8 and Friday May 9, 2008 while the Department of Transportation and Public Works conducts an inspection of school buses. This decision resulted from a structural inspection conducted this week by the Department of Transportation and Public Works where structural deficiencies were found in some older school buses. Based on these findings, all school buses will be taken out of service until a more thorough inspection can be done. Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Gerard Greenan said the decision to remove the buses was made in the interest of student safety. “The buses will not run until we are satisfied with the results of the completed inspections. At the same time, we feel it is important for classes to continue. We regret the inconvenience this may cause for parents but we know that this is what parents would want, and they will appreciate the reasons behind it.” For more information, parents and students can check the Department of Education website: www.gov.pe.ca/education Media Contact: Andrew Sprague