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Saskatoon Public Schools
Inspiring Learning
Transportation Delays and Cancellations

​School Bus Service

severeweather_web.jpgFirst Student Canada and Hertz Northern Bus provide transportation for students who are bused to school. School buses are expected to operate as scheduled under most weather and urban travel conditions usually experienced in Saskatchewan. There should be very few occasions when severe weather and adverse operating conditions affect school bus service. However, when these conditions arise, school bus service may be delayed, altered or cancelled.
  • Wheelchair transportation is automatically cancelled for the entire day when Environment Canada reports at 7 a.m. the temperature with wind child is minus 40 degrees Celsius or colder.
  • First Student and Hertz Northern Bus school buses are automatically cancelled for the entire day when Environment Canada reports at 7 a.m. the temperature with wind chill is minus 45 degrees Celsius or colder.
Parents whose children are bused to school are responsible for monitoring winter weather conditions and for having an alternate plan if the school bus is cancelled due to severe weather. Please ensure your child is familiar with your alternate plan. If parents believe there is a risk of harm before their child gets on the bus (for example, severely cold weather), it is the parent's responsibility to arrange for a safe way for their child to meet the school bus or to seek alternate shelter. If the school bus is cancelled, it is the parent's responsibility to make alternate arrangements to get their child to school safely.

Severe weather and adverse operating conditions may include, but are not limited to:

  • High winds
  • Poor visibility
  • Extremely cold temperatures
  • High wind chill factors
  • Blizzards
  • Snowdrifts, deeply rutted or snowbound roads
  • Torrential rain, flooding and mud.

Safety of students and safety of drivers is the overriding consideration when a decision is made to delay, alter or cancel bus service. That decision is made jointly by our school bus service providers, Saskatoon Public Schools and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools.

During the coldest winter months, please listen to local radio stations in the morning for information about school bus cancellations. Our transportation providers First Student Canada, Hertz Northern Bus and LP3 Transportation Solutions use local media to help them let parents know if buses are cancelled due to severe weather. Each company's information line will also provide updates at regular intervals.

First Student Canada

Information about delays or cancellations is available from the First Student bus information line at 306-343-3300. First Student has a delays and cancellations website you can access that will give updated details of any cancellations or delays. It also allows you to subscribe to email alerts for specific schools. First Student's website can be found here. Click on the Alerts link to view information or sign up for email alerts through the subscription link.

For additional information, please contact the First Student office at 306-343-2125 and read our student safety information sheet.

Hertz Northern Bus

Hertz Northern Bus has a Bus Planner website that provides updated information and allows users to sign up for email alerts for specific schools. Sign up for email alerts by clicking on the subscriptions icon. 

Information about bus delays or cancellations is also available from the Hertz Northern Bus information line at 306-374-4777. For additional information, please contact the Hertz Northern Bus office at 306-374-5161 and read our student safety information sheet.


Taxi and Wheelchair Service

The safety of students and drivers is the overriding consideration when a decision is made to delay, alter or cancel taxi and wheelchair service. The decision is made jointly between Saskatoon Public Schools and the taxi and wheelchair service companies.

Note: Wheelchair taxi transportation is automatically cancelled for the entire day when Environment Canada​ reports at 7 a.m. that ​the temperature with wind child is minus 40 degrees Celsius or colder.​