Whale Cove (Dec 17/03) - It's a service that's long been provided and often taken for granted by most school-aged kids in Canada.

However, for students of Inuglak school in Whale Cove -- standing outside in -45 C temperatures -- the brightly flashing lights cutting their way through the early morning darkness are a welcome sight.

The school bus began operations earlier this month, and the warm ride to school and home again is a nice change of pace for local youth.

The service is being offered to students and teachers by the Whale Cove District Education Authority through funding provided by the Nunavut government.

This is not the first time the community has enjoyed a school bus, of sorts.

School principal Sidney Rodnunsky says a local taxi company provided a more modest service towards the end of the previous school year.

This year, however, students and teachers are being transported in a fully equipped, traditional yellow school bus obtained specifically for them by Uncle John's Taxi.

According to Rodnunsky, the bus has been an instant success.

"The students are very excited about the new bus and they've adapted quickly and smoothly to their new routine," says Rodnunsky.

"With everything going so smoothly, we haven't experienced any scheduling disruptions due to the new service."

Feedback from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, with appreciative students and parents expressing their satisfaction.

The happiness is evident on the faces of the students every morning as they disembark from the bus and head to class.

The new service also allows students to drive home for a nice hot lunch to break up their busy day.

Rodnunsky says regular service to school in the mornings, to home and back during lunch, as well as to home again at the end of each school day will be provided until the end of March.

"The timing of the bus schedule is, of course, designed to coincide with what we expect to be the coldest months of the year.

"However, if additional funds were to be made available to us, we would gladly extend the service to include the entire school year."