Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Nov 14/01) - Some drivers in Rankin Inlet just don't seem to get the message.

School bus operators are having trouble with other drivers who don't realize that passing a school bus while it's loading or unloading students is a serious and dangerous offence.

Too many drivers in Rankin Inlet ignore the warning signs when school bus drivers stop to pick up or drop off students. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

Melissa Irwin, work centre manager for the Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre, says staff are still getting the message out that flashing yellow lights on the bus mean slow down and flashing red lights mean stop.

Too many drivers are ignoring the warning lights or simply don't recognize what they mean.

"This is happening every day and people have to be made to realize they're breaking the law," says Irwin.

"The school bus drivers report the person to me and I log it on our violators sheet and give them a call."

School bus drivers have had problems with violators since the bus took to the streets a year ago.

Irwin says that, while the number of violators has decreased substantially, there are still one or two a day.

"When the service first started, we'd have five or six violators a day. I'd kindly call those people and they'd understand and not do it again," she says.

"We haven't had any repeat offenders, so it's a matter of getting the word out to everybody about proper procedures when you meet up with the school bus."

Drivers who fail to stop for the school bus while its red lights are flashing run the risk of being reported to the RCMP. However, Irwin says, most people are getting the message and she hopes it never comes to that.

"A group of us went into the elementary school and did a little skit with the kids. It was a fun way to show them what the rules of the bus are," she says.

"We've also sent flyers home to the parents containing the rules to be followed when you meet a school bus and we've gone on the radio to talk about it.

"We're getting the message out, just not as quick as we'd like in some cases."