Inclement Weather

The Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium (RCJTC) transports approximately 10,000 students on a daily basis across Renfrew County and District from Arnprior to Deep River to Barry's Bay and everywhere in between.

Road conditions across the District can be markedly different and we are continually challenged to communicate which bus routes may be impacted by inclement weather in a timely manner. Our top priority is the safety of our students and bus driver team.

While cancellation decisions are formally made around 5:30 AM, RCJTC and our transportation providers take time to assess weather forecasts, review Environment Canada warnings / watches, and monitor road conditions through road cameras, conducting physical inspections of road conditions, and liaising with municipal colleagues.

As conditions may vary in different regions of the District, we recognize that transportation services may need to be cancelled in one region but not other regions depending on the local circumstances. These decisions are always made based on the information available at the time and with an eye to ensuring that all students can be safely transported both to and from their designated school. 

The decision to cancel a bus is made as early as possible so that parents have the information to make alternate arrangements. However, cancellation notifications will be posted to the RCJTC Website and BusPlanner Delays app (Apple App Store or Google Play Store) by 6:00 AM and direct notifications will be sent out to all families who are registered in the RCJTC Parent Portal. 

When transportation to a school is cancelled, schools remain open to receive students. If you choose to bring your child(ren) into school, you will be responsible for their transportation to and from school.

Cancellation Process:

Once the decision to cancel has been made, it remains in effect for the entire day. When a decision to cancel is made, it will generally apply to all school transportation routes in the individual area.

Student safety is our utmost concern. As such, there may be times during the school year when it is necessary to cancel student transportation services due to bad weather (i.e. snow, freezing rain, floods, emergency road closures, etc.).

In a situation where school buses are cancelled, schools remain open to students unless otherwise noted.