School bus company, mechanic face 100 charges

A busing company, an official inspection station and a mechanic have been charged with 100 violations of the Newfoundland and Labrador Highway Traffic Act.

• School buses taken off road for leaking brake lines, broken emergency gear

Island Bus Service'scontract for two St. John's schools has now been terminated, with its contract for schools on the southern shore suspended Friday.

"There is absolutely no excuse for an unsafe bus to be on the road given the parameters that we put in our contract and the guidelines they have to follow," said Terry Hall,assistant director of education with the N.L. English School District.

"And also the guidelines put out by Service NL and the rigour that they put through their inspections," he said Friday afternoon.

Hall is responsible for student transportation.

"All buses in the province are inspected three times a year," between contractors and Service NL, said Hall.

Contractor, service station, mechanic charged

Island Bus Service, located in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, is charged with 22 counts of displaying false vehicle inspection certificates, Service NL said in a news release Friday.

The department said an inspection station on Bell Island, operated by Island Bus Service,has also been charged with 39 violations.

The company is alleged to have issued inspection certificates without doing a proper inspection.

As well, amechanic hasbeen charged with 39 violations.

A first appearance is scheduled for Nov. 30at provincial court in St. John's.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is reviewing the file to determine if criminal charges will be laid.

Fuel leaks, faulty brake lines

"We'll investigate, we'll determine how stuff like this does happen given the rigour that there is around it," said Hall.

The English School District told CBC News on Oct. 19 that one of the buses operated by Island Bus Service had gone off the road, and Service NL had been asked to inspect all of the company's buses.

The school district saidthe company's contract for Leary's Brook Junior High and Larkhall Academy hadbeen suspended, but its buses on the southern shore weren't affected.

Hall said the contract was terminated when the company could not provide satisfactory answers as to how the buses "were in such state of disrepair," with another contractor stepping in.

On Friday, it became clear the same contractor's southern shore buses were indeed a problem so Hall said they were suspended immediately with another contractor providing transportation for students while the districtinvestigates.

ServiceNLMinisterEddie Joycesaidtheinspections turned up a fuel leak, leaky brake lines, inoperable emergency equipmentincluding emergency doors and windows that were seized shutand inoperable flashing lights.

In total, seven of the company'sbuses were taken off the road.

Paul Cummings is listed as the sole director of Island Bus Services Ltd. in the Registry of Companies.

In 2009, the federal Competition Bureau named Paul Cummings, operating as Paul Cummings Island Bus Service, as one of 13 companies involved in price-fixing and bid-rigging of St. John's school bus contracts between 2001 and 2003.

Cummings has not been reached for comment.