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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-07-14, Page 5School bus saftey improvements (By Jack Riddell) seven million dollars • to do so, At the Annual Convention of Another point was if the seatbelts the School Bus Operators Associ- were installed who was going to ation of Ontario,, the Minister of ensure that the youngsters were Transportation and Communica- actually wearing the belts. He said he was not sure of tions, Mr. James Snow, said that the answer, other than have a second the MTC have prepared a sub- mission to the Ontario Cabinet person patrolling the aisles dur- to improve school bus trans- mg the trip and that would mean another 7,000 salaries added to One of the main recommenda the payroll. He said this area tions involves a closer examina- was going to require a lot of tion of the school bus driver's thinking through. The Mtn driving record, as well as his or for said the pro - her moral character. tposals put forward, and hoped ll Based on recent research con- serveer Associationinresagreed, and ducted by the University of to increase the safety and tdwhich clearly indicatefs efficiency of what he felt is alrea- Toronto,that demerit points are a reliable dy an excellent school bus predictor of future accident in- volvement operation. and future driving behaviour, the Ministry is pro- posing that an applicant for a school bus licence would be refused when his or her driving record shows more than six demerit points. A licence could be withdrawn from the holder if his/her driving record showed an accumulation of at least nine demerit points. Another area under scrutiny is, any applicant who has had a licence suspension within the past year resulting from a driving offence under the Highway Traffic Act or under the Criminal code of Canada within the past five years. That kind of an applicant will be denied a licence to drive a school bus. A licence would also be withdrawn from anyone with two or more motor vehicle r ;fated offences under the Criminal Code of Canada within thepast five years. A licence would also be denied or withdrawn. should an applicant or driver have been convicted of a moral offence such as rape or indecent assault within the past five years. Improvements recommended by the Ministry would include regulations that on a one-time basis, a defensive driving course, or a course in modern driving, or a school bus driver improve- ment course would be required before a licence would be granted to operate a school bus. That a St. John's Ambulance course in First Aid would be a pre- requisite to the granting of renewal of a licence. The Minis- try would recommend an increase in the minimum amounts of pub- lic liability insurance required to be carried by a school bus operator. The Ministry is asking that a first aid kit be carried on every school bus, and this would be the kit prescribed by the Workmen's Compensation Board for 5 to 15 employees. The Ministry would also seek a regulation that an adult supervis- or be present when children are being transported by a school bus on a field trip and on such a field trip standees would be prohibit- ed. The Ministry proposes to make it mandatory for school buses to be examined twice yearly; that all wheels be remov- ed and brakes inspected at least once a year. These inspections would be carried out and certified by a licenced motor vehicle inspection licencee who would apply a Ministry approved sticker to the school bus window certify- ing that the bus had met inspec- tion standards. It is gratifying to know that steps are being taken to afford more protection for students travelling by school bus. I have always felt the crying need for action to improve the safety of our schoolbuses. 1 have intro- duced two Private Members Bills in the Legislature. These bills addressed themselves to two major areas in school bus safety, the school bus driver and the school bus itself. I have also stressed in the numerous speech- es I have made that seatbelts must be worn, no standees must be allowed and first aid kits to bs carried on the buses and a course in first aid for the drivers. The Minister in his speech said that the theory of mandatory seatbelts for students in these buses sounds very safe and sane but there are flaws in the theory. If it was structurally possible to outfit the present 7,000 school buses in Ontario and the Minister said it was not, with properly installed seat belts, it would cost portation. On the last day of the Session the Minister of Agriculture and Food announced details of the 1976 beef calf income stabiliza- tion programme. The premiums for this year are to be $5 per cow and the support price will be 50 cents per pound, the same as last year. Enrolment closes this year on the 16th August, and only cows in the producer's possession as of June 22nd may be register- ed. All contracts will expire in June 1980. According to the Minister, the support price is calculated on 100% of the producer's operating cost. All beef calf producers and cream shippers in Ontario are eligible. Producers who participated last year will re- ceive enrolment forms in the mail and new participants may obtain forms from their agricultural representatives after July 12th. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture has attempted to determine the costs of beef - calf production on Ontario farms in 1975. Twenty-five ,farms were selected, all reputedly producing at above-average effic- iency. The farms were visited by a researcher in mid -summer last year, and again early in 1976. Two producers had ceased or greatly reduced production and the farm records of two others proved insufficiently reliable, so that final calculations included 21 farms only. An attempt was made to select farms engaged solely in beef - calf production, or farms where the costs of other enterprises, such as cash crop or hog pro- duction, could be accurately ex- cluded from the cow -calf costs. The growing of feed for the animals was also included in calculation of the production costs. Most producers had adjusted to the cow -calf prices in the fall of 1974 by wintering at least some of their 1974 calves in 1975 and carrying some 1975 calves into 1976 for sale this year. It was not possible to isolate the costs of feeding and caring for these yearling animals, so the O.F.A. survey results included the costs and also the pounds gained, of steers and heifers. The average herd size in the group was 74 cows, with an approximate calf yield of 85% For the purposes of the O.F.A. survey, land values were estab- lished at $130 an acre for all land in beef production. This figure was based on current sales values modified by revised assessment schedules for the area. Building values were based on the operators' estimates, often using the insured value as a guide. Machinery and equip- ment was valued on depreciated value of actual cost, and pur- chased feed was charged at actual cost with home-grown feed cover- ed under figures for fertilizer, machinery, fuel, labour, etc. The receipts for cull cows were subtracted from total expenses and from each category pro rata. Where herd replacements were not specifically designated or selected, it was assumed that 15% of the heifers were destined Sharen Oesch, of R.R. 1, Varna, and Charles King, of Stratford, were united in marriage May 15, 1976 in the Zurich Mennonite Church. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Oesch; the groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Norbert King. Attendants to the bride were Mrs. Emma Manson, of R.R. 2, Zurich, and Miss Terry Oesch, of R.R. 1, Varna. Groomsmen were Brian King, Stratford, Ivan Oesch, R.R. 2, Wellesley, and Gary Ayre, Stratford. Reverend 'Clayton Kuepfer and Canon Ernest Wells presided at. the ceremony. Mrs. Irvin Martin was the organist with Mrs. Stuart Steckle soloist. The couple will reside at 129A Ballantyre Avenue, Stratford. REGISTRATION FOR FAIR PARADE All school children who wish to take part in the parade on Fair Day, please register at the Hay Township Farmers Mutual office between the hours of 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. during the week of July 19th to July 23rd. Zurich Agriculture Society Citizens. News, July 14, 1976 - Page 5 assessed, This survey by the Q.F.A, was carefully carried out, and would seem to be an accurate estimate of the situation. The Q.F.A. pro- duction cost per pound is '71.7(P— considerably higher than the Minister's 50 cents a pound. This production cost differential is very important when con- sidering the effectiveness or otherwise of the beef calf stabiliz- ation programme. As the Minist- er stated the scheduled payment under the programme is based on four factors—"the support price for calves, which is 50 cents a pound this year; the weighted average market price for calves, which will be calculated from fall sales; the average number of calves from 100 cows, which when calculated for the whole prove is 85; and the average weight of the calves in the fall, which is 450 pounds each." to become brood cows, Their pounds gained were not counted as net pounds produced. Opera- tors' equity in the enterprise was charged at 8% interest, and operators were allotted a full industrial wage of $10,400 for managing a 150 -cow herd, or any portion thereof on a per cow basis. 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