Missing bus found on island in British Columbia

Students and teachers on a chartered bus headed toward a coastal town on Vancouver Island for a field trip were stranded on Sunday when the driver took a wrong turn and got stuck. The bus was found and pulled out on Monday afternoon.

Staff Writer・Editorial

Read Staff's Posts

September 14, 2010

1 min to read

VANCOUVER ISLAND, British Columbia — A bus carrying 10 students and two teachers that had been missing here was found on Monday.

The group, which was from Tempo School in Edmonton, left on a chartered bus on Sunday to the coastal town of Bamfield, which is home to a marine sciences research station. The bus was expected to arrive in Bamfield, which is reachable only by logging roads, on Sunday evening but the driver took a wrong turn because of a missing bridge and got stuck, CBC News reports.

That part of Vancouver Island does not have consistent cell phone service, so parents and school officials didn't learn until late Monday morning that the students hadn't shown up at their destination.

"Parents were very anxious. It was not good," Tempo School headmaster Peter Mitchell told CBC News. "But the relief after anxiety? It's sweet."

The news that the bus had been found came late Monday afternoon when school officials got a phone call from someone with a logging company near Lake Cowichan, Mitchell added. The bus was pulled out and students resumed their trip.

Topics:Safety

More Safety

Graphic titled "NSC Award Winners" featuring two group photos of National Safety Council award recipients. One group holds an "Our Driving Concern Employer Traffic Safety Award" banner, while the other poses with a recognition plaque at the 2026 Texas Traffic Safety Conference.

Safety•by Amanda Huggett•August 4, 2026

How Two Texas Districts Built Award-Winning Safety Programs

Learn how Prosper ISD and Rockwall ISD earned National Safety Council honors through hands-on training, safety culture, and strategies that reduced transportation incidents.

A close up detail of the back of a school bus with text reading "Insight From 10 Years of NHTSA Data."

Safety•by Elora Haynes•July 22, 2026

NHTSA Releases 10-Year Review of Fatal School Bus Crashes

The latest federal analysis reinforces the safety of school buses while identifying where school-age pedestrians and other motorists remain most at risk.

Safety•by Amanda Huggett•July 21, 2026

2026 NASDPTS Survey: Data Shows Further Reduction of Illegal Passing

New data is in! School bus stop-arm passings are down to 38.4 million violations per year, about a 2.3% decrease from last school year — but passings on the right side of the bus are higher than ever.

Safety•by Staff and News Reports•July 9, 2026

Another School Bus Fatality Reported in Monsey, New York

A 7-year-old girl died after being struck by a school bus in Rockland County, New York while crossing the street. Here's what we know.

School buses at NSTA's SBDISC Roadeo with text reading "School Bus Drivers Put Their Skills to the Test."

Safety•by Staff and News Reports•June 30, 2026

NSTA Announces 2026 School Bus Driver International Safety Competition Winners

Drivers from across the U.S. and Canada showcased their safety and driving skills, with two defending champions successfully retaining their titles.

The Driver Shortage Playbook

Driver shortages are still a major challenge for student transportation fleets, but the real issue has shifted. It’s no longer just about filling seats quickly. It’s about finding safe, reliable drivers who meet performance expectations and want to stay. The Driver Shortage Playbook covers why traditional recruitment tactics are falling short and how school fleets are adapting with smarter hiring, stronger retention strategies and a greater focus on driver quality.