Winter Tire Testing Demonstration Summary
Click to view Demonstration Summary
Click to download Snow Testing Summary with Graphs
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Test Results From Continental Tires Winter Tire Tests in Michigan
Test results are available for download here:
Winter Tire Testing Demonstration Summary
Click to view Demonstration Summary
Click to download Snow Testing Summary with Graphs
Winter Tire Testing Demonstration Summary
Click to view Demonstration Summary
Click to download Snow Testing Summary with Graphs
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Interview with Jay Spears of Continental Tires R&D Division, Michigan
Jay Spears Technical manager Continental Tire discusses important of proper scientific testing methods.
Letter to MLAs: Help us to implement the final recommendations from the Coroners Inquest
To all MLAS:
We are writing to ask for your support in implementing the final recommendations of the Coroners Inquest into the deaths of our sons, Daniel Hains, Javier Acevedo, Nikki Kelly, Codey Branch, Justin Cormier, Nathan Cleland, and Nicholas Quinn.
You have known since October, 2009, that we were trying to get winter tires on 21 passenger MFAVs , after we found out that Bathurst High School's 21 passenger MFAVs were outfitted with mixed tires. We asked for your support and to this day we have not received a single note or letter of support from one of you, both Liberal and Conservatives.
You should all be ashamed of yourselves, that you allowed children to be transported to extra-curricular activities in untested vehicles knowing full well that there was a dispute over the tire configurations.
It is an embarrassment to the government of New Brunswick that we have had to struggle on our own with no help from anyone in the government, both Liberal and Conservative. You are supposed to be leaders for us, the concerned citizens who come to you for help. Instead what we get is delay, deny, defend, deflect and finally, deceit.
The announcement about winter tires on Tuesday was OUR victory, and an honour to the memory of OUR sons. They are the HEROES, not YOU who did NOTHING while children's lives were at stake these last four months. Our children deserve a medal of honour because it was their deaths in an unfit vehicle with worn, scalloped tires, that led to these changes in transportation safety.
But there are still three more recommendations from the Coroners Inquest that remain to be implemented so we thought you would be interested in knowing that when we return to Canada we are planning a province wide tour to raise awareness of these three remaining recommendations that have not been implemented:
1) Class 2 Drivers
2) a Weather law
3) Student Councils should not have to pay for the purchase and maintenance of extra-curricular activity vehicles.
Isabelle Hains and Ana Acevedo outside the courthouse in Bathurst, New Brunswick following the release of Coroners Jury recommendations into the deaths of their sons. May 15, 2009.
We don't want to hear you say that you can't implement these recommendations because of money. What is the price of a child? We already know that $5000 for 28 tires is a small price to pay. Shame on you all. How much did the Department of Transportation and Education pay for the ill-advised opinion of Mr. David Hoar, the paid engineering consultant who said that mixed tires were safest on these vehicles, with no proof to back him up. We still don't know how much money was wasted on that, despite a Right to Information Request which has not been fulfilled to date.
We are determined mothers and all we want is safe travel for children. We know better than anyone else the effects of unsafe travel and we are never going to go away until the very last recommendation from the Coroners Inquest is implemented. Our boys will never be forgotten, because we're never going to let you forget until you as a government implement these final recommendations from the Coroners Inquest.
Work with us, not against us. You know how to contact us. We suggest that you do.
Sincerely,
Three determined mothers
Isabelle, Ana and Marcella
cc. Media
We are writing to ask for your support in implementing the final recommendations of the Coroners Inquest into the deaths of our sons, Daniel Hains, Javier Acevedo, Nikki Kelly, Codey Branch, Justin Cormier, Nathan Cleland, and Nicholas Quinn.
You have known since October, 2009, that we were trying to get winter tires on 21 passenger MFAVs , after we found out that Bathurst High School's 21 passenger MFAVs were outfitted with mixed tires. We asked for your support and to this day we have not received a single note or letter of support from one of you, both Liberal and Conservatives.
You should all be ashamed of yourselves, that you allowed children to be transported to extra-curricular activities in untested vehicles knowing full well that there was a dispute over the tire configurations.
It is an embarrassment to the government of New Brunswick that we have had to struggle on our own with no help from anyone in the government, both Liberal and Conservative. You are supposed to be leaders for us, the concerned citizens who come to you for help. Instead what we get is delay, deny, defend, deflect and finally, deceit.
The announcement about winter tires on Tuesday was OUR victory, and an honour to the memory of OUR sons. They are the HEROES, not YOU who did NOTHING while children's lives were at stake these last four months. Our children deserve a medal of honour because it was their deaths in an unfit vehicle with worn, scalloped tires, that led to these changes in transportation safety.
But there are still three more recommendations from the Coroners Inquest that remain to be implemented so we thought you would be interested in knowing that when we return to Canada we are planning a province wide tour to raise awareness of these three remaining recommendations that have not been implemented:
1) Class 2 Drivers
2) a Weather law
3) Student Councils should not have to pay for the purchase and maintenance of extra-curricular activity vehicles.
Isabelle Hains and Ana Acevedo outside the courthouse in Bathurst, New Brunswick following the release of Coroners Jury recommendations into the deaths of their sons. May 15, 2009.We don't want to hear you say that you can't implement these recommendations because of money. What is the price of a child? We already know that $5000 for 28 tires is a small price to pay. Shame on you all. How much did the Department of Transportation and Education pay for the ill-advised opinion of Mr. David Hoar, the paid engineering consultant who said that mixed tires were safest on these vehicles, with no proof to back him up. We still don't know how much money was wasted on that, despite a Right to Information Request which has not been fulfilled to date.
We are determined mothers and all we want is safe travel for children. We know better than anyone else the effects of unsafe travel and we are never going to go away until the very last recommendation from the Coroners Inquest is implemented. Our boys will never be forgotten, because we're never going to let you forget until you as a government implement these final recommendations from the Coroners Inquest.
Work with us, not against us. You know how to contact us. We suggest that you do.
Sincerely,
Three determined mothers
Isabelle, Ana and Marcella
cc. Media
Independent Study in US Bolsters Transport Canada Recommendations on Winter Tires for 21 Passenger MFAVs
(Sault St. Marie, Michigan, February 25, 2010) - Independent tests of winter tires at a Michigan testing facility support Transport Canada's recommendation to the New Brunswick government that winter tires are safest on 21 passenger MFAVs, say three Bathurst mothers who flew to Michigan on Monday in the hopes of putting to rest a dispute over the use of mixed tires on vehicles transporting children to extra curricular activities.
In this photo, all seasons on front, winters on rear. The obstacle represents where the same bus outfitted with six winter tires on all four axles had stopped. Photo by John Mahler, February 24, 2010, Continental Tires Testing Facility, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
Without winter tires on the front axle, the bus can't stop in the same distance. In this photo, all seasons on front, winters on rear. Photo by John Mahler, February 24, 2010, Continental Tires Testing Facility, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
The scientific tests were performed late Tuesday and early Wednesday at Continental Tires state-of-the art facility near Sault St. Marie, Michigan. The results show "winter tires are safest" says Isabelle Hains, who observed the studies at the test site along with Marcella Kelly and Ana Acevedo of Bathurst.
"The tests provide indisputable visual and scientific evidence that winter tires are safest on 21 passenger MFAVs," Hains said. "This is all we were concerned about, the safety of the children. We asked the Ministers of Education and Transportation to take those vehicles off the road when we first raised the issue four months ago, but they refused."
Continental is one of the world's largest tire manufacturers with a 560 acre state facility in Brimly, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The German based company offered to do the tests for free last December after the mothers raised their concerns with the New Brunswick Departments of Education and Transportation about the use of mixed tires on Bathurst High School's 21 passenger MFAVs.
The 21 passenger MFAV barreling down the test strip at Continental Tires test facility near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, February 24, 2010.
Also known as "minibuses", the MFAVs replaced the now banned 15 passenger vans in which seven members of the Bathurst High School Phantoms basketball team and the coach's wife were killed on January 12, 2008.
Continental Tires' professional test driver Valdemar Carmona and his six member team from Texas conducted a series of tests using winter tires, all seasons and mixed tiaes under three different scenarios. Carmona, who is also a professional engineer showed that in each case winter tires were the safest when it came to braking, manouevreability, lane change, obstacle avoidance, lateral cornering and traction in winter conditions.
"It's a vindication of everything we have believed since we found out in October that Bathurst High School's 21 passenger MFAV was outfitted with mixed tires," says Marcella kelly, whose son Nikki was killed in the Bathurst tragedy.
Ana Acevedo, Isabelle Hains and Marcella Kelly stand in front of the 21 passenger MFAV donated by Girardin for the scientific tests. On location at Continental Tires test facility, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, February 24, 2010.
"We tried to tell Roland Hache and Denis Landry that the advice they were getting was wrong but they would not listen. We spoke to more than a dozen experts who agreed that winter tires are safest but still, the government refused to take their advice," Kelly explains.
"In late December, Valerie Kilfoil, the Department of Education's Director of Communications even referred to our experts as 'Buddy from the tire store'" says Kelly, calling it a "a swipe intended to diminish the advice we were passing on to the government."
"To think that the last four and a half months children have been transported to extra-curricular activities in those vehicles with unsafe tires. After what we've seen here in Michigan, it's a miracle nobody was killed."
Kelly, Hains and Acevedo have been lobbying Ministers Roland Hache and Denis Landry, for months to change the tire configurations on the 21 passenger vehicles but the Ministers deferred to the opinion of paid engineering consultant David Hoar of Fredericton-based Motion Design Consultants Inc.
Hoar insisted that mixed tires were safest on the vehicles, while failing to produce any scientific evidence to support his view. The mothers sought out the opinion of Canada's leading tire experts, including John Mahler, veteran automotive journalist with the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca and Nigel Mortimer, Head of Recalls and Safety at Transport Canada.
On November 4, Mr. Mortimer wrote to the Minister of Education and John McLaughlin, District 15 Superintent, urging them to switch to winter tires on all four axles, but the province refused, citing policy.
In one exchange dated November 20, a clearly frustrated Mortimer tells Mr. Hoar to do the testing himself if he doesn't believe Transport Canada.
"Since you are the only one believing that winter tires are not safer on the front as well as the rear I suggest that you perform your own testing to prove the rest of us wrong."
Kelly says that after they arrived in Michigan on Tuesday, they were informed by a journalist that the province of New Brunswick was going to change its policy on winter tires. Shortly after, Kelly spoke to the Minister of Education, Roland Hache, by phone and she says he tried to dissuade the mothers from doing the tests in Michigan. "He said it would be "horrible" if the Continental Tires study showed a different result than Transport Canada," says Kelly.
"It just goes to show how little Mr. Hache and his advisors know about tires," says Kelly, who explains that she and Hains and Acevedo have been forced to become experts in tires themselves since their children were killed.
"The last thing we expected to be doing two years ago was learning about tire tread depths, chassis and snow traction, but believe us, we've had no choice because it's been one struggle after the other with everyone we've had to deal with at the provincial government. They do not listen to common sense and expert advice."
Acevedo described the tests in Michigan as "an eye-opening experience" and says one of the outcomes was the obvious need for professional drivers behind the wheels of 21 passenger MFAVs. She says that the Department of Education's seven hour training scheme for volunteer drivers of these minibuses which was introduced after the Coroners Inquest in May is inadequate and is just another "tragedy waiting to happen."
"If you had been here and seen what we had seen, with professional drivers smashing through barriers and knocking over pylons in an MFAV with mixed tires you would understand how important it is for professional drivers to be behind the wheels of these vehicles," said Acevedo.
The mothers are returning to Bathurst tomorrow, Friday, February 26. In addition to photographs and YouTube videos taken on site, the mothers are releasing a professionally produced video that was paid for through a generous donation by an anonymous supporter. They will be taking a round the province tour to raise awareness of the need for Class 2 drivers upon their return from Michigan, times, dates and locations to be confirmed.
Test results are available for download here:
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/mfav-snow-testing-summary.pdf
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/mfav-demonstration.pdf
Photos available for download here:
http://www.vanangels.ca/images/DSC_0604.JPG
In this photo, the obstacle represents where the same bus outfitted with six winter tires on all four axles had stopped. Photo by John Mahler, February 24, 2010, Continental Tires Testing Facility, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
http://www.vanangels.ca/images/DSC_0605.JPG
Without winter tires on the front axle, the bus can't stop in the same distance. In this photo, all seasons on front, winters on rear. Photo by John Mahler, February 24, 2010, Continental Tires Testing Facility, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
http://www.vanangels.ca/images/acevedo-hains-kelly-01.jpg
Ana, Isabelle and Marcella with Continental Tires' Texas based professional test driver, valdemar Carmona, standing outside the test vehicle supplied by Giradin, at Continental test facility near Sault St. Marie, Michigan, USA, February 24, 2010.
In this photo, all seasons on front, winters on rear. The obstacle represents where the same bus outfitted with six winter tires on all four axles had stopped. Photo by John Mahler, February 24, 2010, Continental Tires Testing Facility, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
Without winter tires on the front axle, the bus can't stop in the same distance. In this photo, all seasons on front, winters on rear. Photo by John Mahler, February 24, 2010, Continental Tires Testing Facility, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.The scientific tests were performed late Tuesday and early Wednesday at Continental Tires state-of-the art facility near Sault St. Marie, Michigan. The results show "winter tires are safest" says Isabelle Hains, who observed the studies at the test site along with Marcella Kelly and Ana Acevedo of Bathurst.
"The tests provide indisputable visual and scientific evidence that winter tires are safest on 21 passenger MFAVs," Hains said. "This is all we were concerned about, the safety of the children. We asked the Ministers of Education and Transportation to take those vehicles off the road when we first raised the issue four months ago, but they refused."
Continental is one of the world's largest tire manufacturers with a 560 acre state facility in Brimly, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The German based company offered to do the tests for free last December after the mothers raised their concerns with the New Brunswick Departments of Education and Transportation about the use of mixed tires on Bathurst High School's 21 passenger MFAVs.
The 21 passenger MFAV barreling down the test strip at Continental Tires test facility near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, February 24, 2010.Also known as "minibuses", the MFAVs replaced the now banned 15 passenger vans in which seven members of the Bathurst High School Phantoms basketball team and the coach's wife were killed on January 12, 2008.
Continental Tires' professional test driver Valdemar Carmona and his six member team from Texas conducted a series of tests using winter tires, all seasons and mixed tiaes under three different scenarios. Carmona, who is also a professional engineer showed that in each case winter tires were the safest when it came to braking, manouevreability, lane change, obstacle avoidance, lateral cornering and traction in winter conditions.
"It's a vindication of everything we have believed since we found out in October that Bathurst High School's 21 passenger MFAV was outfitted with mixed tires," says Marcella kelly, whose son Nikki was killed in the Bathurst tragedy.
Ana Acevedo, Isabelle Hains and Marcella Kelly stand in front of the 21 passenger MFAV donated by Girardin for the scientific tests. On location at Continental Tires test facility, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, February 24, 2010."We tried to tell Roland Hache and Denis Landry that the advice they were getting was wrong but they would not listen. We spoke to more than a dozen experts who agreed that winter tires are safest but still, the government refused to take their advice," Kelly explains.
"In late December, Valerie Kilfoil, the Department of Education's Director of Communications even referred to our experts as 'Buddy from the tire store'" says Kelly, calling it a "a swipe intended to diminish the advice we were passing on to the government."
"To think that the last four and a half months children have been transported to extra-curricular activities in those vehicles with unsafe tires. After what we've seen here in Michigan, it's a miracle nobody was killed."
Kelly, Hains and Acevedo have been lobbying Ministers Roland Hache and Denis Landry, for months to change the tire configurations on the 21 passenger vehicles but the Ministers deferred to the opinion of paid engineering consultant David Hoar of Fredericton-based Motion Design Consultants Inc.
Hoar insisted that mixed tires were safest on the vehicles, while failing to produce any scientific evidence to support his view. The mothers sought out the opinion of Canada's leading tire experts, including John Mahler, veteran automotive journalist with the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca and Nigel Mortimer, Head of Recalls and Safety at Transport Canada.
On November 4, Mr. Mortimer wrote to the Minister of Education and John McLaughlin, District 15 Superintent, urging them to switch to winter tires on all four axles, but the province refused, citing policy.
In one exchange dated November 20, a clearly frustrated Mortimer tells Mr. Hoar to do the testing himself if he doesn't believe Transport Canada.
"Since you are the only one believing that winter tires are not safer on the front as well as the rear I suggest that you perform your own testing to prove the rest of us wrong."
Kelly says that after they arrived in Michigan on Tuesday, they were informed by a journalist that the province of New Brunswick was going to change its policy on winter tires. Shortly after, Kelly spoke to the Minister of Education, Roland Hache, by phone and she says he tried to dissuade the mothers from doing the tests in Michigan. "He said it would be "horrible" if the Continental Tires study showed a different result than Transport Canada," says Kelly.
"It just goes to show how little Mr. Hache and his advisors know about tires," says Kelly, who explains that she and Hains and Acevedo have been forced to become experts in tires themselves since their children were killed.
"The last thing we expected to be doing two years ago was learning about tire tread depths, chassis and snow traction, but believe us, we've had no choice because it's been one struggle after the other with everyone we've had to deal with at the provincial government. They do not listen to common sense and expert advice."
Acevedo described the tests in Michigan as "an eye-opening experience" and says one of the outcomes was the obvious need for professional drivers behind the wheels of 21 passenger MFAVs. She says that the Department of Education's seven hour training scheme for volunteer drivers of these minibuses which was introduced after the Coroners Inquest in May is inadequate and is just another "tragedy waiting to happen."
"If you had been here and seen what we had seen, with professional drivers smashing through barriers and knocking over pylons in an MFAV with mixed tires you would understand how important it is for professional drivers to be behind the wheels of these vehicles," said Acevedo.
The mothers are returning to Bathurst tomorrow, Friday, February 26. In addition to photographs and YouTube videos taken on site, the mothers are releasing a professionally produced video that was paid for through a generous donation by an anonymous supporter. They will be taking a round the province tour to raise awareness of the need for Class 2 drivers upon their return from Michigan, times, dates and locations to be confirmed.
Test results are available for download here:
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/mfav-snow-testing-summary.pdf
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/mfav-demonstration.pdf
Photos available for download here:
http://www.vanangels.ca/images/DSC_0604.JPG
In this photo, the obstacle represents where the same bus outfitted with six winter tires on all four axles had stopped. Photo by John Mahler, February 24, 2010, Continental Tires Testing Facility, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
http://www.vanangels.ca/images/DSC_0605.JPG
Without winter tires on the front axle, the bus can't stop in the same distance. In this photo, all seasons on front, winters on rear. Photo by John Mahler, February 24, 2010, Continental Tires Testing Facility, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
http://www.vanangels.ca/images/acevedo-hains-kelly-01.jpg
Ana, Isabelle and Marcella with Continental Tires' Texas based professional test driver, valdemar Carmona, standing outside the test vehicle supplied by Giradin, at Continental test facility near Sault St. Marie, Michigan, USA, February 24, 2010.
Telegraph Journal Editorial: Right Buses, Right Tires, The Next Step? Hire Professional Class 2 Drivers
In this photo, all seasons on front, winters on rear. The obstacle represents where the same bus outfitted with six winter tires on all four axles had stopped. Photo by John Mahler, February 24, 2010, Continental Tires Testing Facility, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.Without winter tires on the front axle, the bus can't stop in the same distance. In this photo, all seasons on front, winters on rear. Photo by John Mahler, February 24, 2010, Continental Tires Testing Facility, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.The Editorial of the New Brunswick Telegraph Journal this morning took the words right out of our mouths - we need Class 2, professional drivers behind the wheels of 21 passenger MFAVs. Don't make us fight for it because we're not stopping. We're determined mothers and more mothers and fathers are going to get involved. This is a number one safety priority for our children and it better be for our government too.
Right Buses, Right Tires - Now Hire Pro Drivers
The 2008 highway accident that killed a teacher and seven Bathurst high school athletes prompted much public discussion about how student safety could be improved.
This week, the provincial government announced a key change in its policies - 21-passenger minibuses used to transport students must be equipped with six winter tires. The announcement follows a specific recommendation issued by Transport Canada, in response to a provincial request for road testing. It also complies with the advice made by a coroner's inquest.
It's about time government adopted this standard. Perhaps the province also will consider adopting the coroner's recommendation to use Class-2 certified bus drivers with professional driving experience.
These aren't radical public policy innovations, but practises that have been proven by time and the experience of millions of school children. Putting professional bus drivers behind the wheel of well-maintained yellow school buses and minibuses represents the gold standard in safe student transport. It ought to be New Brunswick's minimum standard - and if it costs the Department of Education more money or limits the total number of expeditions each school can make, so be it. Student safety is the greater priority.
The Department of Education and Department of Transport have made a commendable effort to comply with the majority of the coroner's inquest recommendations. The government has accepted full responsibility for transporting students safely to extra-curricular events. It has implemented strict maintenance protocols to ensure vehicles are in a safe condition. And it has sought expert advice on how vehicles should be equipped for winter weather.
Surely officials can see the value of employing professional drivers for all school-sponsored travel. They know how to handle buses and minibuses in difficult conditions. They do so five days a week.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Michigan Tests Confirm "WINTER TIRES ALL AROUND"
Ana, Isabelle and Marcella with Texas based professional test driver, Baldemore Carmona, standing outside the test vehicle supplied by Giradin, Sault St. Marie, Michigan, USA, February 24, 2010.We just returned to our hotel from the test site at Continental Tires facility near Sault St. Marie, Michigan.
As we expected, the test results confirm that 21 passenger MFAVs should have WINTER TIRES ALL AROUND!
More photos, blogs and video later....
N.B. school vehicles switch to winter tires
Published Wednesday February 24th, 2010
Transport Canada recommendation prompts change for students' safety
A8BY GREG WESTON
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF
Click here to read original article in the Times Transcript
FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's multi-purpose school vehicles will have winter tires on every wheel by the end of this week, following a recommendation from Transport Canada yesterday.
On Jan. 15, the provincial Departments of Transportation and Education asked the federal department to investigate the safest tire configuration for the 21-passenger buses, used for school sports and extracurricular activities.
Yesterday, Transportation Minister Denis Landry said Transport Canada endorsed the use of snow tires on all wheels.
"Therefore, New Brunswick is making winter tires mandatory on these vehicles. I commend Transport Canada for working with us to help inform all jurisdictions on the safest tire configuration," he said.
New school transportation rules were introduced last summer in response to the January 2008 van crash that killed seven members of the Bathurst High School basketball team, as well as the coach's wife. The changes included banning 15-passenger vans and requiring winter tires be used between Nov. 1 and April 30.
Following an independent consultation and manufacturers' recommendations, the province employed the use of snow tires on the four rear wheels, but all-season tires on the front, which it believed was the safest configuration for highway use.
But some of the parents of those killed in the Bathurst crash lobbied the government to review that decision, urging the use of snow tires on all wheels.
"It's great that we know that the children now have the proper tire configuration," Isabelle Hains, whose son Daniel died in the crash, told the Times & Transcript yesterday.
Although she said the decision was a victory for the parents, Hains said it shouldn't have taken the government this long.
"They delayed with us all the way through, since we started in October and the result is exactly what we said in the beginning," she said.
"Not getting the tests done as quickly as possible, after what we went through, you'd think they would have done it at the drop of a hat."
Claude Williams, the Progressive Conservative MLA for Kent South, also said the decision was a long time coming.
"We will all recall the tragedy that happened," he said in French. "I believe it is good news to learn this from the minister. It's unfortunate that we had to wait for it to come from Transport Canada before we were able to make a decision. I think that the government should have acted sooner."
Just as when the decision to consult with Transport Canada was made last month, Hains said yesterday that it was upsetting to learn of the development through the media, rather than from the government.
She, along with two other mothers who lost sons in the crash, are currently at the Continental Tires facility in Michigan conducting independent testing of snow tires on a multi-purpose vehicle, something they undertook because they didn't think the province was moving quickly enough.
Although he said it was unfortunate the announcement came while the parents were out of the province, Education Minister Roland Haché said it was important to act immediately upon receiving the recommendation.
"We cannot be responsible for Transport Canada giving us the information today," said Haché, who could not say if the second opinion would have been requested without the mothers' efforts.
"It is possible that we would have done it. I'm not sure about that. We don't have that expertise and we didn't have any means of testing, so we asked Transport Canada to do the tests and, in the meanwhile, we went with what we thought was the safest for the kids."
Haché said that the use of multi-purpose vehicles would be suspended until they have the snow tires but, nevertheless, defended the previous policy.
"What has to be understood also is that it's not one tire that's really bad and the other's really good. The thing is, one is good and the other's the best," he said.
"As the Minister of Education, I have ordered each and every school district that they cannot drive any kids with those kinds of tires, prior to winter tires being put on. Nice weather or bad weather or storm, I don't care."
There are 14 multi-purpose vehicles being used for school activities in New Brunswick and the 28 new tires are expected to cost a total of $5,000.
Transport Canada recommendation prompts change for students' safety
A8BY GREG WESTON
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF
Click here to read original article in the Times Transcript
FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's multi-purpose school vehicles will have winter tires on every wheel by the end of this week, following a recommendation from Transport Canada yesterday.
On Jan. 15, the provincial Departments of Transportation and Education asked the federal department to investigate the safest tire configuration for the 21-passenger buses, used for school sports and extracurricular activities.
Yesterday, Transportation Minister Denis Landry said Transport Canada endorsed the use of snow tires on all wheels.
"Therefore, New Brunswick is making winter tires mandatory on these vehicles. I commend Transport Canada for working with us to help inform all jurisdictions on the safest tire configuration," he said.
New school transportation rules were introduced last summer in response to the January 2008 van crash that killed seven members of the Bathurst High School basketball team, as well as the coach's wife. The changes included banning 15-passenger vans and requiring winter tires be used between Nov. 1 and April 30.
Following an independent consultation and manufacturers' recommendations, the province employed the use of snow tires on the four rear wheels, but all-season tires on the front, which it believed was the safest configuration for highway use.
But some of the parents of those killed in the Bathurst crash lobbied the government to review that decision, urging the use of snow tires on all wheels.
"It's great that we know that the children now have the proper tire configuration," Isabelle Hains, whose son Daniel died in the crash, told the Times & Transcript yesterday.
Although she said the decision was a victory for the parents, Hains said it shouldn't have taken the government this long.
"They delayed with us all the way through, since we started in October and the result is exactly what we said in the beginning," she said.
"Not getting the tests done as quickly as possible, after what we went through, you'd think they would have done it at the drop of a hat."
Claude Williams, the Progressive Conservative MLA for Kent South, also said the decision was a long time coming.
"We will all recall the tragedy that happened," he said in French. "I believe it is good news to learn this from the minister. It's unfortunate that we had to wait for it to come from Transport Canada before we were able to make a decision. I think that the government should have acted sooner."
Just as when the decision to consult with Transport Canada was made last month, Hains said yesterday that it was upsetting to learn of the development through the media, rather than from the government.
She, along with two other mothers who lost sons in the crash, are currently at the Continental Tires facility in Michigan conducting independent testing of snow tires on a multi-purpose vehicle, something they undertook because they didn't think the province was moving quickly enough.
Although he said it was unfortunate the announcement came while the parents were out of the province, Education Minister Roland Haché said it was important to act immediately upon receiving the recommendation.
"We cannot be responsible for Transport Canada giving us the information today," said Haché, who could not say if the second opinion would have been requested without the mothers' efforts.
"It is possible that we would have done it. I'm not sure about that. We don't have that expertise and we didn't have any means of testing, so we asked Transport Canada to do the tests and, in the meanwhile, we went with what we thought was the safest for the kids."
Haché said that the use of multi-purpose vehicles would be suspended until they have the snow tires but, nevertheless, defended the previous policy.
"What has to be understood also is that it's not one tire that's really bad and the other's really good. The thing is, one is good and the other's the best," he said.
"As the Minister of Education, I have ordered each and every school district that they cannot drive any kids with those kinds of tires, prior to winter tires being put on. Nice weather or bad weather or storm, I don't care."
There are 14 multi-purpose vehicles being used for school activities in New Brunswick and the 28 new tires are expected to cost a total of $5,000.
N.B. changes winter tire policy after repeated calls from crash victim parents
By Kevin Bissett (CP)
To read the original Canadian Press article, click here
FREDERICTON — The New Brunswick government has ordered the use of only winter tires for its fleet of 21-passenger minibuses used to transport students during the winter.
The change, announced Tuesday, follows months of heated debate between the government and the mothers of three high school students killed in a van crash in Bathurst, N.B., two years ago.
The minibuses - officially known as multi-function activity buses - replaced the 15 passenger vans like the one involved in the Bathurst crash.
Until now, the government had required four winter tires on the back and two ribbed, all-season tires on the front, based on the advice of a consultant and two tire manufacturers.
"We don't have that expertise, and we didn't have any means of testing, so we asked Transport Canada to do the tests and meanwhile we went with what we thought was the safest for the kids," said Education Minister Roland Hache.
Transportation Minister Denis Landry said they asked Transport Canada last month to test the vehicles and tires under New Brunswick highway conditions.
"Now that a clear federal recommendation - one that takes into account the specific vehicle's use, our climate, travel routes and speed limits - is in place, we are taking immediate action to ensure our multi-function activity buses are equipped with six winter tires," Landry said Tuesday.
Hache said he expected all 14 vehicles would have the new tires on the front within the next week, and would not be used until they have the new tires.
The news of the new policy took the Bathurst mothers by surprise.
Three of them are in Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., where they've arranged for their own independent tests of winter tires versus all-season tires on the front of the minibuses.
"It's a victory for us parents who have been struggling with the government to hear us, to listen to us, but the fact that they did the tests secretly and didn't tell us is very disrespectful on their part," said Isabelle Hains.
Hains's 17-year-old son Daniel was one of the victims of the January 2008 school van crash.
Marcella Kelly, who lost 15-year-old son Nikki, questioned the timing of the province's announcement, a day before the tire testing is to begin in Michigan.
"The government has known since December that we were going to Michigan for these tests," said Kelly. "While we're happy to see they're going to implement these changes, we know it would never have happened if we had not kept up the public pressure.
"They had no choice but to concede."
Seven players of the Bathurst High School boys' basketball team and an adult were killed when the van they were in struck a tractor-trailer on a slippery highway.
The investigation showed the vehicle had worn all-season tires.
Hains said they will proceed with the tire tests Wednesday despite the change in New Brunswick policy.
The tests at Continental Tire in Brimley, Mich., will be videotaped and documented, and Hains said she wants the results used to help educate the public.
Kelly said two tests are better than one.
She said she knows her son would be proud of the effort of all the parents who have worked to make school travel safer for other students in the future.
To read the original Canadian Press article, click here
FREDERICTON — The New Brunswick government has ordered the use of only winter tires for its fleet of 21-passenger minibuses used to transport students during the winter.
The change, announced Tuesday, follows months of heated debate between the government and the mothers of three high school students killed in a van crash in Bathurst, N.B., two years ago.
The minibuses - officially known as multi-function activity buses - replaced the 15 passenger vans like the one involved in the Bathurst crash.
Until now, the government had required four winter tires on the back and two ribbed, all-season tires on the front, based on the advice of a consultant and two tire manufacturers.
"We don't have that expertise, and we didn't have any means of testing, so we asked Transport Canada to do the tests and meanwhile we went with what we thought was the safest for the kids," said Education Minister Roland Hache.
Transportation Minister Denis Landry said they asked Transport Canada last month to test the vehicles and tires under New Brunswick highway conditions.
"Now that a clear federal recommendation - one that takes into account the specific vehicle's use, our climate, travel routes and speed limits - is in place, we are taking immediate action to ensure our multi-function activity buses are equipped with six winter tires," Landry said Tuesday.
Hache said he expected all 14 vehicles would have the new tires on the front within the next week, and would not be used until they have the new tires.
The news of the new policy took the Bathurst mothers by surprise.
Three of them are in Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., where they've arranged for their own independent tests of winter tires versus all-season tires on the front of the minibuses.
"It's a victory for us parents who have been struggling with the government to hear us, to listen to us, but the fact that they did the tests secretly and didn't tell us is very disrespectful on their part," said Isabelle Hains.
Hains's 17-year-old son Daniel was one of the victims of the January 2008 school van crash.
Marcella Kelly, who lost 15-year-old son Nikki, questioned the timing of the province's announcement, a day before the tire testing is to begin in Michigan.
"The government has known since December that we were going to Michigan for these tests," said Kelly. "While we're happy to see they're going to implement these changes, we know it would never have happened if we had not kept up the public pressure.
"They had no choice but to concede."
Seven players of the Bathurst High School boys' basketball team and an adult were killed when the van they were in struck a tractor-trailer on a slippery highway.
The investigation showed the vehicle had worn all-season tires.
Hains said they will proceed with the tire tests Wednesday despite the change in New Brunswick policy.
The tests at Continental Tire in Brimley, Mich., will be videotaped and documented, and Hains said she wants the results used to help educate the public.
Kelly said two tests are better than one.
She said she knows her son would be proud of the effort of all the parents who have worked to make school travel safer for other students in the future.
Winter tires now mandatory
Daily Gleaner, Fredericton, NB
Published Wednesday February 24th, 2010
Read the original article in the Daily Gleaner
Small buses | Some school activities may have to be cancelled
A1By STEPHEN LLEWELLYN
llewellyn.stephen@dailygleaner.com
New Brunswick's 14 small buses used by schools for after-hour activities are off the road until snow tires can be installed on the front wheels, says Education Minister Roland Hache.
The decision comes after Transport Canada testing found there should be snow tires on all the wheels on the multi-function activity buses.
Currently, the province requires snow tires on the back wheels of the small buses and ribbed, all-season tires on the front.
"As minister of education, I have ordered each and every school district that they cannot drive any kids with those kinds of tires prior to those winter tires being put on," said Hache on Tuesday.
"Nice weather or bad weather or storms, I don't care. No kids will travel in those multi-functional vehicles without winter tires."
That may cause some after-school events to be cancelled, he said.
The only exception is schoolchildren who are already at an event. They may travel home in the 21-passenger vehicles before the winter tires are installed in the front, said Hache.
"I have said from the onset that we would abide by what Transport Canada and their experts would tell us," he said.
"Today they've told us that winter tires are the best way to go according to our weather, driving conditions, etc."
In January 2008, seven members of the Bathurst High School boys' basketball team and their coach's wife were killed when their 15-passenger school van collided with a transport truck during a snowstorm.
A coroner's inquest called for snow tires on all vehicles taking children to after-school activities.
The province banned the use of 15-passenger vans to transport students to after-school activities such as sports games. Only the larger, 21-passenger buses are allowed for that purpose now.
But in the absence of national testing for multi-function activity buses, Transport Minister Denis Landry said the province followed the advice of an independent consultant and two leading tire manufacturers to have four winter tires on the back wheels and two ribbed, all-season tires on the front.
"We went with what we thought was safest for the kids," said Hache.
He said it's not a question of one tire being bad and the other tire being good. The all-seasons were good, but the snow tires were better, he said.
Last month, the province asked Transport Canada to do the testing for the safest configuration.
"Transport Canada has advised that the MFABs (multi-function activity buses) perform and manoeuvre better with six winter tires," said Landry.
He said the 28 new snow tires costing about $5,000 have been ordered and should arrive within days. The tires will be installed on the buses in government garages, he said.
"I think we can do it this week," said Landry.
Comments on the site:
To Minister Roland Hache
Why did you let these three mothers who in their own words stated:
.... "had been struggling with the government to hear us, to listen to us, but the fact that they did the tests secretly and didn't tell us is very disrespectful on their part," said Isabelle Hains.
Why did you announce these results on the day before the tire testing was to begin in Michigan?
These mothers were in Michigan , "where they've arranged for their own independent tests of winter tires versus all-season tires on the front of the minibuses."
Haven't these mothers lost enough without you and the government adding further to their tragedy?
Shame on you for showing such disrespect and lack of empathy towards these mothers.
Published Wednesday February 24th, 2010
Read the original article in the Daily Gleaner
Small buses | Some school activities may have to be cancelled
A1By STEPHEN LLEWELLYN
llewellyn.stephen@dailygleaner.com
New Brunswick's 14 small buses used by schools for after-hour activities are off the road until snow tires can be installed on the front wheels, says Education Minister Roland Hache.
The decision comes after Transport Canada testing found there should be snow tires on all the wheels on the multi-function activity buses.
Currently, the province requires snow tires on the back wheels of the small buses and ribbed, all-season tires on the front.
"As minister of education, I have ordered each and every school district that they cannot drive any kids with those kinds of tires prior to those winter tires being put on," said Hache on Tuesday.
"Nice weather or bad weather or storms, I don't care. No kids will travel in those multi-functional vehicles without winter tires."
That may cause some after-school events to be cancelled, he said.
The only exception is schoolchildren who are already at an event. They may travel home in the 21-passenger vehicles before the winter tires are installed in the front, said Hache.
"I have said from the onset that we would abide by what Transport Canada and their experts would tell us," he said.
"Today they've told us that winter tires are the best way to go according to our weather, driving conditions, etc."
In January 2008, seven members of the Bathurst High School boys' basketball team and their coach's wife were killed when their 15-passenger school van collided with a transport truck during a snowstorm.
A coroner's inquest called for snow tires on all vehicles taking children to after-school activities.
The province banned the use of 15-passenger vans to transport students to after-school activities such as sports games. Only the larger, 21-passenger buses are allowed for that purpose now.
But in the absence of national testing for multi-function activity buses, Transport Minister Denis Landry said the province followed the advice of an independent consultant and two leading tire manufacturers to have four winter tires on the back wheels and two ribbed, all-season tires on the front.
"We went with what we thought was safest for the kids," said Hache.
He said it's not a question of one tire being bad and the other tire being good. The all-seasons were good, but the snow tires were better, he said.
Last month, the province asked Transport Canada to do the testing for the safest configuration.
"Transport Canada has advised that the MFABs (multi-function activity buses) perform and manoeuvre better with six winter tires," said Landry.
He said the 28 new snow tires costing about $5,000 have been ordered and should arrive within days. The tires will be installed on the buses in government garages, he said.
"I think we can do it this week," said Landry.
Comments on the site:
To Minister Roland Hache
Why did you let these three mothers who in their own words stated:
.... "had been struggling with the government to hear us, to listen to us, but the fact that they did the tests secretly and didn't tell us is very disrespectful on their part," said Isabelle Hains.
Why did you announce these results on the day before the tire testing was to begin in Michigan?
These mothers were in Michigan , "where they've arranged for their own independent tests of winter tires versus all-season tires on the front of the minibuses."
Haven't these mothers lost enough without you and the government adding further to their tragedy?
Shame on you for showing such disrespect and lack of empathy towards these mothers.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Winter tires now mandatory for N.B. school buses
Click to read original article on CBC
The New Brunswick government has changed its policy on the kind of tires that are required on multi-function activity buses (MFABs) transporting students in the province and made winter tires mandatory.
The change comes after a two-year dispute with parents of several students from Bathurst High School who were killed in a highway crash involving a school van.
"The new policy is based upon tests completed by Transport Canada that showed this was the safest option," said a news release issued by the Department of Transportation on Tuesday.
Mothers of three boys who died in the Jan. 12, 2008, van crash near Bathurst, N.B., had arranged to have the tire configurations currently used on activity buses in the province's schools privately tested in Michigan. The testing was to take place Wednesday.
The province resisted doing such testing itself, saying the 21-seat buses it instituted following the Bathurst crash were safe and didn't need winter tires on all wheels. It has now come around to the parents' view and ordered 28 winter tires for its 14 MFABs, at a total cost of $5,000.
The tires are expected to arrive within days and will be installed over the next week at Department of Transportation maintenance shops, said Transportation Minister Denis Landry.
Safest configuration
The province had previously argued that having winter tires on the back and ribbed all-season tires on the front was the safest tire combination.
"There was not a national precedent to follow for these vehicles," said Landry.
Up until the recent change, New Brunswick had followed the advice of an independent consultant and two leading tire manufacturers, he said.
But last month, the province asked Transport Canada to perform tests on the vehicles at highway speeds to determine the safest tire configuration.
Transport Canada conducted four comparisons with the 21-passenger MFABs using 16-inch tires and driving at highway speeds, using all winter tires and using two ribbed, all-season tires on the front, said Landry.
It concluded the MFABs perform and manoeuvre better with six winter tires.
"Ensuring student safety is our No. 1 priority," Education Minister Roland Haché said in the release.
"Now that a clear federal recommendation — one that takes into account the specific vehicle, its use, our climate, travel routes and speed limits — is in place, we will take immediate action to ensure our MFABs are equipped with six winter tires," he said.
Isabelle Hains, Marcella Kelly and Ana Acevedo had arranged for free testing to be done by Continental Tires in Michigan and were travelling there this week to observe the testing. The mothers said they were not getting the answers they needed from the province about what combination of tires is safest.
Daniel Hains, 17, Javier Acevedo, 17, and Nikki Kelly, 15, were among seven members of the Bathurst High School basketball team killed when the 15-seat school van they were travelling in collided with a truck on Jan. 12, 2008. The coach's wife was also killed in the crash.
The players and adults were on their way home from a high school basketball tournament held in Moncton. It was snowing, and the van, a 1997 Ford Econoline F350 Club Wagon, did not have winter tires.
The New Brunswick government has changed its policy on the kind of tires that are required on multi-function activity buses (MFABs) transporting students in the province and made winter tires mandatory.
The change comes after a two-year dispute with parents of several students from Bathurst High School who were killed in a highway crash involving a school van.
"The new policy is based upon tests completed by Transport Canada that showed this was the safest option," said a news release issued by the Department of Transportation on Tuesday.
Mothers of three boys who died in the Jan. 12, 2008, van crash near Bathurst, N.B., had arranged to have the tire configurations currently used on activity buses in the province's schools privately tested in Michigan. The testing was to take place Wednesday.
The province resisted doing such testing itself, saying the 21-seat buses it instituted following the Bathurst crash were safe and didn't need winter tires on all wheels. It has now come around to the parents' view and ordered 28 winter tires for its 14 MFABs, at a total cost of $5,000.
The tires are expected to arrive within days and will be installed over the next week at Department of Transportation maintenance shops, said Transportation Minister Denis Landry.
Safest configuration
The province had previously argued that having winter tires on the back and ribbed all-season tires on the front was the safest tire combination.
"There was not a national precedent to follow for these vehicles," said Landry.
Up until the recent change, New Brunswick had followed the advice of an independent consultant and two leading tire manufacturers, he said.
But last month, the province asked Transport Canada to perform tests on the vehicles at highway speeds to determine the safest tire configuration.
Transport Canada conducted four comparisons with the 21-passenger MFABs using 16-inch tires and driving at highway speeds, using all winter tires and using two ribbed, all-season tires on the front, said Landry.
It concluded the MFABs perform and manoeuvre better with six winter tires.
"Ensuring student safety is our No. 1 priority," Education Minister Roland Haché said in the release.
"Now that a clear federal recommendation — one that takes into account the specific vehicle, its use, our climate, travel routes and speed limits — is in place, we will take immediate action to ensure our MFABs are equipped with six winter tires," he said.
Isabelle Hains, Marcella Kelly and Ana Acevedo had arranged for free testing to be done by Continental Tires in Michigan and were travelling there this week to observe the testing. The mothers said they were not getting the answers they needed from the province about what combination of tires is safest.
Daniel Hains, 17, Javier Acevedo, 17, and Nikki Kelly, 15, were among seven members of the Bathurst High School basketball team killed when the 15-seat school van they were travelling in collided with a truck on Jan. 12, 2008. The coach's wife was also killed in the crash.
The players and adults were on their way home from a high school basketball tournament held in Moncton. It was snowing, and the van, a 1997 Ford Econoline F350 Club Wagon, did not have winter tires.
Bathurst Mothers Claim Victory With Policy Reversal
(Sault St. Marie, Michigan - February 23, 2010) - Three Bathurst mothers who fought for scientific testing of winter tires are claiming victory after New Brunswick's Ministers of Education and Transportation, announced today that the province will make winter tires mandatory on 21 passenger MFAVs.
Denis Landry’s and Roland Hache’s about face comes on the heels of Transport Canada's surprise announcement that it had conducted winter tire tests last week and was recommending winter tires all around on 21 passenger MFAVs.
New Brunswick provincial cabinet ministers, Denis Landry (middle) and Roland Hache (right) in a photograph taken in September, 2009. Landry and Hache announced today that they will, in fact, order winter tires on 21 passenger MFAVs after months of denying the need for such tires.
This is consistent with Transport Canada's recommendation as far back as November 4, 2009, that winter tires be fitted on these vehicles.
"The honour belongs to our boys," says Isabelle Hains, whose 17 year-old son Daniel was killed along with six other members of Bathurst High School’s basketball team and the coach’s wife in a tragic collision on January 12, 2008. “They didn’t have a choice. They were in an unfit vehicle with worn and scalloped tires.”
"But we question the timing of the announcement," Hains said, as it falls on the eve of well publicized international tire tests that the three mothers had initiated at Continental Tires state of the art testing facility in Sault St. Marie, Michigan tomorrow, Wednesday, February 24.
"The government has known since December that we were going to Michigan for these tests," says Marcella Kelly, whose 15 year-old son Nikki was killed in the Bathurst tragedy. “While we’re happy to see they’re going to implement these changes, we know it would never have happened if we had not kept up the public pressure. They had no choice but to concede.”
Kelly says that in a telephone conversation with the Minister of Education, Roland Hache in Michigan Tuesday afternoon, Hache denied knowing anything about Transport Canada's tire tests or its final recommendations until that morning.
"We find it hard to believe that a Minister of the Crown who is responsible for such a sensitive portfolio as the Bathurst tragedy claims ignorance of one of the biggest safety issues facing his Ministry," said Kelly.
"Since he didn't know, it reveals serious problems in leadership and communication at the Department of Education," she added.
Kelly explained that the mothers had just arrived at their destination in Sault Saint Marie, Michigan at twelve noon local time Tuesday when they were informed by various media from across Canada that the government of New Brunswick had announced it would follow Transport Canada's recommendations on winter tires.
"No wonder ordinary citizens don't trust the provincial government," said Kelly. "They don't even have the decency to call and advise us of these huge policy reversals that directly impact us as the mothers who sons were killed in the Bathurst tragedy," she said.
The mothers were also surprised to find out that Transport Canada had conducted tests last week at an undisclosed location.
"We can be honest when we say that we knew absolutely nothing about the tests that took place last week," said Ana Acevedo, whose 17 year-old son Javier was killed in the Bathurst tragedy.
Acevedo notes that a Coroners Inquest last May also recommended that winter tires be used on all vehicles transporting children to extra curricular activities. She said the mothers have been trying to get the province to implement changes since October 19, when they were shocked to discover that the 21 passenger MFAV operated by Bathurst High School was outfitted with mixed tires.
The mothers contacted veteran automotive journalist John Mahler, of the Toronto Star’s Wheels.ca, for technical advice and he supported their call for winter tires. Transport Canada’s tire expert, Nigel Mortimer, also supported the move when on November 4, 2009, he wrote to the Minister of Education and John McLaughlin, Superintendent of District 15, advising that winter tires were the safest for these vehicles.
Since then, the mothers and Transport Canada have been at odds with the Ministers of Education and Transportation whose paid engineering consultant, David Hoar, of Motion Design Associates in Fredericton, insisted that mixed tires were the safest for these type of vehicles.
"Don't tell us about safety," says Acevedo. "We know better than anyone else what happens when safety is not the primary consideration of governments and the bureaucrats who run the system," she said.
"What makes it even more insulting is that the Minister of Transportation had the gall to announce that they have 'invested' more than $5000 for 28 winter tires.
"To think that they made us go through all of this, after everything we've been through, for such a paltry amount of money," said Kelly.
The mothers intend to go ahead with the independent testing tomorrow in Michigan.
Denis Landry’s and Roland Hache’s about face comes on the heels of Transport Canada's surprise announcement that it had conducted winter tire tests last week and was recommending winter tires all around on 21 passenger MFAVs.
New Brunswick provincial cabinet ministers, Denis Landry (middle) and Roland Hache (right) in a photograph taken in September, 2009. Landry and Hache announced today that they will, in fact, order winter tires on 21 passenger MFAVs after months of denying the need for such tires.This is consistent with Transport Canada's recommendation as far back as November 4, 2009, that winter tires be fitted on these vehicles.
"The honour belongs to our boys," says Isabelle Hains, whose 17 year-old son Daniel was killed along with six other members of Bathurst High School’s basketball team and the coach’s wife in a tragic collision on January 12, 2008. “They didn’t have a choice. They were in an unfit vehicle with worn and scalloped tires.”
"But we question the timing of the announcement," Hains said, as it falls on the eve of well publicized international tire tests that the three mothers had initiated at Continental Tires state of the art testing facility in Sault St. Marie, Michigan tomorrow, Wednesday, February 24.
"The government has known since December that we were going to Michigan for these tests," says Marcella Kelly, whose 15 year-old son Nikki was killed in the Bathurst tragedy. “While we’re happy to see they’re going to implement these changes, we know it would never have happened if we had not kept up the public pressure. They had no choice but to concede.”
Kelly says that in a telephone conversation with the Minister of Education, Roland Hache in Michigan Tuesday afternoon, Hache denied knowing anything about Transport Canada's tire tests or its final recommendations until that morning.
"We find it hard to believe that a Minister of the Crown who is responsible for such a sensitive portfolio as the Bathurst tragedy claims ignorance of one of the biggest safety issues facing his Ministry," said Kelly.
"Since he didn't know, it reveals serious problems in leadership and communication at the Department of Education," she added.
Kelly explained that the mothers had just arrived at their destination in Sault Saint Marie, Michigan at twelve noon local time Tuesday when they were informed by various media from across Canada that the government of New Brunswick had announced it would follow Transport Canada's recommendations on winter tires.
"No wonder ordinary citizens don't trust the provincial government," said Kelly. "They don't even have the decency to call and advise us of these huge policy reversals that directly impact us as the mothers who sons were killed in the Bathurst tragedy," she said.
The mothers were also surprised to find out that Transport Canada had conducted tests last week at an undisclosed location.
"We can be honest when we say that we knew absolutely nothing about the tests that took place last week," said Ana Acevedo, whose 17 year-old son Javier was killed in the Bathurst tragedy.
Acevedo notes that a Coroners Inquest last May also recommended that winter tires be used on all vehicles transporting children to extra curricular activities. She said the mothers have been trying to get the province to implement changes since October 19, when they were shocked to discover that the 21 passenger MFAV operated by Bathurst High School was outfitted with mixed tires.
The mothers contacted veteran automotive journalist John Mahler, of the Toronto Star’s Wheels.ca, for technical advice and he supported their call for winter tires. Transport Canada’s tire expert, Nigel Mortimer, also supported the move when on November 4, 2009, he wrote to the Minister of Education and John McLaughlin, Superintendent of District 15, advising that winter tires were the safest for these vehicles.
Since then, the mothers and Transport Canada have been at odds with the Ministers of Education and Transportation whose paid engineering consultant, David Hoar, of Motion Design Associates in Fredericton, insisted that mixed tires were the safest for these type of vehicles.
"Don't tell us about safety," says Acevedo. "We know better than anyone else what happens when safety is not the primary consideration of governments and the bureaucrats who run the system," she said.
"What makes it even more insulting is that the Minister of Transportation had the gall to announce that they have 'invested' more than $5000 for 28 winter tires.
"To think that they made us go through all of this, after everything we've been through, for such a paltry amount of money," said Kelly.
The mothers intend to go ahead with the independent testing tomorrow in Michigan.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Tire Tests in Michigan on Wednesday, February 24, 2010
On Monday afternoon we leave for Sault St. Marie, Michigan, where Continental Tires will conduct scientific tests on winter tires for 21 passenger MFAVs on Wednesday, February 24. Keep an eye on this blog because we'll be updating it with videos and reports from the site.Also expected at the test facility will be representatives from Transport Canada and the Rubber Tire Association of Canada.
This trip has been nearly three months in planning and there have been many obstacles along the way but with the support and cooperation of many good hearted people, especially John Mahler of the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca, we have managed to pull it all together.
We should know the preliminary results of the scientific testing by late Wednesday. We are willing to accept the results even if it shows that mixed tires are best for these type of vehicles. What we cannot accept is the status quo, with school children being transported to extra curricular activities in vehicles with untested tires. We only hope that New Brunswick's Minister of Education, Roland Hache, and the Minister of Transportation, Denis Landry, will also accept the test results, since that is what they promised in October when we first raised the issue of mixed tires on school vehicles.
Many thanks are due to our supporters who helped us to get this far:
Continental Tires, Michigan, USA - For free scientific testing at its Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan testing facility
Girardin Minibus, Quebec - for the loan of a 21 passenger Multi Function Activity Vehicle, Quebec
John Mahler, Toronto Star, Wheels.ca - Technical advice
Loblaws - For financial assistance in transporting the Girardin MFAV from Toronto to Michigan and back
Bathurst Airport Authority - for three free passes from Bathurst to Sault St. Marie Ontario
Anonymous supporter - for financial assistance towards transportation and accommodations
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Bathurst Mothers Release Right to Information Correspondence Ahead of Groundbreaking Tire Tests in Michigan
Documents released today under the Right To Information Act show the New Brunswick Departments of Education and Transportation were scrambling to defend their position after three Bathurst mothers, who lost their sons in a horrific collision two years ago, challenged the safety of mixed tires on 21 passenger MFAVs.
The documents were made public today by Isabelle Hains, Ana Acevedo and Marcella Kelly in the lead up to groundbreaking scientific tests of winter tires slated for Wednesday, February 24, in the United States. ( The documents are available in PDF or jpg format at the following URLS:
One 35 page document in PDF format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information.pdf [15 mbs]
35 seperate PDFS in Zip format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information-01.zip
35 separate .jpgs in Zip format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information-02.zip
On the Van Angels website at http://blog.vanangels.ca/2010/02/right-to-information-request.html ).
Province More Interested in Image than Children's Safety
Isabelle Hains at a Press Conference in Fredericton, NB, December 11, 2008.
Isabelle Hains, who lost her 17 year old son Daniel in the Bathurst tragedy, says the mothers arranged for the tire tests in early December because they felt they had no choice when the province showed no interest in testing the tires on 21 passenger MFAVs.
"It became clear that the province of New Brunswick was more interested in defending its engineering consultant and its image than in the safety of school age children in New Brunswick and across North America who are being transported to extra-curricular activities in vehicles with untested tires," says Hains.
Province Spends More Time Meeting and Planning Evasions
John Mahler is a veteran automotive journalist and tire expert who writes for the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca. He says the tests will be conducted for free by Continental Tires, one of the world's largest tire manufacturers, at its state of the art testing facility in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
"This will be the first scientific testing of tires on these type of vehicles that has ever been conducted," said Mahler, who also plans to be in Michigan along with a representative of Transport Canada and the Rubber Association of Canada.
"By stonewalling for the status quo of untested tires, New Brunswick lost an opportunity to raise the gold standard for tires on these type of vehicles across North America." said Mahler. "All we want is to know what kind of tires are best so that children can travel safe."
Mahler says he was saddened by the tone of the correspondence and the fact that the mothers had to make a request under New Brunswick's Right to Information Act.
"It reveals how little concern the New Brunswick government has for real world testing and how much of their time is spent meeting and planning evasions."
Mothers Will Attend Michigan Testing
Hains, Acevedo and Kelly will also be present in Michigan for the testing next Wednesday and they say that preliminary results should be available the same day.
"We will accept the test results, even if it shows that mixed tires are safest on these vehicles," says Marcella Kelly, who lost her son Nikki in the 2008 crash. "But what we can't accept is the status quo. After everything that happened to our children, we can't believe that the provincial government continues to use these vehicles knowing the liability and safety issues raised by Transport Canada."
Marcella Kelly, stands in front of a memorial quilt commemorating the Boys in Red at the one year anniversary of the tragedy, Holy Family Church, Bathurst, NB, January 12, 2009.
Kelly says the province has known since October about the safety issues raised by the use of mixed tires. She says the Minister of Education, Roland Hache even promised the mothers he would follow Transport Canada's lead on this issue but instead, "he immediately started backpedalling and went into defensive mode, doing everything to protect the province's engineering consultant, David Hoar, who disagreed with Transport Canada."
Final Straw Was In December
Kelly says the final straw was in December, when the mothers approached the Departments of Education and Transportation for the loan of a 21 passenger MFAV from the provincial fleet of more than 20 vehicles.
At the time, they were told by Valerie Kilfoil, Director of Communications for the Department of Education, that they had to wait until January, because there was a "process" to go through.
NB Mininster of Education, Roland Hache and his Director of Communications, Valerie Kilfoil. Source: Telegraph Journal.
"We will submit it through the request process like we would any other request," Kilfoil said to the media.
The mothers were willing to wait, but in year-end interviews with the Canadian Press and the Moncton Times Transcript, Kilfoil accused the mothers of dumping the request in the the Department's "lap at the last minute". Kilfoil said the mothers made the Department of Education look like the "bad guys" and suggested they rent their own vehicle rather than waiting for one from the province.
Kilfoil also diminished the concerns of more than a dozen experts with whom the mothers had consulted, including Transport Canada, comparing them to "buddy from the tire store."
This is what Kilfoil said :
"...while many drivers know the benefits of having four winter tires over two, the [provincial] government decided it was best to consult with experts in the tire industry. You can’t talk to buddy at the tire store...” she said."
A Slap in the Face
"It was a slap in the face," says Ana Acevedo, whose son Javier's 19th birthday would have been on the same day that the article appeared in the newspaper.
Ana Acevedo at a Press Conference in Fredericton, NB, December 11, 2008.
"All we have ever wanted since the day our sons were killed was to ensure the safety of children but the provincial government is more concerned about looking good than dealing with the issue."
The correspondence between Transport Canada and the Departments of Education and Transportation also shows increasing tensions between the Department of Transport's consultant, David Hoar, who insisted that mixed tires on the 21 passenger MFAVs were acceptable, and Transport Canada's tire expert, Nigel Mortimer, who as early as November 4, 2009, advised the province that mixed tires on the 21 passenger vehicles were unsafe.
NB Consultant The Only One Who Believes Mixed Tires Safe
In one exchange dated November 20, a clearly frustrated Mortimer tells Mr. Hoar, of Motion Design Associates in Fredericton, to do the testing himself if he doesn't believe Transport Canada.
"Since you are the only one believing that winter tires are not safer on the front as well as the rear I suggest that you perform your own testing to prove the rest of us wrong."
Mr. Mortimer is Transport Canada's leading expert on tires and has a long history of involvement in motor vehicle safety. He was part of the team that tested the tires on New Brunswick's Ambulance Service which lead to winter tires being outfitted on the vehicles.
The mothers note that Ambulance NB was recently given an International Award for Safety.
"We wonder if changing to winter tires on the entire Ambulance fleet had anything to do with their safety award?" asks Acevedo.
Mothers Thank Supporters
The mothers would like to thank the following persons and companies for their assistance in making the tire testing possible:
Continental Tires, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan - Free scientific testing
John Mahler, Toronto Star's Wheels.ca - Technical advice
Girardin MiniBus, Quebec - Loan of 21 passenger MFAV for testing
Loblaws - Transportation of 21 passenger MFAV from Ontario to Michigan return
Bathurst Airport Authority - For three airline passes from Bathurst to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario return
Anonymous Supporter - For financial assistance towards the costs of transportation and accommodation
"And a big thank you to everyone who supported us in their own way."
The documents were made public today by Isabelle Hains, Ana Acevedo and Marcella Kelly in the lead up to groundbreaking scientific tests of winter tires slated for Wednesday, February 24, in the United States. ( The documents are available in PDF or jpg format at the following URLS:
One 35 page document in PDF format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information.pdf [15 mbs]
35 seperate PDFS in Zip format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information-01.zip
35 separate .jpgs in Zip format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information-02.zip
On the Van Angels website at http://blog.vanangels.ca/2010/02/right-to-information-request.html ).
Province More Interested in Image than Children's Safety
Isabelle Hains at a Press Conference in Fredericton, NB, December 11, 2008.
Isabelle Hains, who lost her 17 year old son Daniel in the Bathurst tragedy, says the mothers arranged for the tire tests in early December because they felt they had no choice when the province showed no interest in testing the tires on 21 passenger MFAVs.
"It became clear that the province of New Brunswick was more interested in defending its engineering consultant and its image than in the safety of school age children in New Brunswick and across North America who are being transported to extra-curricular activities in vehicles with untested tires," says Hains.
Province Spends More Time Meeting and Planning Evasions
John Mahler is a veteran automotive journalist and tire expert who writes for the Toronto Star's Wheels.ca. He says the tests will be conducted for free by Continental Tires, one of the world's largest tire manufacturers, at its state of the art testing facility in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
"This will be the first scientific testing of tires on these type of vehicles that has ever been conducted," said Mahler, who also plans to be in Michigan along with a representative of Transport Canada and the Rubber Association of Canada.
"By stonewalling for the status quo of untested tires, New Brunswick lost an opportunity to raise the gold standard for tires on these type of vehicles across North America." said Mahler. "All we want is to know what kind of tires are best so that children can travel safe."
Mahler says he was saddened by the tone of the correspondence and the fact that the mothers had to make a request under New Brunswick's Right to Information Act.
"It reveals how little concern the New Brunswick government has for real world testing and how much of their time is spent meeting and planning evasions."
Mothers Will Attend Michigan Testing
Hains, Acevedo and Kelly will also be present in Michigan for the testing next Wednesday and they say that preliminary results should be available the same day.
"We will accept the test results, even if it shows that mixed tires are safest on these vehicles," says Marcella Kelly, who lost her son Nikki in the 2008 crash. "But what we can't accept is the status quo. After everything that happened to our children, we can't believe that the provincial government continues to use these vehicles knowing the liability and safety issues raised by Transport Canada."
Marcella Kelly, stands in front of a memorial quilt commemorating the Boys in Red at the one year anniversary of the tragedy, Holy Family Church, Bathurst, NB, January 12, 2009.
Kelly says the province has known since October about the safety issues raised by the use of mixed tires. She says the Minister of Education, Roland Hache even promised the mothers he would follow Transport Canada's lead on this issue but instead, "he immediately started backpedalling and went into defensive mode, doing everything to protect the province's engineering consultant, David Hoar, who disagreed with Transport Canada."
Final Straw Was In December
Kelly says the final straw was in December, when the mothers approached the Departments of Education and Transportation for the loan of a 21 passenger MFAV from the provincial fleet of more than 20 vehicles.
At the time, they were told by Valerie Kilfoil, Director of Communications for the Department of Education, that they had to wait until January, because there was a "process" to go through.
NB Mininster of Education, Roland Hache and his Director of Communications, Valerie Kilfoil. Source: Telegraph Journal.
"We will submit it through the request process like we would any other request," Kilfoil said to the media.
The mothers were willing to wait, but in year-end interviews with the Canadian Press and the Moncton Times Transcript, Kilfoil accused the mothers of dumping the request in the the Department's "lap at the last minute". Kilfoil said the mothers made the Department of Education look like the "bad guys" and suggested they rent their own vehicle rather than waiting for one from the province.
Kilfoil also diminished the concerns of more than a dozen experts with whom the mothers had consulted, including Transport Canada, comparing them to "buddy from the tire store."
This is what Kilfoil said :
"...while many drivers know the benefits of having four winter tires over two, the [provincial] government decided it was best to consult with experts in the tire industry. You can’t talk to buddy at the tire store...” she said."
A Slap in the Face
"It was a slap in the face," says Ana Acevedo, whose son Javier's 19th birthday would have been on the same day that the article appeared in the newspaper.
Ana Acevedo at a Press Conference in Fredericton, NB, December 11, 2008.
"All we have ever wanted since the day our sons were killed was to ensure the safety of children but the provincial government is more concerned about looking good than dealing with the issue."
The correspondence between Transport Canada and the Departments of Education and Transportation also shows increasing tensions between the Department of Transport's consultant, David Hoar, who insisted that mixed tires on the 21 passenger MFAVs were acceptable, and Transport Canada's tire expert, Nigel Mortimer, who as early as November 4, 2009, advised the province that mixed tires on the 21 passenger vehicles were unsafe.
NB Consultant The Only One Who Believes Mixed Tires Safe
In one exchange dated November 20, a clearly frustrated Mortimer tells Mr. Hoar, of Motion Design Associates in Fredericton, to do the testing himself if he doesn't believe Transport Canada.
"Since you are the only one believing that winter tires are not safer on the front as well as the rear I suggest that you perform your own testing to prove the rest of us wrong."
Mr. Mortimer is Transport Canada's leading expert on tires and has a long history of involvement in motor vehicle safety. He was part of the team that tested the tires on New Brunswick's Ambulance Service which lead to winter tires being outfitted on the vehicles.
The mothers note that Ambulance NB was recently given an International Award for Safety.
"We wonder if changing to winter tires on the entire Ambulance fleet had anything to do with their safety award?" asks Acevedo.
Mothers Thank Supporters
The mothers would like to thank the following persons and companies for their assistance in making the tire testing possible:
Continental Tires, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan - Free scientific testing
John Mahler, Toronto Star's Wheels.ca - Technical advice
Girardin MiniBus, Quebec - Loan of 21 passenger MFAV for testing
Loblaws - Transportation of 21 passenger MFAV from Ontario to Michigan return
Bathurst Airport Authority - For three airline passes from Bathurst to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario return
Anonymous Supporter - For financial assistance towards the costs of transportation and accommodation
"And a big thank you to everyone who supported us in their own way."
Right to Information Request, Correspondence Between Transport Canada and the Province of NB
In January, we made a Right to Information request to the Departments of Education and Transportation to see what kind of correspondence had been going on between Transport Canada and the province of New Brunswick.
Click here to see our original posting on this issue, dated January 14, 2010.
One 35 page document in PDF format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information.pdf [15 mbs]
35 seperate PDFS in Zip format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information-01.zip
35 separate .jpgs in Zip format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information-02.zip
Click on image below to view a slideshow of the entire 35 pages of correspondence between Transport Canada, and the New Brunswick Departments of Education and Transportation.
We believed that Transport Canada told New Brunswick's Minister of Education, Rolande Hache, and the Minister of Transportation, Denis Landry, that the use of mixed tires on the 21 passenger MFAVs was unsafe and we wanted proof that the provincial government knew about it.
Since we discovered back in October 2009 that the Bathurst High School 21 passenger MFAV was equipped with mixed tires, we knew that Transport Canada was advising the Province of New Brunswick that mixed tires were not acceptable on these vehicles.
Nigel Mortimer of Transport Canada had gone out of his way to advise the province of NB that mixed tires were not suitable for this vehicle. But the province refused to budge, relying instead on the so called "expert opinion" of a Fredericton basec consulting engineer named David Hoar with Motion Design Associates who was adamant that mixed tires were perfectly acceptable, offering no scientific evidence or accountability for his recommendation to the province of NB.
Well, we were right. AGAIN. Transport Canada did indeed advise against the use of mixed tires and the province of New Brunswick looks pretty darn stupid for refusing to accept the expert opinion of Canada's top tire experts, risking the lives of students who are being transported to extra-curricular activities in 21 passenger MFAVs using tires that have never been scientifically tested by anyone - until next week when we go to Continental Tires state of the art testing facility in Sault Ste. Marie Michigan where scientific tests will be conducted for the first time on the tires of these 21 passenger MFAVs.
Click here to see our original posting on this issue, dated January 14, 2010.
One 35 page document in PDF format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information.pdf [15 mbs]
35 seperate PDFS in Zip format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information-01.zip
35 separate .jpgs in Zip format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information-02.zip
Click on image below to view a slideshow of the entire 35 pages of correspondence between Transport Canada, and the New Brunswick Departments of Education and Transportation.
 |
| Transport Canada Province Of New Brunswick Right To Information Request |
We believed that Transport Canada told New Brunswick's Minister of Education, Rolande Hache, and the Minister of Transportation, Denis Landry, that the use of mixed tires on the 21 passenger MFAVs was unsafe and we wanted proof that the provincial government knew about it.
Since we discovered back in October 2009 that the Bathurst High School 21 passenger MFAV was equipped with mixed tires, we knew that Transport Canada was advising the Province of New Brunswick that mixed tires were not acceptable on these vehicles.
Nigel Mortimer of Transport Canada had gone out of his way to advise the province of NB that mixed tires were not suitable for this vehicle. But the province refused to budge, relying instead on the so called "expert opinion" of a Fredericton basec consulting engineer named David Hoar with Motion Design Associates who was adamant that mixed tires were perfectly acceptable, offering no scientific evidence or accountability for his recommendation to the province of NB.
Well, we were right. AGAIN. Transport Canada did indeed advise against the use of mixed tires and the province of New Brunswick looks pretty darn stupid for refusing to accept the expert opinion of Canada's top tire experts, risking the lives of students who are being transported to extra-curricular activities in 21 passenger MFAVs using tires that have never been scientifically tested by anyone - until next week when we go to Continental Tires state of the art testing facility in Sault Ste. Marie Michigan where scientific tests will be conducted for the first time on the tires of these 21 passenger MFAVs.
Right to Information Documents for Downloading
Here are the Right To Information Documents for Downloading in PDF and .jpg formats.
One 35 page document in PDF format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information.pdf [15 mbs]
35 seperate PDFS in Zip format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information-01.zip
35 separate .jpgs in Zip format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information-02.zip
One 35 page document in PDF format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information.pdf [15 mbs]
35 seperate PDFS in Zip format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information-01.zip
35 separate .jpgs in Zip format
http://www.vanangels.ca/documents/right-to-information-02.zip
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