“Move that truck!” echoed behind the RST-Sunbury building on Thursday, as a crowd gathered for the unveiling of a new Kids on the Go bus.
As PALS (Partners Assisting Local Schools) celebrates its 25th anniversary, a beloved new bus is hitting the road in style, designed to carry even more students toward new opportunities.
The 32-passenger vehicle, donated by J.D. Irving Limited, replaces the original 24-seat bus that has been in service since 2010.
It will continue to provide free transportation for students from 21 local schools, helping them access co-curricular activities, field trips, and career exploration events.
Last year alone, the bus made more than 600 trips, and over 500 are already booked for this school year.
Paul Dalton, who has driven the Kids on the Go bus since the program began, said the experience has been significant.
“You feel like part of the program when you see them get older and you know develop into you know whatever they want to do in life,” Dalton said. “It’s so exciting.”
He added that many students see him as a grandfather figure.
“I don’t know whether maybe because I’m a little older, my colour of my hair, but I think they kind of relate to me as being a grandfather sometimes,” he said.
“So I hear all kinds of stories. Stuff like that kind of makes it all worthwhile.”
PALS was co-founded in 2000 by James K. Irving and the Anglophone South School District.
The initiative brings together businesses, educators, volunteers and community groups to support students and help them reach their full potential.
Erica Lane, community engagement coordinator for the Anglophone South School District, said the bus helps ensure no student misses out on meaningful learning experiences.
“It’s more than just transportation, it’s a vehicle of possibility,” Lane said.
“Thanks to this investment, students return from trips not only with stories to share, but with new possibilities to imagine.”
The new bus was made possible through collaboration between several J.D. Irving teams, including branding, supply chain and transportation.
Organizers say it’s a symbol of what partnerships can achieve, and a promise of many more journeys to come.
