4- The Oakville Beaver, Friday February 22, 2008 CONSUMERS SHOULD READ THE FOLLOWING: Vehicles may not be exactly as shown. *MSRP for the 2008 Swift+ with MANUAL transmission (model STR48C8)/ 2008 SX4 Sedan with MANUAL transmission (model S3L83J8)/As shown $18,995 MSRP for 2008 SX4 Sport Model/2008 SX4 Crossover JX AWD with MANUAL transmission (model H3N80J8)/ 2008 Grand Vitara JA with MANUAL transmission (model LLN81S8). Destination and Delivery of $1,195 / $1,250 / $1,250/ $1,250 / $1,395 not included in MSRP. Registration, license, insurance, and applicable taxes are not included. **Limited time lease and finance o ers available to qualified retail customers on approved credit (O.A.C.) through FinanciaLinx on a new 2008 Swift+ with MANUAL transmission (model STR48C8)/ 2008 SX4 Sedan with MANUAL transmission (model S3L83J8)/ 2008 SX4 Crossover JX AWD with MANUAL transmission (model H3N80J8)/ 2008 Grand Vitara JA with MANUAL transmission (model LLN81S8). 3.9%/1.5%/1.5%/1.9% lease APR for 60 months. Monthly payment is $179/$205/$225/$329 (including $1,195/$1,250/$1,250/$1,395 destination and delivery). $1,100/$0/$0/$0 down payment or equivalent trade-in, $0 security deposit, $72 + tax PPSA, $350 acquisition fee, administration fee and first monthly payment due at lease inception where applicable. Total lease obligation of $11,845.79/$12,297.17/$13,497.27/$19,733.45 including down payment. 20,000 km total mileage allowance ($0.10/km for excess mileage). ***These o ers cannot be combined with any other o er except for the Suzuki Graduate Program. With the Suzuki Graduate Program, recent university or college graduates may be eligible for an allowance on the purchase or lease of certain models. Fuel economy based on Transport Canada ratings for 2008 models. Use for comparison purposes only. Dealers may lease or sell for less. See participating dealers for details. www.oakvillebeaver.com NEW YEAR. NEW INCENTIVES. POWER STEERING POWER WINDOWS QUICK NIMBLE PEPPY FUN WOOSH! LET'S GO! MOVIES BALLGAMES ROAD TRIPS PICNICS POWER DOOR LOCKS REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY AIR CONDITIONING OUT OF TOWN IN TOWN AROUND TOWN RALLY INSPIRED RALLY PROVEN EYE CATCHING GOING TO THE BEACH FAMILY OUTINGS AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA PLAYER SPEED SENSING VOLUME CONTROL TACHOMETER HIT THE LINKS HIT THE SLOPES TILT STEERING DRIVER'S FOOTREST ENGINE BLOCK HEATER COOL KID HAULER BORN TO SHOP BORN TO DRIVE RALLY BORN SUNNY DAYS RAINY DAYS SNOWY DAYS WORK DAYS PLAY DAYS WIND IN YOUR HAIR THE ALL NEW 2008 SX4 SEDAN Air Conditioning / Power Windows / Power Locks / Power Mirrors / Remote Keyless Entry FINALIST BEST NEW SMALL CAR 2008 $ DOWN PAYMENT 0 LEASE FROM $ 205 @ 1.5% ** FOR 60 MONTHS RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER ROUGH RIDE: Halton's school board and school bus companies are scrambling to avoid inconveniencing students, parents and schools amid a school bus driver shortage. SPORT MODEL SHOWN COOL KID HAULER BORN TO SHOP BORN TO DRIVE RALLY BORN SUNNY DAYS RAINY DAYS SNOWY DAYS WORK DAYS PLAY DAYS WIND IN YOUR HAIR SUN ON YOUR FACE DUAL FRONT AIRBAGS SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS ABS WITH BRAKE ASSIST AND EBD POWER STEERING POWER WINDOWS QUICK NIMBLE PEPPY FUN WOOSH! LET'S GO! MOVIES BALLGAMES ROAD TRIPS PICNICS POWER DOOR LOCKS REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY AIR CONDITIONING OUT OF TOWN IN TOWN AROUND TOWN RALLY INSPIRED RALLY PROVEN EYE CATCHING GOING TO THE BEACH FAMILY OUTINGS AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA PLAYER SPEED SENSING VOLUME CONTROL TACHOMETER HIT THE LINKS HIT THE SLOPES TILT STEERING DRIVER'S FOOTREST ENGINE BLOCK HEATER EYE CATCHING GOING TO THE BEACH FAMILY OUTINGS AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA SPEED SENSING VOLUME CONTROL TACHOMETER HIT THE LINKS HIT THE SLOPES TILT STEERING DRIVER'S FOOTREST FAMILY OUTINGS School boards facing shortage of bus drivers By Tim Whitnell SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER 2008 GRAND VITARA 4WD / V6 / Power Windows / Power Locks / Power Mirrors / Remote Keyless Entry / Air Conditioning $ DOWN PAYMENT 0 LEASE FROM $ 329 @ 1.9% ** FOR 60 MONTHS MSRP $25,595* 5* 2008 SWIFT+ Fuel economy: 8.7 L/100 km in the city; 5.8 L/100 km on the highway / AM/FM/CD/MP3 player (4 speakers) LEASE FROM AIR CONDITIONING OUT OF TOWN IN TOWN AROUND TOWN RALLY INSPIRED RALLY PROVEN EYE CATCHING GOING TO THE BEACH FAMILY OUTINGS AM/FM/CD/MP3/ WMA PLAYER SPEED SENSING VOLUME CONTROL TACHOMETER HIT THE LINKS HIT THE SLOPES TILT STEERING DRIVER'S FOOTREST ENGINE BLOCK HEATER COOL KID HAULER BORN TO SHOP BORN TO DRIVE QUICK NIMBLE PEPPY FUN WOOSH! LET'S GO! MOVIES BALLGAMES ROAD TRIPS POWER DOOR LOCKS REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS BORN TO SHOP BORN TO DRIVE RALLY BORN SUNNY DAYS RAINY DAYS SNOWY DAYS $ FOR 60 MONTHS $1100 DOWN PAYMENT. 179 @ 3.9% ** TILT STEERING DRIVER'S FOOTREST HIT THE ROAD CARVE SOME TURNS GOING THERE GETTING THERE FAMILY TIME YOU TIME IN TIME TENNIS ANYONE? ENGINE BLOCK HEATER DUAL FRONT AIRBAGS HALOGEN HEADLIGHTS 2008 SX4 CROSSOVER Intelligent AWD / Power Windows / Power Locks / Heated Power Mirrors / Cruise Control / Remote Keyless Entry MSRP $20,695* MSRP $13,995* $ DOWN PAYMENT 0 LEASE FROM $ 225 @ 1.5% ** FOR 60 MONTHS Suzuki of Oakville 2219 Wyecroft Road, Oakville, ON L6L 5L7 905-469-2429 · Toll Free 1-866-229-3897 fax 905-469-4562 **** SUZUKI.CA On some days up to 1,000 children in Halton Region are either getting to school late or getting home late because of a worsening school bus driver shortage. Some school board officials in Halton believe big box retail stores are part of the reason for the transportation headaches being experienced by all four school boards in the region. The lure of slightly better pay, a fair weather working environment, no split shifts, no bus parking dilemmas and not having the responsibility of caring for children daily are factors cited by school board officials who are losing drivers. "In speaking with staff and the (bus company) operators, there are currently as many as 45 driver vacancies in Halton," said Halton District School Board Business Superintendent Steven Parfeniuk. "The Burlington and Oakville communities are the most severely affected." Karen Lacroix, general manager of Halton Student Transportation Services -- part of the newly-created school transportation consortia consisting of the Halton public, Catholic, French public and French Catholic school boards -- said last week "was definitely the worst week we've had in a long time." Fifty-eight of 370 daily bus routes around Halton ran late that day, from 10 minutes late to two buses that were a whopping 90 minutes behind schedule. The four Halton boards combined bus about 26,000 students every day. Lacroix said that Monday, Feb. 11 was likely the worst day in a long time in Halton from a student transportation perspective. Extremely cold weather contributed to the problems that day, she said, noting one school bus company had trouble starting a number of its buses. Patience is needed from parents for now, said Parfeniuk. "We're asking for parent and student understanding as we get through this critical shortage situation. The driver shortage situation in Halton is exacerbated by the strong local economy and competition for part-time jobs." Parfeniuk said the area school bus providers -- Attridge, Stock, Tyler and First Canada Student (formerly Laidlaw Education Services) -- are doing all they can to avoid or minimize late student pick-ups and drop-offs. "Our operators have been incredibly collaborative and have attempted to work together to resolve the issues with us. Together we have sent a flyer home with every Halton student outlining the driver vacancies and asking parents to consider helping us and their community. We unfortunately are faced with big box store competition for the same employees. This is not a new phenomena but one which we have been managing for more than five years," Parfeniuk added. In response, the bus companies are focusing recruitment efforts in Halton. The Halton District School Board is assisting in the recruitment by placing notices on board and school websites and in all school newsletters. Public school board officials also issued a news release. "While the Halton District School Board is working with school bus companies to try to minimize the impact on students, with such a severe shortage, the situation will be difficult to resolve quickly," Parfeniuk stated in the release. "The bus companies we contract with are combining school bus routes where possible, and are working together to help in this critical situation. Some companies have brought in bus drivers from nearby Ontario communities to provide service. "The school bus driver shortage has been intensified by the cold and flu season in recent weeks. There are literally no spare drivers to fill in when bus drivers See Job page 9