Renfrew County student transportation will return to service for the first time this year starting Monday.

Student transportation services will resume for all Renfrew County bus services, including CF Vaundry bus lines, Holly bus lines, Musclow bus lines, Renfrew County bus lines, Valley Transportation, the Switzer-Carty and Skelhorn bus lines.

Provincial police are reminding motorists to drive near a stopped school bus and use caution.

“It is the law – if you encounter a stopped school bus with its safety lights and stop arm activated, you MUST stop before reaching the bus and do not continue until the bus has moved or the safety lights and stop arm have not been deactivated,” the Ontario Provincial Police said in a social media post.

The rule applies when meeting or following a school bus and includes multi-lane roads.

“The only exception is when driving on a road with a central reservation – traffic coming from the opposite direction is not required to stop,” OPP said.

Vehicle owners can be charged if their car passes a stopped bus, even if they are not driving.

The penalty for failing to stop in front of a school bus is between $400 and $2,000 and six demerit points for a first offense.

Subsequent offenses can result in fines ranging from $1,000 to $4,000, six demerit points and up to six months in prison.

“And young lives depend on you, as a driver, to pay attention,” OPP said.

More than 10,000 students have been without school transportation since the start of the school year after school bus companies and the Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium (RCJTC) failed to agree on a new contract .

On October 7, both sides reached an agreement with a provisional return to service date of October 28.