Fredericton implements new winter storm plan after bus slides off road last December

The City of Fredericton and Fredericton Transit are announcing a new winter storm plan that aims to make travel safer with enhanced communication and driver dispatch protocols.

These safety measures come after an incident on Dec. 29, 2025, when a city transit bus slid off an icy street on Hilton Road during a flash freeze, flipping into a ditch and taking down a powerline.

Six passengers and the driver were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

An internal safety investigation found unpredictable weather conditions and an inability to quickly suspend transit services contributed to the accident.

They say the bus was in good working condition and the driver was not at fault. Fredericton police also investigated the incident and no charges were issued.

Fred Gerrior, the manager of Fredericton Transit, says safety for passengers and operators is their top priority.

“This was a rare incident that the team at Fredericton Transit has taken very seriously with support from the city’s corporate safety division” he notes in a news release from the city.

“Public transit remains among the safest ways to travel in our community, however even one incident is too many and that’s why we are making enhancements to keep passengers and drivers safer in winter conditions while we get them where they need to go,” he says.

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