BATHURST, N.B. - The principal and former vice-principal of a New Brunswick school whose van was involved in a deadly crash last year each told a coroner's jury Monday they were unaware that school vehicles are required by law to be inspected twice a year.

Don MacKay, who has since retired as vice-principal at Bathurst High School and vice-president of Bathurst Van Inc., shouldered most of the responsibility for the school's three vans, including scheduling their maintenance.

He told the jury that even though the van was more than 10 years old and was to be replaced, the school never scrimped on the amount spent on maintenance and repairs.

MacKay said he ensured the van was safety inspected annually but added he didn't know it had to be done twice a year.

He said he thought that was just a guideline.

"The vans were in the shop a number of times during the year and any problems would have been identified," MacKay said.

MacKay also told the jury he thought the all-season mud and snow tires used on the van were considered winter tires. Whenever he ordered tires, he said he asked for ones that could be used in winter.

He testified there were no complaints from other teachers about the handling of the van, and some actually preferred it over newer models.

An aging 15-passenger van used by Bathurst High collided with a truck on a slush-covered highway in January 2008, killing seven members of the boy's basketball team and the wife of the coach.

The van was owned by the not-for-profit group Bathurst Van Inc., a body consisting of the principal, two vice-principals and a teacher who owned and maintained school vehicles for extracurricular activities.

Principal Coleen Ramsay served as president of the group. Like MacKay, she told the inquiry she was unaware such vans had to be given a motor vehicle inspection every six months.

The requirement is outlined in the Motor Vehicle Act, and in regulations set out by the provincial Education Department.

The coroner's jury has heard that the van's all-season tires were worn at the time of the crash.

Ramsay testified that she didn't know it wasn't equipped with winter tires.

"My understanding was that it had snow tires on it," she said.

She also thought the van was about six years old. In fact, the 1997 vehicle was 11 years old at the time of the crash.

Ramsay said Bathurst Van Inc. was set up because schools cannot own vehicles. Money for the purchase and maintenance of the company's vans was raised by the student council.

Drivers of the vans were to have been given basic driver skills training, but Ramsay said teachers didn't get the training because no course was available.

Ramsay said the 15-passenger vans were normally the first choice for student travel and that the school would only use larger yellow school buses if a van wasn't available, or if travel involved a large team with lots of equipment.

She said the cost of repairs was never an issue, adding: "Our philosophy is if something has to be done, we do it."

Meantime, Ramsay said there was never any discussion about cancelling the school basketball team's trip because of bad weather before its ill-fated journey last year to an away game in Moncton, N.B.

Ramsay was aware of the weather forecast for that day, but said it's up to the coach to raise any concerns about the weather, and if necessary, she would make the final decision.

Since the accident, the school has improved the way it deals with weather information, he said.

"If there was a concern we would always err on the side of caution," she said.

Paul Robichaud, a teacher and coach of the school's girls basketball team, told the jury that he drove the van many times and never had a concern with its handling.

When asked if he was aware of specific Education Department regulations for drivers, he replied: "Only in the news."

Robichaud said all coaches were told at the start of the school year about their responsibilities and what to check prior to any trip, such as a visual inspection of the windshield wipers and tires. But he said he never filled out any pre-trip inspection forms, or was ever shown the department rules.

"We never had to read anything or sign anything," he said.

Outside the court, Isabelle Hains, who lost a son in the crash, said she was disappointed in the answers she heard from the school officials, especially Ramsay.

"You're a school principal and you should know all those guidelines and policies," she said.

Ana Acevedo, whose son Javier was killed, said the Education Department must be accountable because companies such as Bathurst Van Inc. were in use at schools across the province.

The non-for-profit companies have since been disbanded, but student councils are still responsible for raising funds for vehicle maintenance.

Representatives of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the union that represents school bus drivers, attended the hearing Monday.

The issue of teachers versus bus drivers at the wheel for school trips has been an issue throughout the inquest.

"While we can't say what would have happened on that night in January 2008, we can say definitely that the safety with Class 2 drivers is above and beyond safer," said Vallie Stearns, a CUPE national representative.

"In addition, those yellow school buses are built for heavy impacts, whereas 15 passenger vans are not."