Share this Story : New school bus driver shortages in Nepean, Kars and Gloucester for this school year Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Breadcrumb Trail Links News Local News New school bus driver shortages in Nepean, Kars and Gloucester for this school year The good news is that there are about 19 drivers in training and awaiting their licences from Ontario's Ministry of Transportation, OSTA says. Author of the article: Joanne Laucius Published Aug 28, 2024 • Last updated 19 minutes ago • 3 minute read Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here . Or sign-in if you have an account.
The shortage of 13 drivers that OSTA reported last week was upgraded to 24 after some operators servicing Nepean, Gloucester and Kars reported increased driver shortages. Photo by Ashley Fraser / Postmedia Article content There’s good news and bad news in Ottawa’s ongoing school bus driver shortage saga. The bad news: The shortage is worse this week than it was last week, when bus companies serving the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Ottawa Catholic School Board were short 13 drivers, affecting 57 transportation runs, mostly in the west end.
According to numbers released Wednesday by the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA), which serves both boards, bus companies are now short by 24 drivers, affecting additional routes in Nepean, Kars and Gloucester and about 88 transportation runs in all, or two per cent of OSTA’s transportation service. Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
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Sign In or Create an Account Email Address Continue or View more offers If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, unlimited online access is included in your subscription. Activate your Online Access Now Article content A list of cancelled routes is posted on the OSTA website . The good news is that there are about 19 drivers in training and awaiting their licences from Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation, OSTA says.
Last year, the parents of 7,500 students at the two school boards learned their children would not have bus transportation to school only days before Labour Day after bus operators with OSTA contracts found they were short by 130 drivers. The situation is less dire this year, but it is still frustrating for some families, especially those on rural routes that face significant costs and time commitments in transporting their children to school, OSTA interim general manager Cindy Owens acknowledged in a message to parents on Wednesday. The shortage was upgraded after some operators servicing Nepean, Gloucester, and Kars reported increased driver shortages.
“These new shortages include seven drivers who are ready to service our runs on the first day of school, but are awaiting licensing clearance from the MTO,” Owens said. “We have contacted our ministry partners to expedite this process and hope these routes will return to service early next week.” Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content The west-end driver shortage reported last week also remains. Driver shortages fluctuate throughout the year, especially after the holidays, when many drivers do not return, Owens said. “Many factors contribute to the increase, including last-minute resignations, downgraded licences, serious medical situations and drivers who require more training.
As every new driver is placed, operators look for the most appropriate route for that driver, given where they live and their personal circumstances.” Choosing routes to place on the long-term cancellation list is a comprehensive process that aims to balance the needs of students, families, and drivers while considering logistical and practical constraints, Owens said. Key elements in the decision include the availability of alternative transportation options, such as public transit, the accessibility of safe bicycling or walking routes and the distance a student must travel to school from the beginning of each route.
OSTA must also factor in the willingness of drivers to accept specific routes, she said. Some drivers are grandparents who choose to drive so they can transport their grandchildren to school, some are parents of school-age children who choose routes where their children are enrolled, while others have outside commitments. Advertisement 4 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content Owens urged parents who see a cancellation notice to continue to monitor the OSTA website. “Cancelled services may change daily. Information about cancellations is intended to give parents and guardians as much notice as possible so they can plan alternative arrangements in the worst-case scenario,” Owens said.
OSTA is to provide another update at the end of next week. Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed Recommended from Editorial Slain Ottawa woman remembered as loving mother, amazing friend and motorsport enthusiast Car driven through Barrhaven home Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : New school bus driver shortages in Nepean, Kars and Gloucester for this school year Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Comments You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments. Create an Account Sign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion.
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