A shortage of school bus drivers is causing delays in service for some families in Brantford, Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk.
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Student Transportation Services of Brant Haldimand Norfolk, which operates school buses for the Grand Erie and Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic district school boards, and the French Catholic school board issued a notice on Monday alerting families to potential bus route disruptions.
“Similar to many school boards across Ontario, the shortage is impacting some schools and families through delays in scheduled services,” said a news release. “Student Transportation Services is working with the three local bus companies to try to minimize the impact on students by splitting routes and re-assigning stops.”
The area is served by First Student Canada, Sharp Bus Lines, and Voyago Transportation.
“We appreciate the close to 400 caring professional school bus drivers who service our community and support the education sector,” said Philip Kuckyt, manager of transportation services for Student Transportation Services of Brant Haldimand Norfolk.
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“We hear from our drivers about how school bus driving is a challenging, rewarding and fulfilling part-time career in protecting the safety of our students and getting them to school ready to learn. Our families appreciate and rely on our school bus drivers to deliver their children to and from school safely.”
The bus driver shortage is a long-standing issue across the province and beyond. The nature of the job – short split shifts and limited income – make it challenging to recruit drivers.
The local school bus system has 395 routes and drivers cover about 37,000 kilometers a day getting children to and from classes. The school boards cover a largely rural population in three large counties. More than 40 per cent of the student population (18,954 people) ride the bus to schools in Brantford and Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk counties.
Kuchyt said he and his staff are aware of the impact the driver shortage is having on families and “appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding during this challenging time.”
The Student Transportation Services of Brant Haldimand Norfolk is helping support the recruitment of new drivers. Applicants are encouraged to contact the local bus companies for more information.
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