A list of bus cancellations and delays greeted London-area parents this week as students returned to class after two weeks of online learning.
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A list of bus cancellations and delays greeted London-area parents this week as students returned to class after two weeks of online learning.
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Buses were delayed or canceled Tuesday for 24 London-area schools. And school bus operators warn there could be more cancellations or delays if drivers become ill from the highly contagious Omicron variant.
Nancy Daigneault, executive director of industry umbrella group School Bus Ontario, said operators “are doing everything we can in this COVID environment” to keep buses running, calling it “a daily struggle.” About 50,000 school children in the London region take a bus to school.
“It’s going to be day-by-day and we are asking for some patience with this,” Daigneault said. “We know according to the numbers and experts how quickly this variant is spreading and we’re expecting people to get sick including drivers and maintenance staff and whatnot.
“We will decide on the routes on a daily basis, in terms of staffing levels. We’re encouraging parents to monitor those websites that they normally monitor about cancellations and delays and just be extra vigilant going forward to make sure you keep an eye on those websites.”
Southwestern Ontario Student Transportation Services Inc., the consortium that runs busing for the Thames Valley and London District Catholic school boards, posted a notice on its website late last week warning parents of the possibility buses could be canceled because of a shortage of drivers.
“Unfortunately, there is not the supply of spare bus drivers as in the past to cover all routes where a bus driver may be required to be off work for a number of days,” the notice said.
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The consortium warned parents the shortage of supply drivers could cause cancellations to last for several days.
Parents are advised to check mybigyellowbus.ca and to download the BusPlanners Delay app to learn the latest on cancellations.
School bus drivers wear masks and gloves, plus they wear visors while loading and unloading buses. Drivers will soon receive N95 masks from the Education Ministry, Daigneault said.
“Some of our operators have already received it,” she said. “Some are still waiting for it, but I am sure it will be coming.”
Buses are cleaned and sanitized twice every day, Daigneault said, adding opening windows “is another layer of protection.”
Sharp Bus Lines has 43 drivers and five monitors in the London region, said Alison Ivan, spokesperson for the company.
“With the current landscape, it’s extremely difficult to know what is to be expected in the coming weeks,” Ivan said. “We have spare drivers on standby for last-minute route coverage and there are processes in place to ensure our staff and drivers stay and feel safe while on the job, including strict guidelines for PPE.”
Sharp bus drivers also have access to rapid antigen testing, for fast COVID results, she said.
By the numbers: Students and busing
1,100: Routes in the Thames Valley District and London District Catholic school boards
50,000: Student riders in London, and in Elgin, Oxford and Middlesex counties
100,000: Number of students in both boards
830,000 : Student riders in Ontario
2 million: Ontario students