New school bus driver shortages in Nepean, Kars and Gloucester for this school year

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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