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Toronto: The Toronto Student Transportation Group says that drivers have now been assigned to all bus routes in Toronto ahead of the first day of school next week but officials in Halton Region are still warning of possible delays due to a driver shortage.
Earlier this week, the TSTG notified parents that temporary drivers would likely have to be brought in to transport students along 21 routes that did not have a permanent driver assigned to it due to staffing shortages.
On Thursday, the TSTG wrote another letter to parents informing them that those temporary drivers have since been assigned to a route and that “no significant delays are expected” when school gets underway.
The TSTG has previously said that the 21 routes where temporary drivers will be used represent about 1 per cent of the 1,750 routes it oversees.
“These drivers are familiarizing themselves with their assigned routes to be ready for Tuesday’s start-up,” the letter states. “As always, there is a short adjustment period at the beginning of every school year as new drivers and new students familiarize themselves with bus stops and routes, but we don’t anticipate anything above and beyond that.”
While school bus service is expected to be running according to schedule in Toronto on Tuesday, officials with Halton Student Transportation Services say that some delays are possible in the Oakville and Milton areas.
According to spokesperson Karen LaCroix, there is currently about 30 routes without drivers and though temporary workers will be brought in to fill some gaps, delays are still possible,
“We do expect that there will be the usual September start up delays as everyone gets used to the new routes but having said that there may also be some delays as a result of the driver shortage,” she said.
LaCroix said that a shortage of drivers in the Burlington area has been addressed prior to the start of the school year but shortages remain in Oakville and Burlington. .
She said it is hard to say what has brought about the shortage that is impacting school bus operators across the province.
“I wish I knew. It is a seasonal position and throughout the summer I understand that some drivers leave the industry for full time employment.”
A report released by Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dube earlier this month found that 2,600 students were left at bus stops during the start of the school year last year due to the driver shortage.
