Bus driver shortage leaves about 1,000 Toronto school children stranded or delayed

Toronto:- A school bus driver shortage in Toronto and the Hamilton area has delayed more than 1,000 students from getting to school on time or at all, and observers say the industry’s poor wages and working conditions may be to blame.
The Toronto District School Board says the problems affect about 60 routes throughout the city and mainly impact elementary students from both its board and the city’s Catholic board.
Both boards say the problems are centred primarily on three companies that provide bus service: Attridge Transportation, Sharp Bus Lines and Wheelchair Accessible Transit.

They say they are scrambling to get as many children to school with drivers doubling and tripling up routes, calling in extra buses and taxis — even some principals are out in cars helping out.
In Hamilton on Wednesday, board officials say students at 18 schools experienced delays of up to 30 minutes due to the driver shortage.
The schoolboards say any extra costs incurred to get children to school on time will be absorbed by the bus companies.
While growing pains are the normal for busing at the start of the school year, Brian Patterson of the Ontario Safety League, which trains bus drivers, says this year is different.
“There’s been a real downward pressure on wages, and wages really haven’t really changed much. “
Wages average about $65 per day based on four hours of paid work.
He says that instead of driving a school bus, which requires a special licence, specific training and a police background check, some drivers might be working for Uber.
“This year it may be the Uber effect —that there are people who are good, confident, professional and customer-service oriented and they’d rather have the flexibility of driving with Uber then some of the restrictions driving a school bus.”
McCluskey Transportation Services in Etobicoke says it been advertising to hire more drivers, but has received very few calls and may offer some sort of bonus to entice new recruits.
Unifor Local 4268 President Deb Montgomery, which represents 1,200 drivers not affiliated with the companies suffering shortages, says it’s no surprise companies are having trouble finding drivers.
“This was always a job that was precarious and had high turnover,” Montgomery said. “These are the lowest paid transit workers in the Province of Ontario.”
Drivers are paid based on the route they drive, and Patterson said routes are becoming increasingly complicated. Drivers can sign up with a company, receive an undesirable route and then leave to join another company offering a better route.
Through a spokesperson, Education Minister Mitzi Hunter says the government is monitoring the situation closely.
“Our priority is to make sure that students are not left unsupervised and arrive home safely.”