Community News

BUS DRIVER SHORTAGE CAUSES COMMUTE DELAYS FOR STUDENTS

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VACCINATION MANDATE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF 40 DRIVERS IN PEEL

CLARRIE FEINSTEIN cfeinstein@metroland.com

In Peel region, there is a school bus driver shortage due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate causing commute delays for DufferinPeel Catholic District School Board's students.

On Nov. 9, a report was put forward for the Administration and Finance Committee meeting, providing updated information related to service delivery by the Student Transportation of Peel Region (STOPR) and Service de Transport WellingtonDufferin Student Transportation (STWDSTS).

The report details student transportation services are following the capacity restrictions in the buses, as per the direction of Peel Public Health. Because of the additional runs and routes this school year due to capacity restrictions, the implementation of the vaccination disclosure mandate for drivers, and the recent lifting of some travel restrictions the report says that STOPR has faced "more day-to-day challenges with having to cover unexpected driver absences."

The bus operators reported that the implementation of the vaccination mandate resulted in a loss of 40 drivers' across the region.

"In order to cover the loss of regular drivers, the spare driver pool has been almost entirely exhausted," the report adds. "The bus operators are working extremely hard to build up their spare driver pool as they continue to recruit, train, and hire new school bus drivers."

However, the report states it is difficult to recruit new applicants for school bus driving, as it takes four to five weeks to fully train and qualify a new school bus driver, and often "some new trainees will quit prior to completing their training program."

The board noted that the total number of delays is "minimal" in comparison to the total number of runs (6,007) and routes (1,482) that student transportation services operates.

While the number of delays continues to improve

overall, there are a few routes with more significant delays.

The top three DufferinPeel Catholic District School Board schools that registered the most delays from Sept. 24 to Oct. 22, due to driver status, distance travelled, and traffic patterns are: St. Rita Catholic

Elementary School in Brampton, St. Sofia Catholic Elementary School in Mississauga, and St. John Bosco Catholic Elementary School in Brampton.

St. Rita experienced the most delays with 31 reported delays of 15 minutes, 12 reported delays of 20 minutes, and one reported delay of 45 minutes. In second, was St. Sofia with 14 reported delays of 15 minutes, four reported delays of 20 minutes, and three reported delays of 30 minutes. Last is St. John Bosco with nine reported delays of 15 minutes, four reported delays of 20 minutes, and one reported delay of 45 minutes.

From Sept. 27 to Oct. 22, the number of 10-minute delayed runs out of the total runs per day of 1,593 increased from 160 to 174. The number slightly increased for 15-minute delayed runs from 71 to 78, but the number of 20-minute delayed runs decreased from 75 to 40 over the three week period.

The report concluded that both transportation services continue to work with school boards and local public health authorities to "ensure safe and secure service is provided."

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2021-11-25T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-11-25T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://communitynews.pressreader.com/article/281767042491816

Metroland Media Group Ltd.