Calgary Board of Education to reduce bus stops and routes
Some students might have to walk up to 2.4 kilometres to catch a ride
In order to balance its budget, the Calgary Board of Education says it will be making its school bus system more efficient this fall.
The CBE says it will be reducing its bus routes and moving from "community-based' to "congregated" bus stops.
But that could mean some students will have to walk as far as 2.4 kilometres to catch a ride.
"We recognize that's going to pose a challenge for some of our youngest learners," said CBE chair Joy Bowen-Eyre.
And although parents may end up driving their kids to these new bus stops, Bowen-Eyre says they'll be located in safer areas with more parking.
Enrolment to increase
"Right now some of our stops are on busy streets or in front of people's homes. Being able to park has posed a serious problem in the past," she said.
The school board currently transports over 37,000 students, but enrolment is expected to increase by 2,500 overall in September.
Bowen-Eyre says by trimming the number of bus stops and bus routes, the fees parents have to pay for transportation won't go up.
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Bowen-Eyre says the CBE is also investing in a GPS system that will allow parents to track their child's school bus and find out if it's running late.
Corrections
- We initially reported that CBE students may have to walk or be driven up to 1.4 kilometres to reach the new bus stops. In fact, students may have to travel up to 2.4 kilometres.May 14, 2015 12:46 PM MT