Regina group petitioning public school board to reconsider busing changes

The safety of children was the motivating factor behind a community group petitioning the Regina Public School Board to bring back the buses.

Anthony Eberle joined CBC Radio's The Morning Edition to discuss a petition created by a group called Bring Back Our Buses. 

The group, consisting of parents and concerned citizens, wants the board reconsider changes to the busing routes which are slated to roll out in the fall which will result in kindergarten to eighth grade students walking to school if they live less than a kilometre away.

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"Right away, as soon as you have a problem like this, you want to come with solutions," Eberle said. 

Currently, first to eighth grade students are bused if they live more than 1200 metres, as are kindergarten students who live more than 600 metres. 

"For many children out there, that's going to be a lot more than one kilometre," Eberle said of actual walking distance, rather than the "as the crow flies" philosophy.

Students may also have to cross major streets and intersections. Using Arcola Community School as an example, he noted three major intersections involving College Avenue, Arcola Avenue and Park Street nearby. 

The group has brainstormed ideas, such as paying out of pocket for busing services or having buses shuttle both separate and public school students between home and class.

"It would be nice to maybe explore — if it's beneficial or not — to have those children on one bus."

Eberle will make a presentation in front of the Regina Public School board Tuesday evening. The changes to busing stems from a $9.5 million budget shortfall stemming from March's provincial budget.