Sudbury school bus driver fear of virus, confusion around safety, behind route cancellations

Confusion about safety protocols and older drivers at risk are two of the reasons why the Sudbury Student Services Consortium was forced to cancel 25 bus routes at the last minute.

The executive director of the organization that provides busing to schools within the four local school boards says she understands how frustrating it was for families to have to find last minute transportation in the first week of school.

Renee Boucher says drivers quit at the last minute because they weren't sure how all the safety protocols would work, and because many fell in the at-risk category.

"A lot of them are afraid of the virus itself, as well. So a lot of our drivers are in the vulnerable-age category. They're a little older and they really are afraid of the virus, and they don't want to bring it back home."

Boucher says all bus drivers are provided masks and shields, hand sanitizer and there is an empty seat behind them on the bus — and all students are required to wear a face-covering while on the bus.

Despite the cancellations, the first day back went better than expected, she noted. Boucher says she expected widespread confusion about mask-wearing by students on buses — but that didn't happen yesterday.

"According to drivers that I've spoken with, and school bus operators that I've spoke with as well ... they said pretty much every child had a mask. There were no problems with them. The drivers were happy with the support they were getting from parents."