Bus delays to be expected due to driver shortage as kids return to class
Windsor-Essex consortium prompted to make 'last minute changes'
Two of Windsor-Essex's major school boards are telling parents that bus changes should be expected due to "last minute changes" and driver shortages.
Both the Greater Essex County District School Board and the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board urged parents to double-check Buskids.ca — the website for the transportation consortium in our region — to check for updates or changes.
The boards say it's due to driver shortages.
"We are advising everyone to be patient as some buses may run later than expected because of new safety protocols and practices that have been put in place," read a statement on the public board's website.
Meanwhile, the Catholic board said service could be affected including routes, schedules and to any seating assignments that may have already been communicated.
"We expect that some buses may be running late, so please be patient [Thursday] morning," the statement read.
The transportation consortium also provides services for Windsor-Essex's public and Catholic French boards.
Ontario-wide issue
Meanwhile, other areas of the province are also experience shortages and delays as kids across Ontario head back to classrooms.
Parents and advocates say the issues come on top of a long-standing bus driver shortage across Ontario and are compounding a situation that was troubling long before the global outbreak.
Twelve bus routes were cancelled in both the Grey-Bruce and Thunder Bay regions as of Wednesday.
In Sudbury, Ont., the student services consortium announced Monday that 23 routes will not run for at least the first week of school because not enough drivers returned to work.
The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) is warning parents it still doesn't have enough drivers to transport all students returning to school this fall.
Some students in grades 7-12 will have to take public transit, and some school buses will be delayed or cancelled, according to a statement issued by OSTA Wednesday afternoon.