Frustration grows as officials warn Ottawa school bus driver shortage could last months
Students in the capital have now been back in class for weeks but a school bus driver shortage isn't getting any better and could last months.
It's yet another roadblock for students and parents amid an already challenging pandemic school year.
Just weeks in, a worsening school bus driver shortage in Ottawa has left thousands of students without bus transportation to school.
"My son and daughter got their buses actually at the start of the school year and somehow they just got cancelled after one and a half weeks or two weeks, what has happened I don't understand," said Atif Sidiqqi, whose kids' buses have been cancelled.
Saddiqi is driving his kids to school, taking turns with neighbours when he can to share the burden. He says taking public transportation would take his kids hours.
"It's quite frustrating because COVID has been here for two years now and OSTA has enough time to plan these things," said Saddiqi.
The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) said since July more than 100 permanent drivers have quit, and only 46 new drivers have been deployed.
"We still have drivers who are concerned about their health and who are looking with trepidation to whether they should return to not," said Vicky Kyriaco, General Manager and CAO of the OSTA.
One hundred and fourteen routes and 484 runs have been cancelled, leaving more than 3,000 students to rely on OC Transpo.
The city's west end has been hardest hit.
"The service demands are much higher than the supply, we have a reduction of drivers but an increase in numbers of students who need transportation," said Kyriaco.
The authority warns the issue could last weeks if not months.
"Is it sustainable to expect retirees to be our main pool or candidates? Do we have to look at changing what the wage structure could be with out operators," Kyriaco said.
The OSTA said as drivers become available, rural routes and low-income school communities will be prioritized.
Parents are hopeful for a solution before the colder weather hits.
"For sure my frustration will go up if this stays during winter time, if I have to this while there's snow or freezing rain outside," said Siddiqi.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.