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
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.