School bus authority outside Ottawa reaches tentative agreement with bus drivers

The school bus authority that serves school boards to the east and south of Ottawa says it has reached a tentative deal with school bus companies to provide bus service in time for the first day of school.

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"This tentative four-year agreement will provide both STEO and the school bus companies with better long-term certainty, and more importantly, offer students and their families the comfort of knowing that transportation services have been secured for the next four years," STEO said.

Details about the agreement were not released. STEO says it will provide more information to families once the tentative agreement has been accepted and bus routes have been finalized.

It came shortly after STEO warned of possible disruptions to school bus service, as the bus authority and the bus companies remained far apart on a deal.

Frank Healey, spokesperson for the Eastern Ontario Bus Operators Association, said drivers will be happy to get back to work.

"This has been a long process, but I know our drivers will be happy they will be out on the first day of school, greeting familiar faces and playing such an important role for kids across our communities. I want to thank STEO for continuing to work with us to reach an agreement, and I look forward to another four years of working together for students and their families," he said in STEO's release.

The new school year at the UCDSB and the CDSBEO starts Sept. 5.