OSTA driver shortage impacting over 2,000 students with new school year approaching
Posted Aug 23, 2022 01:02:39 AM.
With a new school year approaching, the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) is stating that an ongoing school bus driver shortage will have an impact on more than 2,000 students.
Vicky Kyriaco, chief administrative officer (CAO) for OSTA, told The Sam Laprade Show on Aug. 22 that at this time, OSTA has hired just over 30 new bus drivers, but the organization needs 70 new drivers for the new school year.
The Ottawa-Carleton School Board (OCDSB) and the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) are welcoming students back to classes on Sept. 6
The driver shortage is better than last year said Kyriaco, when transportation services were disrupted for 12,000 students.
“There will be a challenge for us getting all the routes organized and covered for start-up in September,” she said.
Due to the driver shortage, OSTA is delaying opening its portal for parents, which is now scheduled to launch on Aug. 29. At that time, parents will be able to check the status of bus routes.
Kyriaco said that OSTA is redesigning some routes based on the current number of drivers the organization has, adding that transportation will be available to just over 96 per cent of students on the first day of school.
For routes impacted by service disruptions, OSTA is working with operators to reinstate routes by moving runs with low ridership into one run, moving students from cancelled routes to existing routes, adding congregated stops, building in delays in arrivals or departures and using alternate modes like vans or public transit.
Kyriaco hopes to have the number of students that will impacted reduced by the time the portal opens, and in time when kids officially go back to school.
Listen to the full interview with Vicky Kyriaco below:
