Bus driver shortage in some Manitoba school divisions
Seine River School Division (SRSD) and others in the province are having trouble staffing bus routes, and it’s causing some trips to be cancelled.
“We don’t have a driver for a particular route, so then you have to cancel the bus from that route,” Said Co-Superintendent Simon Laplante.
“Parents are usually advised the night before but not always.”
On Monday, the SRSD sent out a letter to parents addressing some of the bus route cancellations and outlined potential solutions, including cancelling bus trips within 1.6 kilometres of school, and dropping kids off earlier and picking them up later so buses can make two trips.
Laplante said COVID-19 health regulations have also reduced the number of available drivers.
“I’d like to get five or six more bus drivers so we can have all our routes operational. Then kids get to school on time, and they get to know their drivers cause it’s the same person all the time.”
The Winnipeg School Division (WSD) confirms it’s also had to cancel bus routes regularly this year due to a driver shortage and is actively recruiting new drivers.
UFCW Local 832 which represents bus drivers in the WSD said wages are a part of the issue,
In a statement to CTV News, union president Jeff Traeger said: “The hourly wages may look good on paper, but these are part-time, split-shift jobs. If you only get to work a few hours a day, you’re still having trouble providing for your family. Split-shifts are a part of the job, but they make it difficult to pick up additional jobs elsewhere to complete a person’s income.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Canadian-Israeli man shot dead in Egypt; claim links killing to Gaza
A Canadian man 'of Jewish Israeli descent' has been shot dead in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in a suspected criminal case, a security source said, while a previously unknown militant group said it carried out the attack in reaction to the war in Gaza.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Bank of Canada says financial system is stable, but risks remain
The Bank of Canada says the Canadian financial system is stable, but risks remain due to debt servicing costs among households and businesses and stretched valuations of financial assets.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.