Households in Renfrew County may very well be left scrambling to seek out transportation for his or her youngsters when the college 12 months begins.
The Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium (RCJTC) despatched a letter to households on Monday saying faculty bus corporations have rejected the latest contract extension affords.
“Not like years earlier than, the college bus service corporations are refusing to ensure that there will probably be scholar transportation companies in September except contract extensions are reached,” Justin Jeffrey, the overall supervisor on the RCJTC, mentioned within the letter.
The RCJTC coordinates 200 bus routes for college kids throughout the Renfrew County District Faculty Board (RCDSB) and the Renfrew County Catholic District Faculty Board (RCCDSB), offering service to 10,000 college students every day.
The consortium added that it has “monumental respect and appreciation for the college bus drivers and the essential position they play in our college students’ schooling.”
It mentioned its funding comes from the Ministry of Schooling, by means of the college boards, and the funding gives a set quantity particularly for scholar transportation. This implies they’re “restricted” in what could be provided for fee will increase to high school bus service corporations, it mentioned.
“Though our affords have included unprecedented will increase to charges, assembly the present calls for is solely not potential with out cuts to applications and companies that instantly impression classroom schooling,” Jeffrey mentioned.
Ministry requested to do extra
In a press release, the Renfrew County Faculty Bus Operators, a gaggle of personal faculty bus suppliers, mentioned RCJTC “appears to be sitting on reserves whereas placing the brakes on funds that the operators require simply to maintain up with inflation, drivers’ pay and the continuation of service.”
Bus operators say they’re going through value will increase of 30 to 70 per cent for inputs wanted to run their transportation companies, together with insurance coverage, new buses, bus components and driver wages. The operators added that negotiations have been occurring for a 12 months and RCJTC’s newest supply of a 12 per cent improve falls quick.
“Bus operators in neighbouring jurisdictions are receiving charges as much as 20 per cent larger than in Renfrew County, however prices to function buses are the identical,” mentioned Mark Allan, a spokesperson for the native bus operators.
“Our buses are licensed able to go, our licensed drivers, who’re skilled, devoted professionals, are able to go. However with no contract, buses will not run.”
The assertion additionally requires the minister of schooling to step in.
“Minister [Todd] Smith should repair the damaged funding protocols which have compelled RCJTC to situation an ultimatum to operators – to simply accept a contract with insufficient funding or lose their bus routes and contracts. This is not truthful negotiating,” mentioned Allan.
Faculty board funding elevated
In an e mail to CBC, the Ministry of Schooling mentioned funding to high school boards has elevated.
“In Renfrew County meaning a rise of $2.2 million for the upcoming 2024/25 faculty 12 months, bringing the entire scholar transportation price range to $18.3 million for each the general public and Catholic faculty boards in Renfrew County,” mentioned Edyta McKay, a spokesperson for the minister of schooling.
“Whereas faculty boards are totally accountable for the supply of scholar transportation, we hope a contract will probably be negotiated quickly so mother and father have certainty and college students are capable of get to their first day of college,” she added.
In a joint assertion, RCDSB and RCCDSB mentioned they help the efforts of the RCJTC, which is exploring all choices to make sure buses transport college students on Sept. 4. These efforts embrace taking a look at different corporations to service bus routes.
