THUNDER BAY – When Thunder Bay’s school transportation consortium announced 12 school bus routes would be fully or partially cancelled due to a shortage of drivers on Friday, it came as a surprise to many affected families.
Craig Murphy, manager of Student Transportation Services of Thunder Bay, said the problem only became apparent at the end of August.
“This did come up as a bit more of a surprise than we were anticipating,” he said. “We had been in constant contact with our bus operators since schools closed in March to ensure they were ready to resume.”
Operators initially reported a full roster of drivers were returning, he said, but a trickle of drivers who announced they wouldn’t be returning to work in mid-August turned to a steady stream by the end of the month.
That left the consortium, which arranges transportation for all three local school boards, scrambling to cover what were initially 30 un-staffed bus routes.
According to Murphy, a combination of new trainees and reworking of routes brought the number down to 12.
Murphy attributes the driver shortage largely to the age of drivers, which puts many in a higher risk category for COVID-19.
The average age of a school bus driver in Thunder Bay is 57, he said, with many in their 60s and some into their early 70s.
“Certainly there are some drivers, given the age group, that are concerned for their health, and we certainly respect their right to have that decision,” Murphy said.
Parents of students on the 12 cancelled routes were directed to find other means of getting their children to school. However, Murphy maintained the board is working to rectify the situation as quickly as possible.
If unable to find additional drivers, that could include absorbing affected students into other bus routes. Changing routes is a major process that would affect ride and drop times, Murphy said, making the solution less than ideal.
“We’re trying to avoid that, but at the end of the day we want to get these kids to school,” he said.
