THUNDER BAY — A chronic shortage of school bus drivers that's been compounded this year by drivers' concerns about COVID-19 continues to impact school busing in the Thunder Bay area.
Student Transportation Services of Thunder Bay, the consortium that manages the busing system for local school boards, says service on three routes is suspended from Nov. 23 through Nov. 30.
The affected routes are North 90, North 91, and North 94, which serve students attending Five Mile and Woodcrest elementary schools, Hammarskjold High School, and Superior Collegiate. Only the noon bus service for high school students served by the North 90 and North 94 routes will be provided.
"Due to the ongoing severe driver shortage, all available driver resources are being used to cover as many routes with no permanently assigned drivers as possible," a message on the STSTB Facebook page states.
The notice advises parents "to be prepared for their child's bus to be suspended at any time."
Consortium manager Craig Murphy told Tbnewswatch the driver shortage has persisted since the beginning of the school year, when more than dozen routes were cancelled just before classes began.
Some drivers who were concerned about COVID-19 did eventually get back behind the wheel, but Murphy said "the bus operators are still struggling" to maintain service on all routes at all times.
When situations arise in which the regular driver is off, and a spare driver isn't available, "we have no choice but to suspend the route," he said.
This has happened on multiple occasions since the beginning of September.
In the latest instance, the consortium was only made aware Sunday that some service would be suspended.
