Stock Transportation’s monopoly on student bus services in the region will end next school year, after the Halifax Regional Centre for Education will split its bus services between three companies.
HRCE executive director Elwin Leroux made the announcement Thursday afternoon, following a major overhaul of the busing system for the Halifax region after some major service issues emerged resulting in complaints from parents.
“We recognized in the past we had a contract that served us well for many years, but as we’re growing rapidly in times of change, the contract wasn’t serving us well in that moment and so we took action and we changed the conditions upon which we will do work in the future,” said Leroux.
HRCE received 10 transportation bids for the contracts from companies across the country.
Current provider Stock Transportation was awarded a contract to handle all special needs busing across the region, while Southland Transportation Ltd. and Student Transportation of Canada Inc. will serve all other school routes.
Current routes are being divided into four geographically linked families of schools.
Bus route planning and implementation, along with all communications, have been brought in-house, as HRCE has hired seven staff members in their transportation deportation department and say the busing system has been operating much smoother this year, with less complaints.
The centre for education believes they’ll save upwards of $631,000 annually with the new contract agreements.
Stock said they are disappointed they didn’t get more routes in 2020, as the special needs contract is for 71 routes and the remainder are split between Southland Transportation and Student Transportation of Canada.
Stock says they currently employ 400 unionized drivers, and they all won’t remain with the company come September. Both of the new service providers, however, indicated they would hire those drivers.
NSGEU president Jason Maclean wants those companies to honour the union, as agreed in the RFP process.
“And that’s not to say the new employers will respect NSGEU and voluntarily recognize NSGEU as the bargaining agent for the members, however, our members told us they aren’t going with any provider unless they do have their union with them,” said MacLean.
The new busing contracts agreements are for five-year terms, with the option to sign on for two more years.
Stock will continue to provide all bus service for the remainder of the school year.
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