Parents contending with a staggered return to school in Ottawa will also be charged with finding their own way to get their kids to school in September as yellow buses won’t be ready for service until Sept. 14.
The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) said Monday afternoon it needs more time to plan routes and to implement safety measures ahead of the return to school during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The OSTA provides bussing for students in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) and the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB).
The first day of school for students in the OCDSB is Sept. 3, though the board has allowed for a staggered start over the first two weeks of classes that will see some schools and grades return on different days. Students in the OCSB will see a staggered start from Sept. 3-9 with students divided based on grades.
“During this time, parents will be expected to find their own means of transportation to school,” the OSTA said in a statement.
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Presto cards for students who rely on OC Transpo will still be distributed through children’s schools before Sept. 3.
When school bus service does start, students will be given assigned seating with children in the same family or cohort paired together when possible. Students might still be seated two or three to a bench when needed, based on full loads of 48-70 students.
Vehicles will be deep cleaned twice per day.
Unifor, the union representing many Ontario school bus drivers, said Tuesday they have not received safety protocols from the provincial government with just a few weeks remaining until the start of classes. OSTA does not, however, have any drivers represented in Unifor.
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