School Division Needs Bus Drivers

School Division Needs Bus Drivers June 20, 2018 Regular (Public) Meeting of the South East Cornerstone Public School Division (SECPSD) Board of Education

Submitted by Norm Park, Contracted Reporter for SECPSD Finding substitute school bus drivers in the rural areas of the South East Cornerstone Public School Division became a growing problem in the final quarter of the current school year, according to information released by the facilities and transportation manager Andy Dobson. The report was presented to the board members on June 20 during their regular business meeting. Shelley Toth, the division’s chief financial officer, issued the information since Dobson was unable to attend the session in person. The report indicated that 47 of the 176 route cancellations in the past three months were due to the lack of a substitute driver. Another 125 cancellations were attributed to weather related situations including an early spring fog. Four other cancellations were due to mechanical issues. A total of 4,121 Cornerstone students were bus riders in the final quarter of the school year and the average one-way ride time remained at 48 minutes with the longest one-way ride time being a Torquay area pick up route to Estevan that encompasses about 90 minutes. The report stated that one route on the west side of the region has now been eliminated. The board members did discuss the practice of “deadheading” buses (taking an empty bus to a residence away from the dispatch area) and how that might affect the recruitment of drivers. The policy regarding this issue as it relates to in-city routes in Weyburn and Estevan and more rural pick-ups was further discussed to see if there might be a desire to change the policy. “We have tried to eliminate a lot of deadheading in the past,” said Lynn Little, the division’s director of education. It was agreed the discussion could be continued in the future with Dobson being present to provide more details and comments regarding bus drivers and their access to the buses they are expected to drive. -30For more information, please contact: South East Cornerstone Public School Division 80A-18th Street N.E., Weyburn, SK S4H 2W4 Telephone: (306) 848-0080 Website: www.secpsd.ca Email: [email protected]