The Foothills School Division continues to face challenges with transportation, according to department director Wanda le Roux.
As of Sept. 27, 3,659 students have been considered eligible for bussing – an increase of 123 students from the previous year. Students are considered eligible if their residence is further than 2.4 kilometres from their school, as determined by Alberta Education.
Co-ordinating the user pay transportation program – for students who live within 2.4 km of their school or those who decide to attend a school of choice outside their designated boundary – has also presented its own set of challenges, le Roux said.
Staffing also continues to be a prominent problem, with eight retirements and two resignations of bus drivers at the end of last school year. The division has 72 routes every day and multiple routes per week are affected with positive COVID-19 cases and/or symptoms.
All spare drivers are currently driving ‘semi full-time,’ le Roux said, so filling temporary vacancies is challenging. This also makes it difficult for drivers to offer their services for field trips, because they have to fit inside the pick-up, drop-off window.
While the cost of parts, oil and fuel have continued to rise, there is one bright spot when it comes to the division’s finances. The Fuel Price Contingency Program has returned, meaning the division receives rebates for the difference between $1.25/L and the actual price paid. The rebate worked retroactively from March to June and FSD received a cheque for nearly $123,000 as a result.
Traffic compliance around school buses has been a substantial issue, with 27 vehicles passing a bus with its sign out and lights flashing on a single route back in May. A ticket for this offence costs $567. In October, le Roux and a driver will attend court for one of these tickets.
She said the division is working with sheriffs, RCMP and Foothills County to put a stop to these offences.
