Parents of children who rely on the bus to get to school are being told to have a backup plan in place as bus companies across southwestern Ontario deal with a driver shortage.
Southwestern Ontario Student Transportation Services (STS) said Tuesday parents should make alternate transportation arrangements in the event of service disruptions when kids within the Thames Valley District School Board and the London District Catholic School Board return to the classroom next week.
"Bus companies have reported to us that they have had difficulty attracting and retaining drivers since schools were ordered closed in the spring. In some cases, buses may run late or be cancelled for the day,” STS Chief Administrative Officer Maureen Cosyn Heath said in a statement.
Parents will be notified of any delays or cancellations through the STS website mybigyellowbus.ca and the BusPlanner Delays app.
“We understand that families require reliable transportation for students, and we are disappointed to start the school year with the potential for service disruptions. We want to remind parents that they should have back up plans in place just in case," said Cosyn Heath.
Any service disruptions will be posted on a daily basis with the aim to give parents as much notice as possible.
