The wheels on the bus will go round and round for local students in Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) and Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) schools this September.
Since March 2023, Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario (STEO), the agency that provides school transportation for the two boards, had been in contract negotiations with the bus companies. The negotiations had been going poorly, raising the potential for students to be without transportation to school on the first day back. However, on August 28, STEO) and area school bus companies reached a tentative agreement to provide student transportation services.
There is now greater optimism that on the first day of school, more than 30,000 students and their families will be able to count on having a safe and reliable ride to school.
This tentative four-year agreement will provide both STEO and the school bus companies with better long-term certainty, and more importantly, offer students and their families the comfort of knowing that transportation services have been secured for the next four years.
Further details on accessing transportation information will be shared with students and families once the tentative agreement has been accepted and school bus routes have been finalized.
“We are delighted to have reached an agreement with the school bus companies and to continue the positive relationships we have built over many years, for the foreseeable future. Throughout this process I know the school bus companies, our team, and the school boards have done everything possible to prioritize the needs of students and their families, and I am thrilled to be able to share this news with the families we serve,” STEO President Janet Murray said.
Both STEO and the school bus companies would like to thank students and families for their patience during these discussions and hope that everyone can enjoy the last week of summer vacation, knowing that school buses will be running when it’s time for kids to go back to class.
