Student Transportation Services of Brant Haldimand Norfolk experiencing shortage of school bus drivers

Shortage causing delays in scheduled services, interested individuals encouraged to apply

Student Transportation Services of Brant Haldimand Norfolk (STSBHN) is advising that a shortage of school bus drivers is affecting school bus operations in the Counties of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk as well as the City of Brantford. Similar to many school boards across Ontario, the shortage is impacting some schools and families through delays in scheduled services.

STSBHN is working with the three local bus companies to try to minimize the impact on students by splitting routes and re-assigning stops.

Parents are encouraged to sign up for delay and cancellation notifications on the STSBHN parent portal (transinfobhn.ca) or download the Delays app (supported by Apple and Android devices, visit stsbhn.ca/faqs for “how to” information). A list of bus delays is also posted daily on the STSBHN website.

“We appreciate the close to 400 caring professional school bus drivers who service our community and support the education sector; they are the backbone of the services we provide.” says Philip Kuckyt, Manager of Transportation Services for STSBHN. “We hear from our drivers about how school bus driving is a challenging, rewarding and fulfilling part-time career in protecting the safety of our students and getting them to school ready to learn. Our families appreciate and rely on our school bus drivers to deliver their children to and from school safely.”

Kuckyt acknowledges that he and his staff are aware of the impact this driver shortage is having on families and appreciates everyone’s patience and understanding during this challenging time.

The bus driver shortage is currently impacting all parts of the region, and STSBHN is working to support the recruitment of new drivers. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact the following bus companies to see if becoming a professional school bus driver is a good fit for them:

• First Student Canada: 905-648-1386
• Sharp Bus Lines, Brantford: 519-751-3434
• Sharp Bus Lines, Simcoe: 519-426-0050
• Voyago Transportation: 519-787-2202

STSBHN is a transportation consortium providing home to school transportation services to students of the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board, Grand Erie District School Board and Conseil Scholaire Catholique MonAvenir.

For additional information, please contact:
Philip Kuckyt
Manager of Transportation Services
515-751-7532

Happy “new year”! I hope everyone had a pleasant summer holiday. It’s been nice to talk to students and parents this week about all the things you’ve done over the past two months. I’ve heard lots of stories of fun trips and relaxation. I’ve also heard a few about some more stressful experiences that life seems to always present. Whatever the past 2 months brought for you, I’m looking forward to working together again as a Boston School Family to support each other. September brings the opportunity for fresh starts and lots of reason for optimism. Each and every student is full of potential, and on a pathway that is their own unique success story (always in progress)!

This year you’ll notice that the staff is mostly the same with a few exceptions. Mrs. Huffman is off this year with her new baby. We would like to welcome Ms. Agius, who has joined us to teach the 3/4 class. We are excited to have her back as part of the Boston team! We would also like to welcome Mrs. Trembley as our new custodian. We are all in good hands with her making sure the building is in good shape!

On the first day, we had a Welcome-Back Assembly in which we committed to two very simple things this year: 1) We will always do our best

2) We will always be kind

I believe those two simple statements can guide every decision we make every day, and I’ve asked every Blazer to consider them when they are making choices.

Once again, welcome to a new school year. It’s good to be back!