The Sooke School District is flashing its signals for new bus drivers after they had to cancel a handful of routes in late November.
On Friday, Nov. 27, route 5 and 10 were cancelled, which left parents and guardians with one less option to get their kids to school. On Monday, Nov. 30, route 3 and 37 were cancelled, and the day after, route 37 was cancelled again.
B次元官网网址淲e know our system isnB次元官网网址檛 perfect,B次元官网网址� said Lindsay Vogan, communications manager at SD62. B次元官网网址淲e know the cancellations are an inconvenience for families and we are trying hard to mitigate them. The reality though, is that we simply do not have any back-up/on-call drivers.B次元官网网址�
The route cancellations were caused by either a driver that was sick or had an excusable appointment, such as medical, Vogan said. Though they have 39 drivers to cover the district, five more than last year, that isnB次元官网网址檛 enough.
READ MORE: Sooke School District opens conversation on catchment boundary changes
In 2019, SD62 had four spare buses. Since the pandemic, all buses and drivers are being utilized, as theyB次元官网网址檝e had to separate levels of school into elementary, middle and secondary in line with provincial health recommendations.
Vogan said itB次元官网网址檚 been difficult to find qualified drivers willing to work on an on-call basis, especially with the cold and flu season and the doubling of routes.
She said the district has been actively looking for more drivers since the beginning of November. They require drivers with a Class 2 licence with air brake endorsement, a medical certificate within the last six months and a valid first aid certificate.
She points out that school busing is not mandated by the provincial government and not considered an essential service. SD62 provides busing for families, while other districts, such as the Greater Victoria School District does not.
The district contributes $2.7 million each year to keep up with the demand, and they receive additional funds from the provincial government as well.
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ALSO READ: Sooke School District breaks ground on two new Langford schools
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