Alan Jackson, director of Renfrew County Bus Lines. (Sherry Haaima photo)
With negotiations between the Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium (RCJTC) and local bus operators stalled, transportation for thousands of students across the region is in jeopardy as the return to school looms.
School bus operators recently rejected the most recent contract offer from RCJTC, which distributes provincial funds to them.
Alan Jackson, director of Renfrew County Bus Lines, said it appears talks have just stalled, despite a long effort – negotiations began last August and the contract expired this June.
The bus operators say the since the pandemic, costs have increased dramatically, and the modest increase provided them doesn’t come close to meeting their needs.
Jackson said the cost of buses is now 71 higher, parts, tires and brakes are 50 per cent more expensive, driver wages are up 38 per cent and insurance is costing 30 per cent more.
Underfunding has left the bus operators in a precarious position, said Jackson, noting that this year alone Renfrew County Bus Lines has replaced six buses at a cost of close to $1 million.
In addition, bus operators in neighbouring jurisdictions are getting rates up to 20 per cent higher than in Renfrew County, said Jackson.
The two sides have been pretty far apart, he said.
For its part, RCJTC officials say they want to make it clear they have enormous respect and appreciation for school bus drivers and the important role they play.
“While we are hoping for and working toward contract extensions, at issue here is the massive increase to rates the school bus companies are requesting. We have already offered unprecedented and substantial increases. Meeting those requests is impossible within the existing transportation budgets without pulling dollars from schools and student programming,” said Justin Jeffrey, RCJTC general manager, in a press release.
The bus operators urge school boards and the province to access reserves to help keep bus service running.
Jackson said they understand this is not just a consortium and school board issue, and that’s why they’ve called on Minister of Education Todd Smith to intervene.
An interruption in service is the last thing bus operators want, said Jackson.
(Written by Sherry Haaima)