Yellowknife parents, trustees search for solutions as more school bus routes get cancelled
CBC
After building up her savings over the Christmas holiday, Taya Burke was finally ready to buy her kids a school bus pass. Instead, she discovered the route they needed had been cancelled.
Burke, who moved back to Yellowknife in November from Nova Scotia, had initially been shocked to learn it would cost her a couple hundred dollars per child for bus service — a fee she couldn't afford right away, as a single parent just getting settled in the city.
Now, she's one of many families looking for alternatives to get their kids to school.
"I'm back to square one, driving the kids to school every day. And now, starting a new job, I'm going to have to lean on some family friends to act as chauffeurs for my kids after school so I can start working full-time," she said.
In recent weeks, First Transit — the contractor that provides busing service in Yellowknife — announced the indefinite cancellation of three bus routes because the company doesn't have enough drivers.
Those include Bus 10, which stopped running as of Jan. 3; Bus 12, which stopped as of Jan. 9; and Bus 9, which stopped as of Jan. 16.
Each time, First Transit has sent out tweets about the cancellations, apologizing for the inconvenience and promising updates as the situation changes.
A spokesperson for First Transit was not available for an interview Wednesday.
Yellowknife Public Education District No. 1 board chair David Wasylciw said the topic prompted a lengthy discussion at the board's regular January meeting on Tuesday.
Wasylciw said there's no news yet to share on what the board plans to do, but parents have been bringing forward suggestions, which the school district has been examining.
"Hang tight — we're trying to find solutions," he said. "As soon as we know something, the board will be letting people know."
One possibility the board discussed at Tuesday's meeting included whether they could get more spaces in after-school programs, something that would ultimately be up to the territory's Department of Education, Culture and Employment.
"Part of it is just finding outside-the-box solutions," he said.
"That doesn't directly solve it, but it might help some families."
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