Hours before the first day of school for many students in Montreal, the Lester B. Pearson School Board said some students won't be picked up at their bus stop due to ongoing negotiations with transportation companies.
As of Monday afternoon, bus companies servicing about 60 per cent of the school bus routes will be operational Tuesday as only three school bus carriers have accepted an agreement in principle with the Quebec government.
"With negotiations ongoing, the LBPSB remains hopeful that agreements will soon be reached with all the carriers so all students can benefit from school bus service at the start of the school year," the board wrote in a news release on Monday.
The board is introducing some "mitigation measures" due to the lack of transportation, including extended supervision hours for elementary school students before and after school ends. The supervision would start 45 minutes prior to the start of school and 30 minutes after it ends, though the service will only be available starting on Thursday.
School buildings will also open an hour earlier for high school students to give parents a longer window to drop off their children. The board is encouraging students to use carpooling and public transit to get to and from school during the transportation disruption.
The English Montreal School Board said in a notice last Friday that school bus service would be ready to roll for all students on Tuesday.
