MONTREAL -- The Quebec government’s plan to open schools in just over a week has raised questions from teachers, parents and now school bus drivers, about how children will be able to get to school safely and not further spread COVID-19.
Andrew Jones is president of Transport Scolaire and Autobus Beaconsfield that runs 42 buses for general and special needs students. The fleet’s 21 20-passenger buses for special needs students will now have a maximum capacity of five and the 21 72-passenger buses will be limited to 12, as part of the strategy to curb the virus’s spread.
Jones said most buses are generally full during the school year, and even if half the students stay home, there will not be enough buses for the children.
“The last thing we want is to leave a kid on a street corner because of this because they’re entitled to school busing,” said Jones.
Eastern Townships School Board chairperson Michael Murray.
"If you have more students than 12, you need to run another bus," he said. "Well no one has told us where to get other buses."
The Federation des Transporteurs par Autobus (FTA) issued a news release Wednesday with a list of questions for the government’s plan to put buses back on the road.
“The announcement of the return to class of elementary students on May 11 requires a clear plan of action and guidelines so that carriers can resume their transportation services while ensuring everyone's safety,” reads the release adding that 54 per cent of the federation's bus drivers are over 60 and are at a higher risk of catching COVID-19.
School bus unions have already suffered from a shortage of drivers that may be exacerbated if many decide not to get behind the wheel again.
The government has encouraged parents to give their children rides to school, which Jones said sounds great, but will cause traffic nightmares for bus drivers trying to get into already congested driveways in front of schools.
“Schools are in residential areas and not able to handle that kind of traffic,” said Jones. “At that point we ask, who’s going to enforce traffic laws, safety laws in and around school drop off zones… That is a horrific nightmare day in and day out.”
Premier Francois Legault has said sending children back to school is optional, classes will have a maximum of 15 students, and that, in particular, special needs students will benefit from it.
Jones said physical distancing will be incredibly difficult if not impossible with students on buses, but especially for those with special needs.
“We transport a lot of special needs students with harnesses because they get up and move around on the bus,” said Jones.
The FTA has sent a list of recommendations, observations and questions to the ministry regarding the health measures.
“We have a lot of unknowns without a clear plan, and it’s really unfair that it’s left to the school boards and transporters,” said Jones.
