MELFORT—The North East School Division (NESD) provided an update on transportation challenges in a letter sent to parents on Jan. 13.
“Transportation services at the North East School Division continue to face challenges, leading to many temporary bus route cancellations. Reliable transportation is a critical need for many families, and we acknowledge the disruptions that have impacted your daily routines. We sincerely apologize for the hardships you’ve experienced,” said Stacy Lair, NESD’s director of education.
The NESD stated that the primary cause of the route cancellations is a shortage of mechanics. However, the division has recently hired new mechanics and is increasing its reliance on third-party repair shops to ensure buses meet all safety standards.
“In addition, to support our fleet, we have accelerated our next order of new buses,” the letter noted.
A shortage of bus drivers also remains a significant concern.
“We remain committed to exploring new strategies and solutions to improve staffing and service levels. This includes enhancing our current employee recruitment referral bonus program,” Lair said.
Other school divisions are addressing transportation challenges differently. The Horizon School Division, for example, is phasing out its in-house transportation services and moving entirely to contracted bussing.
“We have a mechanic shop in Foam Lake, but we only operate 30 runs. We are currently transitioning to all contract services,” said Kevin Garinger, director of education for Horizon School Division. “Currently, 100 of the runs are contracted by Southland.”
The NESD is actively recruiting mechanics to address its staffing shortages. Interested candidates can view the full job posting here.
For more information on NESD’s transportation department, contact Scott at (306) 873-4333 or email [email protected].
