On Monday, Kemptville students spent over two hours stuck on a school bus. This delay, triggered by a driver shortage, left families without updates from Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario (STEO) or First Student.
The 120-minute wait from Kemptville to Spencerville
A driver shortage in Kemptville led to a school bus delay exceeding two hours on Monday. The incident began when a scheduled driver was unable to work, forcing a neighboring school's bus to pick up the students and complete a combined route.
The extended route included a trip to Spencerville, which is more than 20 kilometers away, significantly lengthening the commute.. As CTV News Ottawa reported, this detour contributed heavily to the time students spent on the vehicle.
Younger passengers on the bus reportedly faced significant distress during the long ride. Melissa Dimock, a parent with three children on the bus, noted that some kindergarten students were crying or had accidents because they lacked access to a washroom during the nearly two-and-a-half-hour ordeal.
A breakdown between First Student and STEO
Communication failures between Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario (STEO) and parents created significant anxiety throughout the afternoon. While some parents eventually reached school principals, many felt left in the dark as the minutes turned into hours.
First Student, the bus company involved, issued an apology for the lack of timely updates. In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, communications manager Brenna Rudisill admitted the company fell short of the expectations families have for safe and informed transportation.
The Upper Canada District School Board's investigation
The Upper Canada District School Board has launched a formal review to investigate the incident. The board is currently collaborating with STEO to understand the specific breakdown in communication between the bus company, the school, and the families involved.
April Scott-Clarke, a manager with the board, stated that the organization is working to identify measures that will prevent a similar situation from occurring in the future. the board acknowledged that the experience was difficult for both students and their families.
Why did the tracking app fail to provide updates?
Several specific questions regarding the incident remain unanswered by the involved parties. Most notably,parents like Katie O'Connor reported that the tracking app provided no updates as the afternoon progressed, leaving them unable to locate their children.
While First Student apologized for the lack of communication, the company did not offer a specific reason for the length of the delay. Furthermore, it remains unclear why the Ontario Provincial Police were required to follow the bus after multiple calls from concerned parents.
Comments 0