200 students will be affected by school bus service changes

Roughly 200 students in Living Sky School Division will have to find a new way to get to school this year, due to changes passed in May that reduced eligibility for students based on distance. 

Transportation manager for Living Sky School Division, Trevor Horton, confirmed the changes of eligibility will begin this school year.

Horton said the change in distance will affect roughly 120 students in North Battleford and 80 in the town of Battleford. He added only a few families have expressed disapproval with the changes, as it conflicts with their work schedules. Horton said due to cuts in funding from the provincial government, there is nothing the division can do.

The changes have resulted in some confusion for local schools, as Bready Elementary School in North Battleford sent out emails Monday night and Tuesday morning informing parents there would be no bus passes issued at the start of this school year, which was false according to Horton.

Horton said the school has since issued a retraction and apology letter. He added bus passes will still be issued to those who apply for them and are eligible to take the school bus. 

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“All North Battleford city routes will require a bus pass,” Horton said. “Students must register for the bus in order to get a pass. The only real changes are the eligible distance. Anyone who is 1000 metres or less, straight line on Google maps will not be able to use the bus service.”

The other change for the Living Sky School Division will be pickup and drop off locations. Horton said busses will no longer be stopping in front of students houses. Instead busses will stop at street corners and students will get off or on at the closest stop. He added there will be exceptions for special needs students. 

Horton said times for pickup and drop offs have not been determined, but students who apply and are accepted for the service will receive a call from their bus driver prior to the start of the school year with that information.

For highs school students, grades nine through 12, there will be a $220 fee for the year which is the same as last year for both divisions. The service will be free for all students in grades below nine.

The Light of Christ School Division is also increasing their eligible distance to one kilometer, but they are measuring it differently. According to communications director, Tom Hawboldt, the division is measuring total walking distance using Google maps, opposed to a straight line. He wasn’t sure how many students the increase will affect, but urged parents to check their eligibility at the school board office in North Battleford.

greg.higgins@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @realgreghiggins