Bus driver absences, route cancellations possible as schools reopen this week in Mississauga and Brampton

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Published January 15, 2022 at 12:34 pm

With the full return of all school bus routes on Monday, Jan. 17, we may see higher than normal absenteeism rates for bus drivers due to COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.

Student Transportation of Peel Region (STOPR) says it may be necessary to cancel bus runs on a temporary basis if they experience high rates of driver absenteeism.

If a bus route is temporarily cancelled due to COVID, it will be cancelled for approximately 5 to 10 days.

“The cancellation of a bus run is a last resort for STOPR,” said the organization, which is recommending that parents and students check the STOPR website daily to monitor the status of their bus run.

“These are unprecedented times and we appreciate your continued patience and understanding.”

STOPR posts bus route updates to their website and Twitter.

It was reported earlier this week that all Ontario students will return to school for in-person learning on Jan. 17.

In addition to potential bus driver absences, a heavy snow forecast starting on Sunday could further complicate the Monday morning commute.
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