NS school buses stay where they belong

A Nova Scotia school board has rejected privatization of its school bus service after comparing the costs of public and private transportation. One of the private contenders, Laidlaw, would have cost $1,800 more per bus than the public system.

School bus drivers were puzzled why the board would consider privatization, given a joint union-management initiative last year that found $300,000 in savings by redesigning bus runs to make them more efficient — without cutting routes or jobs.

"In fact, we added bussing to new service areas and bussing for students with disabilities who’d never had the service before," says Pictou County bus driver Greg Chisholm, a member of CUPE 3890. "That’s the kind of service you won’t get with the private operators."

The board’s 171 drivers have over 2,900 years of experience between them — a key factor in the bus service winning 10 consecutive gold medals from the Nova Scotia Safety Council. Reliable, trustworthy drivers are the school board’s best asset.

"You get to know the kids and they get to trust you," says Chisholm. "There’s very low turnover, so it gives the kids and their parents reliable service. Parents were very concerned that level of service would be eroded under a private system."

Drivers and parents worried that once the board decided to privatize and sell off its fleet of buses, it would be difficult to bring the system back into public hands. In neighbouring Cumberland County, where Laidlaw controls the buses, the school board is facing just such a situation.

Chisholm is happy the board made the right choice. "I look forward to seeing the kids. They almost become your adopted family. When you get out on your bus run, it doesn’t even feel like work sometimes."