October 15, 2025
To Our Border Land School Division Community.
We are writing this letter to provide a transportation update to our BLSD families. Like many school divisions, we find ourselves facing a shortage of bus drivers. This impacts several things in the division.
Daily Transportation – Cancellation of Regular Bus Runs
Our priority is to safely transport children to and from school. With the shortage of bus drivers, our spare list is minimal. As a result, there may be times when a regular bus run cannot operate as we do not have a driver. Should this occur, families will be notified as soon as possible, and you will be asked to transport your child(ren).
Daily Transportation – In-Town Bus Ridership
The Town of Altona is experiencing growth and town buses are full. It is imperative that if you live within town to check with your local school to affirm if each of your children qualifies for bussing. Provincial legislation indicates that those children who reside 1.6 km away from the catchment school qualify. Border Land School Division extends bussing further as indicated on our BLSD Procedure:
- Parents/guardians who have students in kindergarten to grade six who live further than 1.0 kilometre from their designated school and students in grade seven to grade 12 who live beyond 1.6 kilometres from the school and desire transportation service, will be required to complete an application form.
We are aware that in the past some children, who didn’t qualify, could ride the bus because there was room. Based on the current ridership levels, please do not send your child to a bus stop if they do not qualify for bussing. We recognize that some of your children may qualify, and others may not. This is solely determined by your home and child’s school location.
School administration and bus drivers will follow up to ensure all riders are eligible to be on the bus.
Daily Transportation – Potential Eligibility Changes
If our ridership, based on bus
eligibility due to legislation, continues to increase and we cannot hire more
bus drivers, BLSD may need to reconsider having K-6 children who live 1.0-1.6
km away from school riding the bus.
Extra-Curricular Travel
Border Land School Division current
procedure indicates that student extra-curricular travel will be by school
bus. This continues to be our primary
focus, but with the driver shortage, some changes may need to occur.
-
Game times may be shifted later. This will allow a daily bus driver to
complete their regular bus run and drive a team.
-
In circumstances where a bus driver cannot be
found, parent/guardian drivers may be used.
Parents/guardians who have completed the volunteer paperwork and provide
copies of their license and insurance documents are eligible.
-
NO
STUDENT drivers are permitted at any time.
Co-Curricular Trips
Trips that are planned and are to
occur during the school day may begin after 9:00 am and return to school prior
to 3:30 pm. This will allow a daily bus
driver to complete the am and pm school bus routes.
Border Land School Division is working hard to minimize the
changes noted above, but we want families to be aware of the current
circumstances.
If you or anyone you
know is interested in driving a bus, as a daily driver or for trips, please
reach out to the BLSD Transportation Office at 204-427-2091 for information on
an upcoming bus driver course.
Yours sincerely,
Krista Curry
Superintendent/CEO
Border Land School Division