More than 2,100 students with Ottawa’s English public and Catholic school boards will have a yellow school bus to drive them to school this fall, after OC Transpo scrapped school bus routes for the new school year. OC Transpo announced in June it was cutting school routes this fall to free up 20 buses to handle a boost in federal public servants. The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority said more than 2,100 students at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) and Ottawa Catholic School Board would lose the OC Transpo bus trip to school, while 1,500 students at the two French-language school boards would also be impacted by the changes. A spokesperson for the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) told CTV News Ottawa on Thursday that school bus transportation has been arranged for all impacted students in the OCDSB and Ottawa Catholic School Board. “OSTA has been working closely with our dedicated yellow bus operators since late May to determine a path forward,” OSTA said. “Thanks to our partners stepping up to absorb these additional runs into their schedules, alternate yellow bus service has been arranged for the impacted students.” Preparations continue for new school year With the start of the new school year less than four weeks away, the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority said it is “encouraged by the progress our transportation operators are making.” The transportation authority wouldn’t say if it has enough buses to accommodate all students at the start of the school year, only saying it will have a “clearer picture” over the next two weeks. “Our operators have committed to securing the necessary vehicles and drivers, and their recruitment and training numbers are currently on track for September 1,” the OSTA said. “As operators hold their annual driver start-up meetings over the next couple of weeks, we will have a clearer picture of driver retention and will continue working closely with our partners to prepare for the first day of school. Our transportation operators have done a commendable job recruiting and training new drivers, and we appreciate their efforts in helping us reach this milestone.” The OSTA parent portal will open on Aug. 18 with information on busing for students ahead of the 2026-27 school year.
