Ottawa school bus authority does not anticipate long-term route cancellations this fall

A yellow school bus in Ottawa is seen in this undated photo. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) says it does not anticipate any long-term route cancellations this fall as kids in Ottawa’s English language school boards get back to school.

In a letter to families, OSTA said bus operators did a “commendable job of recruiting and training new drivers,” ahead of the 2025-26 school year.

While the school bus authority says it does not foresee long-term route cancellations, short-term cancellations remain an issue.

“With preparations in place for a smooth September start-up, our next priority will be to reduce short-term cancellations, which remain a challenge in Ottawa and across the province. By working in partnership with our transportation operators, we are taking steps to deliver a service that students, parents, and caregivers can depend on every day,” OSTA general manager Stacey Kay wrote.

Last fall, the school year started with a driver shortage affecting primarily students in the western parts of the city.

OSTA’s parent portal opened this week to give families details on their child’s bus route to school. This year also comes with changes to how students use public transit to get to school. OSTA says school board passes will no longer use Presto and will instead be a unified pass provided by the school board.

Students in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Ottawa Catholic School Board return to classes on Sept. 2.

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