Another school bus route has been cancelled until further notice and, like the others already cancelled, for the same reason: staff shortages at First Transit.

Route 5 has now been shut down as of Monday. An announcement at the Yellowknife Education District No. 1 (YK1) website confirmed the cancellation.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople are quitting or resigning from their positions as a bus drivers to take on other positionsSA国际影视传媒� said Jameel Aziz, superintendent of schools with YK1, said on Tuesday. SA国际影视传媒淪chool bus driving is a part time position here in Yellowknife, and many of people are moving on to full-time work with full-time pay.SA国际影视传媒�

The announcement also stated that First Transit has indicated there is no additional space on other routes to accommodate any affected families. Route 5 joins Routes 7, 10, and 12 in the cancellation department.

Aziz said the situation has created a lot of challenges for both children and their families to get to school in the morning, and he was not pleased with the situation.

HeSA国际影视传媒檚 urging the bus company start taking a hard look at these types of challenges and to devise ways to make school bus drivers positions more attractive to people.

But Aziz said school boards are limited in what they can do.

SA国际影视传媒淯nfortunately, as a school system, we have to use actual yellow school buses, and we have to have certain levels of driver training and insurance,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut we donSA国际影视传媒檛 really have the ability to remedy the situation ourselves. We are working with First Transit (and) discuss with them to see what some of the potential solutions might be, as well as meeting with their new ownership later this month.SA国际影视传媒�

Yellowknife Catholic Schools and la Commission scolaire francophone des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, the French school board, will also be part of that meeting.

First Transit was bought by Transdev, a Quebec-based group, in October 2022. The sale was finalized this past March.

Aziz said that cancellations in Yellowknife are part of an ongoing problem around North America.

SA国际影视传媒淭he issue that we are hearing (is) this is not a Yellowknife issue, but a issue across Canada, and parts of the U.S.,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 know all sorts of jurisdictions that are having a very difficult time filling their bus driver positions and actually keeping their routes up and running.SA国际影视传媒�

Aziz assured families that the boards are still trying to reach out the the bus company to figuring out solutions in the long-term, but he cannot see the situation changing anytime soon.

Yellowknifer attempted to get comment from both First Transit and Yellowknife Catholic Schools, but did not hear back as of press time.