Pandemic bus plans could mean longer school day, more walking

As New Brunswick school districts consider their options for running buses this fall, some parents are preparing for disruptive changes.

Districts are asking parents to drive, looking at having more students walk, and extending the day to run several trips to allow for physical distancing. But plans have yet to be finalized with the return to class a little more than a month away.

The Francophone South School District is warning families their children could be taking the bus to and from school 30 to 45 minutes earlier or later. 

In an update sent to parents last week, the district said it will be maintaining social distancing on buses which will increase the number of trips. Students will be spaced out and not allowed to sit together, unless from the same family. For those in Grades 6 to 12, masks will be required when physical distancing is not possible on the bus.

The increase in bus routes will likely require students to leave earlier or stay at school later.

In an effort to minimize delays, parents who are able are asked to commit to drive their children. 

Spokesperson Ghislaine Arsenault said a transportation survey will be sent to parents later this week, and the district has no additional details to share on the plan. 

Parents facing uncertainty

Paulette MacKinnon lives in Riverview and has two daughters who travel by bus to attend francophone schools in Moncton. They normally leave at about 8 a.m. to go to École Le Mascaret, a middle school, and high school at École L'Odyssée.

MacKinnon told the district she will likely be unable to drive this fall. It normally takes her children between 30 to 45 minutes to travel to school and 30 minutes to an hour to get home. She thinks the changes will be "a bit stressful" for students.

"I guess I'm just thinking that if they happen to go to school earlier and then they end up there being there later — that would be a bit more of a concern for me," she said. 

The Francophone South School District has more than 15,000 students. Close to 80 per cent live far enough from school to be eligible to ride the bus.

Students who attend francophone schools and live in outlying areas — like Riverview — have longer rides and are typically more dependent on the service. 

"There's a lot more questions and unknowns," MacKinnon said. "And it's just sort of hard to figure out how to go about this and how we'll be able to plan our day work-wise and school-wise, so everyone is where they need to be with the least amount of disruption possible."

With the expected changes, other parents have decided catching the bus is just not worth it.

Tamara Dunn lives in Moncton and decided to have her children bike and walk to nearby École Sainte-Bernadette and Bernice MacNaughton High School. She plans to drive them during bad weather.

"For our kids, even if they have to be there a quarter after seven, I would just rather drive them," she said.

Dunn has a daycare spot for her son in Riverview and is concerned about buses after school. She also expects, with more parents driving to school, the already hectic drop-off will have bad traffic.

"Everybody's lined up, like up and down the street to get in and do the drop off," she said.

More students walking

The Anglophone East School District is telling parents it is considering ways to reduce the number of students on buses — including having more of them walk.

In a letter to families this week, Superintendent Gregg Ingersoll said the district is looking for solutions while "trying not to create undue hardship."

"School buses are not designed for social distancing so we are looking at what can be done," he wrote.

Students in Kindergarten to Grade 8 are currently picked up starting at 1.5 kilometres distance from school. The provincial requirement is 2.4 kilometres distance.

The district said lowering bus capacity will create more trips and change pick-up and drop-off times. In the coming weeks, it plans to ask parents to consider driving their children.

"We will have more updates on what busing looks like later this summer, as running the different scenarios is a complicated process and takes several weeks to complete," Ingersoll wrote.

Districts still creating plans

Under New Brunswick's guidelines on returning to the classroom, schools must develop their own COVID-19 operating plans which outline how they will safely open. Plans are required to include transportation, movement within buildings and opening hours.

Meredith Caissie, a spokesperson for Anglophone North School District, said in a statement different options are being explored for September. The district is working with the Department of Education on transportation plans.

The Anglophone East School District is also currently working on busing. Spokesperson Stephanie Patterson said the province will contact parents in the coming weeks.

"Parents will receive a finalized plan before the school year begins," she said.

Spokesperson Jessica Hanlon said in an email the Anglophone South School District asked parents for feedback in June to see who might be able to provide transportation. She said safety protocols will change "service delivery."

"We are working to minimize any disruptions but families should anticipate changes to our bus service," Hanlon said. "Our primary goal is providing students a safe space to learn and that includes providing safe transportation to those who require it."

The superintendent for the Anglophone West School District was not available to comment. 

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development said it expects all districts to reach out to families to see if they can provide their own transportation.