The Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario (STEO) has advised trustees for the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) to brace for major cuts to transportation service for its students.

During the February 11 UCDSB trustees meeting, Janet Murray, the general manager of STEO, told trustees that the transportation consortium, which provides transportation service for the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO), and the UCDSB, plans to address a projected $11 million transportation funding shortfall for the 2027-2028 school year.

Murray noted that the current level of service far exceeds the provincial standards that the new funding model takes into consideration. One measure to help close the funding gap would be to align service with provincial standards. However, this would mean more students walking to school, longer distances to bus stops and more students having longer bus rides.

Currently, STEO aims to have no more than three per cent of students on buses for more than 60 minutes. The provincial standard is a maximum ride time of 75 minutes for elementary students and 90 minutes for high school students. These service level changes could lead to a significant impact on families in Eastern Ontario since most students, from both boards are bused to and from school.

Murray also confirmed that STEO will enter a competitive procurement process, which will have bus companies bid for service contracts. The intent of this is to create a market where bus companies will offer more attractive pricing options. Other cost-saving measures looked at were to partner with public transit authorities, replace vans with contracted taxis, or require more parents/guardians to transport their children to school.

Murray made it clear that even with these and other measures STEO is considering, there would still be a funding gap of almost $8 million. STEO member boards (the UCDSB and CDSBEO) would need to cover this shortfall by re-directing funds from priority areas to transportation. Murray said the STEO board of directors expects to make final decisions about possible changes in the fall of 2026, to prepare for the 2027-28 school year.