PRESCOTT – A week before students at English Public and Catholic schools head back to class, school bus operators and the student transportation consortium have reached a tentative agreement.
Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario (STEO) announced late Monday afternoon it had reached a tentative four-year agreement with the operators.
“This is a positive sign, and there is now greater optimism that on the first day of school, more than 30,000 students and their families will be able to count on having a safe and reliable ride to school,” CEO Janet Murray said in a statement.
STEO transports children with the Upper Canada District School Board and the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.
Details of the agreement won’t be disclosed until the contract has been accepted.
“This has been a long process, but I know our drivers will be happy they will be out on the first day of school, greeting familiar faces and playing such an important role for kids across our communities,” Eastern Ontario Bus Operators Association spokesman Frank Healey said.
Both sides had been at odds since contract negotiations started in March.
STEO claimed on Aug. 21 it had “made every effort” to reach a deal but both sides were “far apart” on pay. At the time, it said its last offer included pay increases over the rate of inflation, driver recruitment and retention bonuses and “full compensation for rising fuel costs.”
“The total compensation value of the school bus operators’ position far exceeds funding available to school boards for transportation,” STEO said at the time.