Pandemic, Vaccine Mandates Contribute to Manitoba – Winnipeg School Bus Driver Shortage | The Canadian News

The COVID-19 pandemic had already led to difficulties, but a recent vaccination mandate in Manitoba means school bus drivers are even scarcer, says the president of a local bus company.

Some Manitoba school divisions, including the Seine River south of Winnipeg, have suggested they will have to limit bus service to only those students who live further away if the situation worsens.

Tony’s Team Transport’s BJ Langdon told 680 CJOB that the problem has been in the works for months and is only compounded by new restrictions.

“We talked about this in the summer, about how bad it was and how it was probably worse with COVID,” he said.

“Now, I guess, with the vaccine mandate that is in place and some of the regulations that started Monday, this has been overstated and made it worse for sure.”

“(Some drivers) knew that the vaccination thing was probably going to happen, that the mandate was probably going to happen, so they moved on.

“I think some of them probably just managed with the supports they were using and it was easier for them to stay home and not go to work.”

Langdon says he’s not sure what will fix the problem, but suggests that driving a bus is an enjoyable, well-paid job for people who may be out of work due to the pandemic, and that his company’s role is to support children. safe during these days. uncertain times.

“I think the mandate was established to obviously protect the children on the bus,” he said. “Many of these children cannot be vaccinated (yet) due to their age or have not been vaccinated.

“The plan here is to protect children first and foremost. I think that’s our key job here, for our company, anyway. “

Manitoba’s vaccine requirements are expected to be in place for some time, according to public health officials.

On Monday, the province’s top public health official, Dr. Brent Roussin, said he expects the restrictions to remain in place at least until the spring.

“We check all these things all the time. But I think that given the state of our healthcare system and the demands that the respiratory virus season is likely to place on it, it is very likely that we will have to fulfill (the mandate) this winter, ”said Roussin.

4:24Manitoba faces shortage of school bus drivers