Transportation Directional Policy

Current Eligibility

Under the current directional policy, students are eligible for transportation services if their primary residence is more than the eligibility distance noted below by the shortest direct walking route as measured by the Transportation Authority (by publicly maintained road and/or walkway) from the school that the primary residence is within the catchment area for:

Grades JK-3 1.0 km

Grades 4-8 1.6 km

Grades 9-12 3.2 km

New Proposed Eligibility

We are proposing to change the eligibility distances for transportation to the following:

Grades JK-SK 1.0 km

Grades 1-8 1.6 km

Grades 9-12 3.2 km

Why are we proposing this change and who will it impact?

The Ministry of Education funds transportation based on the proposed eligibility distances. This change in eligibility will align Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board with the funding that we receive for transportation. Currently, we are drawing resources from other areas of the Board’s budget to subsidize busing for students in grades 1 to 3.

This change in eligibility will also better align our busing practices with that of our coterminous boards, for which we share busing through Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO) and Trillium Lakelands District School Board.

The eligibility distances of our coterminous boards are as follows:

Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board:

Grades JK-SK 1.0 km

Grades 1-8 1.6 km

Grades 9-12 3.2 km

Trillium Lakelands District School Board:

Grades K-8 1.6 km

Grades 9-12 3.2 km

Aligning of eligibility distances will promote greater consistency in transportation services for all families and will assist our transportation providers in delivering a fully integrated cost-effective transportation service for local school boards.

This change would affect the busing eligibility of about 390 students (from grades 1 to 3) and go into effect for the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year.

Under current practices, all eligible students are automatically registered for busing and are assigned seats on bus routes for the beginning of the school year through our transportation providers STSCO (for Peterborough, Northumberland and Clarington students) and Trillium Lakelands District School Board (for City of Kawartha Lakes students).

We are proposing to change this procedure so that eligible families must opt-in to busing prior to the start of each school year. Those who do not opt-in will not be assigned seats on bus routes.

Why are we proposing this change to current procedure and who will it impact?

Many families who are eligible for busing opt to transport their children to school using alternative means. This means that on any given route, there are many empty seats on buses that could otherwise be filled.

By having eligible families go through the steps of opting into busing, we will be able to ensure our buses are running as efficiently as possible from the onset of the school year. Based on the experiences of other transportation consortiums in Ontario who have made this change, we estimate this change will save the board as much as 10% to 15% in operating costs and will lead to better service for all eligible families.

This change would affect all eligible families who will need to opt-in to busing prior to the beginning of each school year starting prior to the 2024-2025 school year.

To support our strategic priorities of Nurturing Mental Health and Wellbeing and Protecting the Environment, PVNC Catholic would like to encourage more families to walk and wheel to school.

We are proposing to add an active school travel element to this directional policy. We welcome ideas and feedback with respect to adopting active school travel elements in this directional policy.

Why are we proposing this change?

Active school travel has been shown to help students reach necessary daily physical activity targets and arrive at school with a clear mind, ready to learn. In addition, we recognize that decreasing traffic congestion around our schools will create a safer school zone and improved air quality.