After three weeks of headaches for some of SD57’s northernmost residents, a full morning and afternoon bus route is once again running from Salmon Valley to Bear Lake.
For the last three weeks, Bear Lake (and later Salmon Valley, and other communities in between), only had an afternoon bus route to drop kids off at home, or some days no bus at all.
Now, it looks as though these impacted communities will have a full-time bus route for the remainder of the year.
Jennifer Reimer, a Bear Lake parent who has become the face of the impacted families in the area, said she has been cautiously optimistic now that morning service has returned after nearly a month.
“Kudos to [the driver] for driving the kids last night and getting them home safe, because those roads were crazy. And he showed up again this morning,” she said.
The Bear Lake story has just been one chapter in a growing book of issues that School District 57 and their new bus provider, First Student Canada, have been facing since the beginning of the school year when a mass resignation left the buses unmanned.
My PG Now reached out to the school district for comment, who once again have not yet responded.
Previous articles related to the bus schedule breakdowns
Salmon Valley joins Bear Lake without morning bus service – November 2nd
Bear Lake students left waiting as SD 57 bussing woes persist – October 25th
SD57 bussing struggles continue into mid-September, no estimate on a full fix date – September 16th
Frustration for a Blackburn family with SD 57 bus provider – September 8th