Increase Transportation Funding

The Facts

• The current Alberta Education funding model for transportation is based on 2013 data.
• Costs for fuel, buses, insurance, and human resources have increased significantly since 2013. Adjustments for these factors have been inadequately funded. 
• We cannot use capital funding dollars to purchase insurance on capital assets. 
• We realize a $250,000 shortfall in transportation costs every school year and this is drawn from our operational funding, which is best intended for classroom support. 
• Effective the 2025-2026 school year the walk limit has been reduced from 2.4km to 1km (grades 1-6) and 2km (grades 7-12).
  • The increase in ridership requires FSD to buy at least 16 more buses to transport our students in our urban areas.
  • There is a nationwide shortage of bus drivers. Recruitment of qualified personnel will be difficult.
  • The recommendation from the Alberta Transportation Task Force is for the walk limit to remain the same until a fulsome audit can be completed.
  • September 2023 announcement from the Government of Alberta states school boards can borrow the funding for the new, mandated buses, amortized over 10 years, further indebting the division to the province. 
  • Indirect Impacts:
    • Additional traffic on roads, especially around schools—congestion around schools
    • Additional impact on infrastructure—roadways, commute time, etc. 
    • Lower student mental wellness from less activity

Proposed Solutions

• Alberta Education to create a program to coordinate the purchasing of items such as buses and fuel as one school jurisdiction collective to maximize buying power. This would be available to all school authorities (public, separate, charter, francophone and independent schools), regardless of whether transportation services are provided via board-owned fleet or commercial carrier, as long as the commercial carrier is willing to sign a purchasing agreement. (Student Transportation Task Force: Report to the Minister, 2021)
• Revisit how the 1km and 2km distance is calculated in urban versus rural settings. 
• A collaboration between local school divisions and urban municipal bus systems.
• A collaboration between local school divisions to offer a shared transportation service to student populations.