Renfrew County school buses: still no deal, talks continue [Video]

There is still no end in sight for a dispute between school bus operators in Renfrew County and the transportation consortium that has left 10,000 students in rural eastern Ontario without school buses this fall.

The contract between school bus operators and the Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium (RCJTC) has expired and both sides have been at an impasse regarding funding. Bus operators have said their costs have increased between 30 and 70 per cent since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but the RCJTC says it cannot offer more than the 12 per cent increase it put on the table without the school boards needing to make cuts elsewhere.

The two sides met Monday but have yet to reach a deal.

Justin Jeffrey, RCJTC general manager, said in an email that Monday’s meeting was “constructive and …