INTEGRATED RIDERSHIP – SCHOOL NEWSLETTERS

The school board’s bus transportation services are operated by Student Transportation of Peel Region (STOPR). This is a consortium, or partnership, between the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and the Peel District School Board.  The Ministry of Education requires school board bus transportation consortiums to improve efficiency.

One initiative promoted by the Ministry of Education, that is designed to improve efficiency is known as integrated ridership. In integrated ridership, students from both Dufferin-Peel and Peel schools will ride on the same buses, where feasible. A number of school boards across the province have successfully implemented integrated ridership.  All eligible students continue to be transported on runs where integrated ridership is implemented.

Integrated ridership is designed to create a more effective and efficient operation of service, is more environmentally friendly and reduces traffic in our communities. Integrated ridership may also result in higher transportation funding levels for school boards. Integrated ridership works best in situations where schools are located close to one another and the number of students involved helps achieve better organized bus runs. 

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board has approved the implementation of integrated ridership, where feasible, starting September, 2011.  During the next few months, STOPR staff will be looking at areas where integrated ridership would work best.  It should be noted that integrated ridership does not work well in all areas and, as a result, there may be only a few areas that will have this program.

STOPR will provide additional information regarding the selection of schools where integrated ridership will be implemented.  Once a school is selected, a possibility exists that school start and dismissal times may be altered from the current times.  STOPR will keep you informed through regular updates in school newsletters over the upcoming months.