Letter to Families from Nipissing-Parry Sound Student Transportation Services

COMMUNIQUÉ

2026-03-27

Dear Parents, Guardians and Students

Re:            Nipissing-Parry Sound Student Transportation Services (NPSSTS) – Our Role

In light of the ongoing labour dispute at Alouette Bus Lines, we feel it is important to clarify the role of the NPSSTS, both in normal operations and during an operator labour disruption.

What NPSSTS Does:

1. We are a not-for-profit corporation formed by the four member school boards to plan and manage transportation services.
2. We prepare bus routes for eligible students.
3. We establish, negotiate and administer contracts with transportation companies (“operators”) and assign routes to those operators.
4. We are a customer of the operators.
5. We ensure compliance with the contract and enforce contract requirements on behalf of the member boards.
6. During an operator labour disruption, NPSSTS will:
   1. Plan and coordinate with the affected operator within the terms of the contract.
   2. Take steps to maintain and exercise our contractual rights and obligations.
   3. Take steps to mitigate the impact on students by continuously assessing and restoring service where resources are available, including exploring alternative options with other operators when possible.
   4. Communicate updates and routing changes directly to affected families as solutions are developed and ready to implement.

What NPSSTS Does not do:

1. We do not purchase or own buses or other vehicles.
2. We do not hire, train, schedule or manage drivers. Those responsibilities fall to the operators.
3. We do not set or negotiate driver wages or benefits, as we are not their employer.
4. We do not participate in collective bargaining between operators and their drivers.

As stated in our earlier messages, the NPSSTS and the local school boards are not parties to these negotiations and are not involved in the bargaining process. The Consortium has not issued a notice of contract termination to Alouette Bus Lines. We remain hopeful that the parties will reach an agreement soon and re-establish full service to our school communities.

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@npssts.ca.

Yours truly,

Chuck Seguin

Executive Director – NPSSTS