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By Gates Guarin

No added school bus fees amid ballooning gas prices

Jun 8, 2022 | 4:45 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Medicine Hat Public School Division is reassuring parents they won’t see added fees for the upcoming school term when it comes to transportation costs.

With gas hitting $1.91 a litre this week, some parents may have some concerns about having their children take the bus to school and bearing the burden of paying for the added gas.

Mark Davidson, Superintendent of the Medicine Hat Public School Division says fuel is built into their current agreement with Southland Transportation. The agreement states if fuel prices rise, the school division pays on a fuel ‘escalator’ to help offset costs incurred by Southland.

Davidson says even with an increase in transportation grants, the school division is expecting a transportation deficit of more than one hundred thousand dollars. While the deficit will be offset by reserves, Davidson says it is not a sustainable solution for the long term.

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“We’re aware that Alberta Education is involved in conversations with jurisdictions across the province and has a committee working on trying to draft a new way of funding transportation,” Davidson says. “So we’re hopeful that that will produce some relief in the future years.”

Bussing is currently free of charge for schools within the school division, and Davidson says parents should not expect that to change come the fall term.