From Local to International: School Bus Routes and the Community Conversation

| Small Town News | A Division of Small Town Productions |

Changes to how school transportation routes are awarded in the region are prompting discussion among local operators and residents in the Quinte & Quinte West regions, after a recent procurement process resulted in contracts shifting away from locally owned transportation companies.

In previous years, school bus services were largely provided by operators based within the community. This time, a formal competitive bidding process was used, and the outcome saw routes awarded to larger companies with operations based beyond the local area, including firms with parent ownership or headquarters located in; The United States, France, and Germany.

Some local operators have said the process highlighted differences in scale rather than service delivery, noting that large organizations often have greater administrative capacity to navigate complex procurement requirements.

Others have raised broader questions about how factors such as experience, safety history, and community presence are weighed when decisions of this size are made.

School transportation plays a significant role in daily life across the region, supporting students, families, and local employment while covering a wide mix of rural and urban routes. Because of that, the change has led to conversations not only about efficiency and cost, but also about long-term accountability, local economic impact, and the value of maintaining community-based services.

As public institutions continue to review how services are awarded and delivered, this situation remains part of a broader discussion about balancing competitive procurement with local involvement.

As this conversation continues, community input remains important — what do you think?

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