Additional school buses for new routes starting in January

Three new buses will provide additional school bus services in areas not currently being serviced starting on January 4, 2021.

After a review of existing bus routes and ridership from the first half of the school year, adjustments are also being made to optimize the number of students who can ride the school bus. Bus routes will be updated on Yukon.ca and additional families who are able to be accommodated will be notified by email with their bus number by Wednesday, December 23, 2020. Families of students already riding the bus will be notified if there are any changes to their bus number. Updated bus routes will take effect starting Monday, January 4, 2021, when students return to school.

Minor adjustments, such as changes to pick-up and drop-off times, are being made to some routes. All families using the bus should check the school bus schedule webpage on Yukon.ca before returning to school in January for the most current routes and stop times. Families should continue to use the school bus stop closest to their home.

To support additional ridership on school buses, the health and safety guidelines for school bus operations  have been updated by Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. Starting January 4, all students age five years and older will be required to wear a non-medical mask while riding the school bus.

The health and safety of students and staff is our first priority and we have been working hard to safely accommodate additional students on a school bus. To support more families to safely get to and from school, we have invested in three new school buses and have made some adjustments to our routes to accommodate as many students on our school buses as possible. These changes are designed to help families and will begin as school resumes in January.

Minister of Education Tracy-Anne McPhee

I am pleased to say that as of January 4, 2020, many additional students will be assigned seats on the school bus. To add an extra layer of safety, we will require all students aged five and older to wear non-medical masks while on a school bus. I hope this news will start the New Year on a positive note as students return from the holiday break.

Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brendan Hanley 

Quick facts 
  • All eligible students who are registered for the school bus have been accommodated on the school bus since early September. This update will provide additional bussing to students beyond the eligibility requirements.

  • The requirements for students age five and older to wear a non-medical mask is an update from the previous guidelines that requires students age 10 and older to wear a non-medical mask. 

Media contact 

Matthew Cameron
Cabinet Communications
867-393-7136
matthew.cameron@gov.yk.ca

Kyle Nightingale
Communications, Education
867-336-0653
kyle.nightingale@gov.yk.ca

News release #: 
20-384