The Government of Yukon and Standard Bus Yukon are working together to improve school bus communications and minimize service disruptions students and families may have experienced this school year as a result of cold weather and snowstorms. Our goal is to restore reliability and confidence in the student transportation service.
Standard Bus Yukon continues to work on improvements, including sending regular updates about school bus cancellations and delays, making mechanical changes so new buses can handle extreme cold and hiring more staff. The Government of Yukon and Standard Bus Yukon will pilot live school bus tracking on a few routes, possibly this spring.
Detailed information on the measures being taken by the Department of Education and Standard Bus Yukon can be found in the backgrounder.
"Our government has heard from Yukoners that improvements to school bus services are needed. I am pleased to share an update on the collaborative work between department officials and Standard Bus Yukon to bring solutions forward to better serve Yukon students and families. We will continue to work together to strengthen and modernize services and related communications."
Minister of Education Scott Kent
"Student safety and our commitment to getting students to class on time daily is central to everything we do at Standard Bus Yukon. We have also heard clearly that families have been frustrated with service interruptions they have experienced this past fall and early winter. I am pleased to share that we have been working diligently with the Yukon Department of Education's team of dedicated directors in finding better solutions that will streamline service and most importantly communications for families. I encourage all families to join me in thanking our dedicated drivers, mechanics and operational staff who continue to serve the community tirelessly under severe operational conditions."
President of Standard Bus Yukon Leslie Cross
Quick facts
- Approximately 2,800 students in the Yukon rely on school bus transportation during the school year.
- 14 new buses were added to the fleet for the 2025-26 school year to improve reliability and meet updated emissions standards. Mechanical upgrades have been made to ensure performance in extreme cold conditions down to -40°C.
- Recruitment efforts have increased the number of active school bus drivers, with free training offered to new hires. Standard Bus is also offering a $2,000 sign-on bonus for qualified school bus drivers and a $1,000 bonus for any new driver wanting to train to become a school bus driver. Some conditions apply.
- The Government of Yukon and Standard Bus Yukon are committed to providing a respectful and safe workplace for all employees. While most interactions with the public are positive, some inappropriate verbal and written communications have raised concerns. Both organizations are taking action and will introduce changes in the coming weeks to better support employees.
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