• YRDSB will pilot a two-zone school transportation cancellation system starting Jan. 5, 2026.
  • Currently, all of York Region is impacted when bus cancellations occur.
  • The change divides the region into a northern Georgina zone and a southern zone covering the rest of York Region.
  • Bus and taxi service can be cancelled in one zone without affecting transportation in areas with safer conditions.
  • The pilot is intended to better reflect localized weather patterns and limit school disruptions.

 

The York Region District School Board (YRDSB) will introduce a new weather-based transportation pilot early next year, aimed at reducing region-wide bus cancellations when severe conditions are confined to specific areas.

Beginning Jan. 5, 2026, Student Transportation Services of York Region will divide its school vehicle network into two service areas for the purpose of cancelling buses and taxis. The northern Georgina service area will include communities north of and including Ravenshoe Road, while the southern service area will encompass the remaining York Region area’s municipalities, including Whitchurch-Stouffville.

Currently, bus cancellations affect all student transportation across York Region, regardless of localized conditions. Given Georgina’s greater exposure to lake-effect snow from Lake Simcoe, the pilot would allow service to be suspended in that area without disrupting transportation elsewhere in the region.

If student transportation is cancelled in one service area, all bus and school taxi routes within that zone will be suspended. Additionally, all bus stops located within that zone will not be served, even if a student’s school is located in the other zone. Region-wide cancellations may still occur.

The Board will monitor the pilot throughout the winter season and evaluate its operational effectiveness before determining whether the zone-based approach should continue beyond the trial. Families will be provided with an update at the conclusion of the pilot.

“Student Transportation Services of York Region is committed to supporting student achievement by planning and managing safe, efficient transportation that focuses on customer service,” YRDSB said to parents in a recent notice. “We wish you a continued happy, productive, and successful school year.”

 

Cover image taken by Maximilian Simson