Message from Demetrios Nicolaides
Minister of Education

On behalf of the Government of Alberta, I am pleased to recognize the significant contributions of the Alberta Student Transportation Advisory Council. The council provides valuable advice and support to its members – and the provincial government – as it works to sustain and improve our complex student transportation network.

Providing a safe and efficient student transportation system that moves more than 335,000 students to and from school everyday is not easy, and ASTAC and its members play an integral part in its success. Of course, Alberta’s government also plays a critical role in supporting the student transportation system, and our substantial funding commitment ensures it will continue to be successful.

For the 2024/25 fiscal year, school authorities will receive $492.7 million to provide transportation to our students, an increase of $79.8 million from the previous fiscal year. This investment addresses increasing costs for buses, fuel, parts and supplies, and training. School boards may also use this funding to support local priorities, such as providing driver wage increases to help recruit and retain school bus drivers. Over the last two years, transportation funding has increased by $154.3 million, or 45.6 per cent.

The Fuel Price Contingency Program continues this school year to help offset the impact of fuel price increases for school authorities by keeping fuel prices at a base rate of $1.25 per litre. During the previous school year, this program provided school authorities with $14.7 million to offset the rising fuel costs.

Alberta’s government has also created the School Bus Driver Grant, which commits $5 million per year to support the recruitment and training of new school bus drivers. To date, we have provided more than $4.6 million to support the training of more than 1,240 new school bus drivers through the grant. This has had a positive impact on the driver shortage challenges that school boards and school bus contractors have been facing.

I value our relationship and look forward to continuing to work with ASTAC to provide Alberta students with safe and efficient transportation. I am confident that with our continued partnership and cooperation, we can tackle any student transportation challenge that comes our way.

Thank you for the work you and your members do everyday. It is truly appreciated.

Demetrios Nicolaides ECA PhD
Minister of Education
September 2024

Mission Statement:

To promote and enhance the safe transportation of students by supporting stakeholders within the school bus industry with initiatives for education, and awareness.