Q. Which policies were harmonized?

1. Eligibility Distances: Eligibility distance is the minimum distance at which a student may become eligible for transportation, also referred to as walking distance. The OCDSB changed its eligibility distance for grades 7 and 8 to 1.6 km and its eligibility distance for grades 9 to 12 to 3.2 km in 2013. Please note that service levels (ie no transportation within UTA) continued “as is” in 2013, but eligibility criteria will change in 2014. As of September 2014, any OCDSB or OCSB student who meets the eligibility distance of 3.2km within their home school boundary or special program will receive transportation services.
2. Childcare addresses as alternate address for eligibility distance: The OCDSB now allows childcare addresses within a school’s transportation boundary to be used as an alternate address to the student’s home address in order to determine eligibility for transportation. This was the current the practice at OCSB. School transfers will continue to be governed according to each school board’s transfer policies and approval of transfers is at the Principal’s discretion. Childcare address does not automatically guarantee a school transfer. The OCDSB may re-visit this policy at a later date, should school planning be negatively impacted by an extraordinary number of transfer requests.
3. Distance Measurement Methodology: The OCSB will allow city-maintained walk-paths (with snow clearance) to be used as part of the mapping infrastructure when calculating eligibility distances. There is no change for OCDSB as they have been using walk-paths for several years.
4. Hazard Zones Reviews – Criteria and Assessment Methodology: In order to ensure safe and equitable transportation services, OSTA has undertaken to establish a standard set of hazard criteria and an assessment methodology that can be applied to all walk zone areas. Hazard criteria and specific areas may be reviewed and/or re-assessed depending on circumstances and at the discretion of OSTA’s General Manager.

Q. Are walk paths safe, particularly in the winter?

The OCDSB has been using city-maintained walk-paths as part of its infrastructure for calculating distances for several years. To date, there have not been any significant complaints or reports regarding safety concerns on any paths currently being used in OSTA’s mapping software. Snow clearance of walk paths forms part of the City of Ottawa’s sidewalk clearing network. Walk-paths and sidewalks within school walking zones have been prioritized for snow clearance as the City of Ottawa recognizes there is the need for safe and clear paths for students to get to school. The City of Ottawa strives to clear priority areas as quickly as possible.

Q. What are hazard criteria?

Hazard criteria are elements that may contribute to the increased risk of danger given the more limited awareness of child pedestrians in traffic situations. Hazard criteria assessed include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. Corridors ie collector roads, major collectors and arterial roads
b. Crossings ie unprotected, two-way and multi-stop, round-about
c. Separation from traffic ie sidewalks, shoulders
d. Traffic speed and volume of vehicles
e. Sight distances and obstacles
f. Mitigation ie adult crossing guards, signalized intersections

Q. What is the assessment methodology and point threshold?

A set of data collection forms has been produced to assist review teams in assessing various elements and evaluating hazards during site visits. Review teams then assign points to individual criteria, the total of which becomes the determining factor on whether the certain areas need to be deemed hazardous or not. Some hazard criteria may immediately warrant busing, regardless of total points, while other assessments may require combination warrants to a point threshold. The point thresholds for specific grades are established by the OSTA Board of Directors and its Member Boards. The proposed point thresholds are:

• Grades JK to 3 – 60 points warrants bus transportation
• Grades 4 to 6 – 100 points warrants bus transportation

Q. Who established the hazard criteria and assessment methodology?

Morrison Hershfield, a consulting engineering firm with offices across Canada, was contracted by OSTA to create a set of hazard criteria and assessment methodology in 2011.

Q. Who conducted the hazard zone assessment?

OSTA contracted McCormick Rankin through competitive procurement to conduct a system-wide hazard zone review using the criteria and assessment methodology established by Morrison Hershfield. The review occurred at 180 school sites and produced extremely detailed data and evaluation for hundreds of routes to OCDSB and OCSB schools. OSTA staff then collated the results to ensure consistency within geographical areas and between schools. The next step was to review pathways where a change may have take place and look at individual issues affecting school communities that may not have been considered in the hazard assessment. OSTA staff will conduct all future assessment using the same procedure in the future.

Q. Will there be a bell time review?

As part of OSTA’s route optimization, a review of bell times, in conjunction with new mapping infrastructure to calculate eligibility distances, would result in maximizing the use of public funds through effective and efficient transportation of the OCSB’s and the OCDSB’s students.

Q. When will these proposed harmonized policies come into effect?

2012-2013

• childcare addresses as alternate addresses for eligibility (OCDSB)
• new eligibility distances for grades 7 and 8 at 1.6 km (OCDSB)
• new eligibility distances for grades 9-12 at 3.2 km (but transportation services remain “as is” until further notice ie no transportation for OCDSB within UTA)

2014-2015

• New eligibility for OCDSB students grades 9-12 that meet the 3.2km distance

2015-2016

• hazard zones and walk-paths used to calculate eligibility distances for all students
• bell time re-alignment

Q. How and when will I know if these proposed changes affect my child’s transportation?

All reports and communication about OSTA’s “transformation” will be posted on the OSTA website and your school board’s website. Consultation regarding proposed bell times and new walk zone maps (including hazards) will occur in April, May and June of 2014, with school boards making decisions on bell times in December 2014. Communication of the final outcomes for bell times and maps will occur in January 2015.

Q. What is a Walking School Bus?

Walking School Bus involves a paid, qualified Leader who guides a group of children to school using a pre-determined route every day. OSTA is partnering with Ottawa Public Health, Green Communities Canada, Ottawa Safety Council and City of Ottawa Transportation Planning to conduct a walking school bus pilot at area schools in the Fall 2014.