A shortage of school bus drivers in the Toronto region is expected to drag on.
Reports in the Toronto Star say school board officials are bracing for bus delays that last through the Christmas break, and possibly longer.
The fiasco has led to students being late for class and created a headache for parents who need to pick their kids up from school.
It also means added costs to supervise kids after the final bell and, in some cases, taxi fares for students who cannot otherwise get a safe ride home.
School boards, and the private contractors that run their bus routes, have been struggling through the shortage for 3 months, so far.
Ontario's Ministry of Education estimates roughly 5,000 students are still affected by the delays.
Pockets of Toronto, Hamilton, and Peel and Halton regions are feeling the pinch the most.
Contractors have a difficult time retaining school bus drivers, with less than a third of trainees who earn their certification end up taking a job.
Labour advocates say workers will not drive school buses for the $12 - $16 wages private contractors are willing to pay.