– My son was granted a taxi to school to make a vulnerable situation less vulnerable. As it is, there is no point. That’s what Julianna Skartland says dejectedly. The shuttle system has become more of a burden than a help. – We were granted a school taxi at the beginning of November, and so far he has never experienced being picked up at the right time. It doesn’t work at all. Challenging school path It was when the family moved that the school path became challenging for the 11-year-old son. He was granted individually arranged school transport by Trøndelag county council. – To make the transition better, he got the right to a taxi this winter. Now he is late every day, which affects him greatly. “Why don’t they pick me up?” is a question mothers often get from their 11-year-old. Standing fully dressed and waiting for three quarters of an hour for a taxi every morning is not very motivating. Skartland does not get to work at the normal time anymore. She has to look after her son, who cannot be alone. – Some schools manage this, but the system of school transport does not work well for many children with special needs around the country, says Håvard Ravn Ottesen, board member of the Handicapped Children’s Parent Association. Photo: Morten Andersen / news Several complaints TrønderTaxi is responsible for the school shuttle in Trondheim, and the Skartland family are not the only ones to experience that the taxi does not arrive as agreed. Many children with special needs around the country experience the same problems. Earlier this year, measures were promised in Trondheim, but the situation has not improved. – There are still major challenges, which is a burden for many families. That’s what Håvard Ravn Ottesen, board member of the Handicapped Children’s Parent Association, says. A pilot project to improve dialogue is underway in Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, and Agder. – They must stop seeing this as the delivery of a product. The pupils in question are vulnerable children who need a safe and stable school transport. He believes that the deviation system is also not working as it should. – Discrepancies are noted when the school bus is delayed or absent, but there is little follow-up. But there are exceptions, according to Ravn Ottesen. Some schools manage to create a culture where drivers are loyal to the scheme. Lack of drivers Managing director of TrønderTaxi, Hege Dahle, acknowledges that they have challenges in delivering satisfactorily when it comes to school transport. – We regret that parents and pupils do not get the service we have been used to delivering over several years. The company has the biggest problems in Trondheim, but they are also struggling in several of the municipalities they are responsible for. – We lost a lot of drivers during the covid pandemic, and the ability to deliver is not the same as before, says Dahle. – In Trondheim alone, we lost around 100 drivers, and we have hardly managed to get any of them back. Managing director of TrønderTaxi, Hege Dahle, regrets the capacity challenges. Photo: Kjartan Ovesen / news Dahle explains that part of the problem with recruitment comes from the fact that there were new rules for being able to be a driver in November 2020. This means, among other things, that you now have to complete a driving exam at the Norwegian Road Administration. – Previously, it took maybe one to two months to be approved as a driver, but now the waiting time is up to six months, says Dahle. – It is not an excuse, but an explanation of why we have major challenges. Dahle does not recognize himself in the description of a school bus as the delivery of a product. – School children are a high priority at TrønderTaxi, and we have put a lot of resources into ensuring that we are very good at school driving, she says. She emphasizes that they drive 4,000 students every single day, and that the vast majority of trips go well after all. – But as long as there are capacity problems, there will unfortunately be some delays. More carpooling Trøndelag county council is aware of the problems. – We know that TrønderTaxi is struggling with a driver shortage, and therefore does not have the capacity to carry out the assignments in time. This applies to the entire industry. So says Rolf Granlund, section leader in Trøndelag county municipality. At the same time, he is clear that what the Skartland family is experiencing is not okay. – The shuttle must be timely and predictable. It is now a state of emergency, which we need help to clear up. Several measures are therefore now being considered to make better use of the capacity. Rolf Granlund is section leader in Trøndelag County Municipality. Photo: Trøndelag county council There is a lot of simultaneity in the school shuttle assignments, which requires a large capacity within given time periods. – More driving together and adjustment of times are among the measures we are looking at, to make the logistics calculation work together, says Granlund. Other taxi companies are also occasionally hired to handle the fixed assignments. Increase in recent years Granlund also points out that the number of pupils who receive individually arranged school transport has increased significantly in recent years. Moving patterns and the fact that more school children alternate between two homes also affect the need. – We shall not explain away our responsibility in any way, but we have major challenges in obtaining sufficient capacity, says Granlund. For the Skartland family, the morning routine has changed significantly, and they wonder if the municipality is aware that the system is not working. – I have complained both to the municipality and the taxi company, and received an offer to drive him myself for a voucher of NOK 150 a day. I have replied that I do not have the note. After that I haven’t heard anything more, says Julianna Skartland.
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Mother despairs over poor school transport in Trondheim, her son never gets to school on time – news Trøndelag
