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The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) is the provinically-mandated student transportation authority in Ottawa. It is responsible for the management and administration of all home to school transportation of eligible students of the Ottawa-Carleton District and the Ottawa Catholic School Boards.

Transportation Reforms introduced by the Ministry of Education in 2006/07 required School Boards across the province to develop partnerships that will see the combining of Transportation Departments of local school Boards into a fully integrated transportation organization.

The objective of these reforms was to move towards the co-operative delivery of safe, effective and efficient student transportation for School Boards that share common coterminous geographical areas, such as exist with the Ottawa-Carleton District and Ottawa Catholic School Boards.

In an effort to meet the Ministry of Education’s requirements, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) and the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) established a joint steering committee for the purpose of creating a Transportation Consortium in January 2007.

By February 2007 the joint steering committee had established an operating agreement, by-laws, and terms of reference and had also submitted a Transportation Consortium Plan to the Ministry of Education, that received approval.

A new name; the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA), was selected and approved by both Boards in February 2007 and in July 2007, the Transportation Departments of both Boards moved into a common office location at the Confederation Education Centre at 1645 Woodroffe Ave.

The organisation is divided into coordinating zones, with individual coordinators resonsible for distinct areas of the city.

Further information is available on the website at [| http://www.ottawaschoolbus.ca].