It is looking less and less likely a resolution to the London transit strike will be reached before the winter exam schedule begins next week.

“In the best-case scenario the buses could be back the week before Christmas, but at minimum capacity,” University Students’ Council president Emily Rowe said.

“We were told because of [bus] maintenance and safety issues, it takes […] three to four weeks for the fleet to return to full capacity,” she added.

While it’s possible the strike could end before Christmas, Rowe said she wasn’t confident it would happen.

In light of this, the USC and university administration are urging students to plan ahead and take advantage of the transportation initiatives, which were released three weeks ago.

An e-mail sent out Wednesday morning by Gitta Kulczycki, Western’s vice-president resources and operations, acknowledged there is a high demand for drivers coming from the south end of the city.

“Western is urgently seeking more volunteers,” the e-mail read.

Those with a valid drivers licence may help by assisting with the Share a Ride program, driving a Western community van or by participating in the Flag a Ride program.

Once the exam season begins, Rowe indicated the USC will be doubling the frequency of its exam shuttle service.

While this will result in more opportunities to get to and from exams for students living within the shuttle routes, USC communications officer Carolyn Hawthorn pointed out there is no substitution for prudent planning.

“Obviously if someone has an exam at 9 a.m. we hope they will realize there will be a high demand for an 8 a.m. shuttle,” she said.

Rowe indicated the USC and administration are working on further developing their plan to accommodate inclement weather and early exams, although nothing tangible has emerged yet.

“We’ll have a much clearer picture tomorrow,” she said when asked what to expect.