NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY – It’s yet another source of stress for parents: Shrinking school bus service to save districts money.
Kids who had safe rides last year may be hoofing it this year. And as KPRC 2′s Joel Eisenbaum found out, the route may not be all that safe for walkers.
Some students may face a 40-minute walk to school, and that’s just one way. Another problem?
“There’s no sidewalks whatsoever,” Cy-Fair parent Mario Rivas said.
Thousands of kids across multiple school districts no longer have a bus ride to school, and the routes can be perilous.
Some HISD kids could have a six-mile roundtrip walk every day.
Cy-Fair is tightening bussing rules too, and the older you are, the more dangerous the journey can be.
Rivas’ 12-year-old faces a 3.6-mile round trip, almost an hour and a half of walking per day.
“I have to be at work at 6:30 in the morning. Who’s going to take care of my son? My wife has... unfortunately, she has cancer,” Rivas said.
Cy-Fair ISD released a statement on what they say is causing the problem, and what they’re doing to fix it:
With an initially projected $138 million budget deficit for 2024-2025, reducing transportation services was a difficult decision that was necessary to prevent further reductions in staff at the campus level. There is minimal state reimbursement for providing transportation services to students living within two miles of a campus. CFPD is working directly with campuses to identify the safest walking path for students at each campus, as well as determining the main point of entry and the number of crossing guards that are needed at that campus. Neighborhoods and volunteer groups may choose to monitor additional intersections. Additionally, we are collaborating with some HOAs and MUDs, and Precincts 3 and 4, to identify solutions and additional resources to address concerns. Some neighborhood communities are exploring the possibility of increasing supervision at key intersections during arrival and dismissal time, in addition to adding more sidewalks. Parents may also choose to transport their child to school by car.