Austin ISD moves to 'hub' bus stops for secondary students
Austin ISD bus stop changes
Austin ISD is changing bus routes this school year in an effort to cut back on operating costs.
AUSTIN, Texas - Austin ISD has launched its 'bus stop finder' website.
The district is changing bus routes this school year in an effort to cut back on operating costs.
Middle and high school students won't be picked up from neighborhood streets anymore. They'll be at "hub stop" community locations like elementary schools, libraries, post offices, or CapMetro transit centers.
The district is also reinstating the two-mile distance eligibility requirement.
Austin ISD parent speaks out
Local perspective:
Melissa Graham has two children, one going to Akins High School and one going to Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA). They live in Bradshaw Crossing.
"This hub system for the zone school does not make sense, because there are literally hundreds of kids in our neighborhood that are going to have an unsafe route to get to the hub system to then take the bus to their school," she said.
Their bus stops will be at Blazier Elementary and Blazier Intermediate, which are two-and-a-half miles from their home.
"We are bordered by two two-lane highways, basically. There are no sidewalks. The bike lanes are basically non-existent. Half the time, the bike lane is in the grass, and the dirt and gravel off to the side. Cars are zipping down like 60 miles per hour," she said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: AISD budget cuts target buses, positions, class sizes
Austin ISD says more than 550 positions could be impacted as they continue to address its $181 million budget deficit.
Plus, their pick-up times are nearly an hour and a half apart.
"The zone school is at 8:21 a.m., which as a working parent is, how do you make that work?" she said.
One of her kids is also in marching band. The district says late activity transportation for secondary schools will end, though campuses can still pay for it for themselves.
Graham says she'll have to drive her child to activities, and she's still trying to figure out what to do in the morning, like carpooling or having family help out.
"I honestly don't know at this point. I am honestly quite overwhelmed by it," she said. "My concern, too, is not just for us, but those that don't have that privilege. You know, what about that single working parent that has to work to put food on the table and the roof over their head? How is that child going to get to the hub system to get to school?"
What's next:
AISD says there will be no more district-wide transportation for Campbell Elementary and Eastside ECHS. Service to the Alternative Learning Center will be discontinued. Service for other choice schools will continue.
AISD says they recognize that changes significantly impact families, but they have to address budget issues. The district says for the first month of school, they will monitor and adjust as needed. Transportation is also evaluated every year.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Angela Shen