What’s happening
Chief of Business Services Steven Ewing presented several recommendations to board members concerning the updates to the district’s hazardous roadway guidelines at the Jan. 21 meeting. Ewing said a final plan for the 2025-2026 school year is presented to the board at an upcoming meeting for approval.
The board previously adopted the hazardous roadway guidelines at the Sept. 17 meeting.
According to the policy, the district must provide transportation for students who cross:
- Four- or six-lane roadway with a speed limit over 45 mph
- Four- or six-lane roadway that does not have pedestrian-activated traffic signals
- US 75
- Dallas North Tollway
- President George Bush Turnpike
- Preston Road
- Active railroad tracks
- Areas that do not have sidewalks or a safe path
The Texas Education Agency defines a hazardous roadway as an area where no walkway is provided and students must walk along or across a freeway, expressway, underpass, bridge, uncontrolled major artery road, industrial or commercial area or other comparable conditions.
In total, 20 routes will be discounted because of the new guidelines and three new routes will be added.
The district currently has 210 bus routes, 220 drivers and 305 buses, Ewing said. Additionally, the budget for transportation is $20.6 million with a TEA allotment of $1.5 million, leaving about a $19 million funding gap.
What else?
Because of budget and resource constraints, Ewing recommended the district eliminate its Fare Busing and revise its transportation policies for special education and bilingual students to ensure their proper placement.
“Current services in these areas are not equitable,” Ewing said. “That is due to our driver resources. We just do not have the bandwidth.”
Because of labor shortages with licensed bus drivers and inflation growth, Ewing said transportation would continue to see an increase in employment and asset costs.
