Transportation policy change forces some Pasco students to find their own way to school

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - A change to the Pasco County school district's transportation policy is forcing a lot of students to find their own transportation to school for the first time.

The district is eliminating "courtesy busing" for middle and high school students. The state only funds busing for students who live more than two miles from their school. Transportation for students who live within two miles is considered a "courtesy." The district said it can no longer afford to offer it for secondary school students.

"The state says that if you live within two miles of a school, there is an expectation that you can get your son or daughter to school, whether they ride a bike, whether they walk or whether you take them," said Steve Hegarty, a Pasco Schools spokesperson.

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The district is trying to avoid the same type of crisis it faced last school year, when district leaders decided to overhaul school start and end times to address buses that were chronically late due to the district's driver shortage.

Pasco Schools currently has 55 vacancies which, Hegarty said, is a better situation than at this time last year.

"The situation should be improved this year because of some of the changes that we've made and because we're being very aggressive about trying to hire more bus drivers," he said.

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Some parents of students who will no longer be bused, however, have safety concerns about the new policy.

"There's no safe route for these kids at all," said Donna Havens, whose two children attend J.W. Mitchell High School and Seven Springs Middle School. "I understand why [the district eliminated courtesy busing] because they don't have any the bus drivers and all that. But they should really have thought about this a little bit more."

Havens said if her children walked or rode a bicycle to school, they would have to cross six lanes on State Road 54 in New Port Richey.

"I'm very concerned. My husband and I will be driving our children," she said.

Hegarty is urging parents who have questions to call the district's Transportation Department at 813-794-2500, 727-774-2500 or 352-524-2500. The department's call center will be open at least through the beginning of next week.