This week, students are getting back into the swing of their daily routines and class schedules. For many kids, this includes a new bus route, unless you live too close to school.
According to state guidelines, students are only eligible to use the bus if they live beyond a two-mile radius of their school. One family in Crowley ISD believes there should be exceptions to the guideline, if the route to school is unsafe.
“We are new to Crowley and just assumed my daughter would take the bus,” said Robert Minion.
Living only 1.4 miles away from the school, Minion's daughter is ineligible for the school bus. Robert said his job schedule will not allow him to take her to school every day, so she will have to walk to school.
The 1.4 mile trek to school takes about 25 minutes, through a neighborhood, across a main street, passing construction, through a field, and navigating around a lot of fast moving traffic.
“I would just like a safe route for her, and anyone else that has to walk to school," Minion said. "There’s a high school nearby. With the high school traffic you already have the distractions of cell phones, and friends, and first day and everything else, and now you got a 10-year-old in that same path, and that bothers me a little bit.”
According to district spokesperson, if the transportation department believe the route is dangerous a bus would be provided.
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To see the rating scale that determines the need to provide bus service from an area to a school when it is judged not safe for the student to walk to school, click here.
Crowley ISD suggested an alternate route that is safer, however the route is longer. Instead of walking 1.4 miles, Robert’s daughter would have to walk 1.6 miles but would avoid construction areas and empty fields.
“At Crowley ISD the safety of our students is extremely important. We are working diligently with Mr. Minion to make sure his daughter has the safest option possible,” said Crowley ISD spokesperson Anthony Kirchner. “Parents can also call the transportation department if they would like to know the safest route to walk at 817-297-5946.”
