Pasco County (Fla.) district re-evaluates "courtesy" bus routes

School bus route specialists inPasco County, Fla., have hit the road to re-evaluate the walking conditions leading to 27 campuses. They aimed to determine whether it's safe enough to stop giving "courtesy" bus passes to the 2,205 students who received them during 2007-08. Of those, 1,672 students actually used the passes. The state pays to bus students who live more than 2 miles from school. It also covers the cost for elementary students who live closer but would have to walk along "hazardous" routes, as defined in statute. Hazardous conditions take into consideration the availability of sidewalks, the speed limit on the roadways, traffic density and other related factors. A district might otherwise decide to provide bus rides to students. But it is on the hook for the cost, which in Pasco is about $10,000 per route. To read The St. Petersburg Times article, click here. EARLIER: The days of free bus rides for Pasco County (Fla.) district students who live closer than 2 miles from school could soon be over. In a cost-saving measure, the school board has asked the district administration to consider cutting the "courtesy" bus routes that the state does not pay for. The district has about 15 such routes serving all levels of students. To read The St. Petersburg Times article, click here.