PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Pasco County Schools says that starting next school year some students who live within two miles of their school will no longer be bused to class.
This decision comes amid ongoing bus driver shortages that have plagued Tampa Bay area school districts throughout the pandemic.
Pasco County Schools says "unfunded riders," also known as "courtesy riders," will no longer be transported to their respective schools starting in the 2022-2023 school year. A district spokesperson says this will only affect middle school and high school students.
The school district explains the state doesn't provide funding for these students "based on the belief that two miles is a reasonable distance for families to plan their own transportation to schools."
The district goes on to say elementary-aged students who meet "specific criteria for hazardous walking conditions" and live within two miles of their school aren't considered unfunded riders.
County school leaders say that due to an "all-time high" driver shortage, the district isn't able to cover all the routes for students who need to be bused and because of this can no longer provide courtesy ridership.
"The fact that we are transporting kids who we are not funded for and not required to transport, has added to our challenges," a district spokesperson said in a statement.
The bus driver shortage caused Pasco County Schools to change some of its bell times at the start of the 2022 semester.
Parents of Pasco County Schools students who are bused should have received a call and email from the district as follows:
This is Pasco County Schools calling to provide an update regarding Transportation and information regarding plans for next school year.
As you are aware, the District made significant changes to our transportation schedules mid-year with the goal of improving the timely delivery of students to school and home again. For some schools, these changes have helped. Other schools are not experiencing the timely service we seek to provide. We currently have 53 bus driver vacancies, and without the fourth start time we would have more than twice as many driver vacancies.
Transportation is currently in the process of preparing routes and bell times for next school year. We are beginning the elimination of unfunded busing - called courtesy ridership - for secondary students who live within two miles of their school beginning with the 2022-2023 school year. The District is not funded for transporting these students, and we do not have the bus drivers to provide this transportation. You will receive a separate message after this one if your child’s transportation will be eliminated effective at the end of this school year.
The elimination of unfunded bus ridership will free up a significant number of buses that can, and will, be used to backfill late bus runs. We plan to bring the proposed bell schedule for 2022-2023 to the School Board in May.
Thank you for your patience as we can continue to work through these challenging times.
