End to courtesy busing for Hillsborough schools scares parents

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – It’s the second week of classes in Hillsborough County and parents are still raging about the end of courtesy busing for kids who live than two miles to a school.

“I think it’s really scary,” said parent Sue Kouwe.

This school year, 7,500 fewer kids in Hillsborough have access to courtesy busing as a result of cost-cutting measures that save the money-pinched school district $3 million.

Kouwe’s son attends J. Crockett Farnell Middle School near a crowded commercial district in Northwest Hillsborough, where parent pick-up lines block commuter traffic on Nine Eagles Drive.

“I’m just waiting for one of these kids to get hit by a car, because these parents aren’t paying attention, they’re just trying to get in wherever they can,” Kouwe said.

Some parents have taken photos of kids darting between cars, vehicles crossing the median to escape the traffic jams that block commuters twice a day and even a school bus driving the wrong way down Nine Eagles Drive because of the school pick-up road blocks.

A number of parents who live within two miles of Farnell in the Waterchase, Westwood Lakes, Hampton Lakes and Eagles subdivisions share the same concerns as Kouwe.

“Kids should not be in that street. It’s not safe enough. There’s no crossing guards. There’s no one there to man traffic,” said Yvette Stroehlein.

Parents claim 300-400 kids have lost courtesy busing.

“If we don’t voice our concern at this point, unfortunately, something tragic is going to happen at some point.”

Hillsborough School District spokeswoman Tanya Arja tells 8 on Your Side parents can appeal case-by-case decisions to end courtesy busing by filling out a “Hazardous Walking Concern Review Request” or by calling the district directly as some of Farnell parents have already done.

“Our general manager of transportation is actually going out to Farnell tomorrow. He’s meeting with some of the parents, maybe some of the parents you’re talking to,” Arja said. “We had to make sure that not only are we equitable across the district, but also using taxpayer dollars wisely.”

Arja insists the district is following state law, which puts the transportation responsibility for kids who live closer than two miles to a school back on parents, an issue she says parents have known about since January.

Pinellas County did away with courtesy busing years ago.