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Parents urge CFISD to restore bus routes after 15 students struck; district restored 16 routes impacting 1,171 students
Summary
Multiple speakers told the board that at least 15 CFISD students have been struck by cars this year. Trustees and staff described steps taken to reinstate 16 bus routes and add capacity as driver recruitment continues.
Parents and community members told the Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Board of Trustees that changes to bus service after route reductions have left some children walking along busy roads and at risk of collisions.
At the May 5 meeting, public commenters said at least 15 children in the district had been struck by vehicles this calendar year. “Children need to go to school safely,” said a parent speaker, noting several recent incidents and urging the board to restore more routes and align CFISD policy with neighboring districts.
The nut graf: the transportation discussion combined public safety concerns from speakers with board and staff updates that steps are underway to restore service while the district confronts driver shortages and operating-cost pressures.
Trustees and staff described recent reinstatements and driver-recruitment progress. A board member reported that as of April 17 the district had 12 driver vacancies; 14 drivers had completed training and selected routes, 44 more were in training, and on April 28 transportation services were reinstated to select areas—adding 16 routes and providing service for about 1,171 students. Trustees said the administration will continue to pursue additional route reinstatements while recruiting drivers and evaluating safety priorities.
Public commenters pointed to specific road hazards, naming Fry Road as a location where middle- and high-school students must cross four lanes at non-school-zone speeds. Commenters asked the board to consider policies used by neighboring districts (for example, Tomball ISD, Klein ISD and Katy ISD were mentioned) when setting route thresholds and safety standards.
Ending: Trustees and staff said they will continue to prioritize route reinstatements and driver hiring; staff promised follow-up data on route decisions and third-party pool and facility use requests that intersect with transportation planning.
