New Austin ISD bus routes: Details about Bus Stop Finder and hub stops

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin ISD officials shared details about the recently launched Bus Stop Finder and new hub stops across the district.

The backstory:

Austin ISD launched its 'bus stop finder' website after planning phases dating back to March.

The district is changing bus routes this school year in an effort to cut back on operating costs. 

Middle and high school students won't be picked up from neighborhood streets anymore. They'll be at "hub stop" community locations like elementary schools, libraries, post offices, or CapMetro transit centers. 

AISD says there will be no more district-wide transportation for Campbell Elementary and Eastside ECHS. 

Service to the Alternative Learning Center will be discontinued while service for other choice schools will continue.

AISD says they recognize that changes significantly impact families, but they have to address budget issues. 

What they're saying:

At a Thursday press conference, Kris Hafezizadeh, executive director of transportation at AISD, says they added more hub stops based on feedback.

"I cannot guarantee we will add hubs and stops everywhere, but we will consider the suggestions," he said. 

He says they've gone up to 254 hubs now. 

AISD will post yellow signs at all the hubs with QR codes with information. They say the hubs have been vetted for safety and traffic flow. 

"I do want to ask our families also in those areas to assist with carpooling. There are many areas in Austin where Capital Metro provides service," Hafezizadeh said.

He says the hub stop model will save $5.2 million. It means 27 fewer routes for the district. No bus drivers are losing their jobs.

"If we go back to the philosophy of creating neighborhood stops everywhere, then the idea to help our budget deficit overall will be defeated," Hafezizadeh said

By the numbers:

AISD says during the first phase, a total of 191 hub stops were identified as viable locations to transport students.

In the second phase, an additional ten hubs were identified.

Currently, there are now a total of 242 hub stops that have been identified after an additional 41 hubs were added in the district's third phase.

What's next:

The district says it is continuing to refine hubs with community feedback and real-world conditions.

Officials say the district is evaluating on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis with a particular focus on areas that don't have established sidewalks.

The district says it will continue to adjust stop, so the maximum distance to a hub does not exceed three miles.

What you can do:

How to find your stop:

• Type in your address and school into the Bus Stop Finder
• Review your assigned stop along with the pickup and drop-off times
• Share your feedback via the Transportation Hub Stops Survey so we can continue refining our routes to best serve your family.

Austin ISD parents speak out

What they're saying:

Ross Johnson has one child going to Bowie High School, and another going to Bailey Middle School. They used to only have to walk less than six minutes to their bus stop, but now to get to their bus stop hub at Baranoff Elementary, it'll take 24 minutes. Plus, they'd have to cross major streets like Brodie Lane.

"To think about having middle schoolers, high schoolers walking across that road or walking across those intersections, it's a little bit scary," Johnson said.

Johnson says he and his wife will probably have to drop off their kids at the hub, but the bus times are different for their kids, which makes it even more difficult to coordinate with their work schedules. 

"I think we're going to have to make it work whether we want to or not, it sounds like," he said. 

He says AISD should've thought more about safety.

"If these administrators and these leaders within AISD came to these neighborhoods, they would see how challenging it is to try and get these students to these schools," Johnson said. 

Johnson also says families are burnt out, having to deal with boundary changes and school closures. His child's school is absorbing students from Paredes Middle School, which closed weeks before the start of the school year. 

AustinEducation