District considers charging bus fees, changing routes

Marissa Espino

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The Huntington Beach City School District’s second

meeting on transportation fees turned into a plea for safer bus routes.

A few of the six residents who attended the Aug. 19 meeting requested bus

routes for the Dwyer Middle School students who live in the Peninsula and

Edwards Hills areas because of the construction on Goldenwest Street and

other nearby streets.

“Safety is so important,” Peninsula resident Teresa Ifland said. “At this

point I’m willing to pay for it.”

Jerry Buchanan, assistant superintendent of administrative services, said

the district is exploring whether to offer temporary bus routes because

of construction, and is determining whether there are enough buses and

that the drivers would be able to work new routes into their exiting

ones.

Buchanan also said the proposed costs to parents if the district switches

to a pay-to-ride busing system will be $180 for an annual round-trip

pass, or $100 for a semester round-trip pass per student. Qualified

low-income families will pay $25 and students qualifying for

reduced-priced lunches will pay $90 annually, he said. Families also will

receive discounts if more than one child is taking the bus, he said.

District staff has been conducting a study this summer on whether to

establish a fee for bus riders because the district is spending about

$140,000 more than what the state provides for bus transportation.

The Huntington Beach district staff will present its proposal before the

school board Sept. 7. The board is expected to take action by Sept. 21.

If the school board approves the proposal, bus passes will be sold in

December and the program will begin Jan. 3. The cost to parents will pay

$90 for the first year and $45 for students who qualify for

reduced-priced lunches, Buchanan said.

Peninsula resident Ken Ball said he felt the district’s proposal was

fair.

“Having looked at some of the other districts who charge, they [would]

charge toward the lower end,” Ball said. “If they have to make up the

deficit, the only option is to do this.”