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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]This subject is brought up every year. The schedule never changes. Move on.[/quote]

If the 2014 group had said the same thing, they would've never been able to make it happen. If you don't care to make the change, you move on.[/quote]

The 2014 group was trying to get the start time moved to substantially later, and after a comprehensive study that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, only managed to move it 20 minutes.

I would not support reopening this question unless someone can explain what has changed since the last time MCPS tackled this issue. If there has been a material change in the situation, let's evaluate. But if all of the factors are functionally the same, it's not worth the money. [/quote]
This is the perfect time to return to this conversation. We’re about to change boundaries, grading policy, and special programs. Under the new plan, bus rides to special programs will be shorter. We don’t know yet how bus ridership will change with new boundaries. Once these changes are rolled out, we ought to find out if the priorities of MCPS’s stakeholders have changed. Enough years will have passed since the last study that MCPS largely won’t be serving the same families. The old data will be obsolete. That doesn’t mean that the results of a new study would be different, but enough things will have changed that the old study won’t be relevant.[/quote]
The 2014 study had different options and their costs. The main problem to overcome is how the busses are used for HS, then MS, then ES runs. The idea that I thought most feasible was to have HS start when MS does, but that required purchasing and maintaining more busses and associated staffing.

I think there may be some bus route efficiency improvements with the region idea, but that alone won’t free up enough busses to cover MS/HS at the same time.  I would like to see the county improve the public bus routes to align better with school system needs especially in the denser areas of the county. Maybe run new “circulator” routes connecting MS and HS in each region, concentrated around 6-9am, 11-1p, 3-6pm. Plan to move both commuting adults and students more efficiently. It may be possible to free up enough school busses in some areas to shift them to double up in other areas to get a change in start times. It’s worth advocating for. [/quote]

Yes, RideOn busses! Some of the routes have very few county passangers. Use those busses to circulate in more areas of the county. If only MCPS is willing to collaborate with RideOn and worked together with the MoCo Council[/quote]

Not all ride on buses go to all neighborhoods and directly to schools.  [/quote]

And that's why MCPS, county council and Ride On should work on a plan. [/quote]

Why?  They cannot provide the same kind of service as school buses.  And, many don't want young kids on public buses without any supervision as who knows who is on that bus.  You can have your kids take ride on.  Its free.[/quote]

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