HISD Transportation FAQs - subject to change for 2015-2016 school year

All HISD Magnet students are given transportation privileges for as long as they retain their Magnet status. When parents applied to their school of choice, they indicated on the application whether or not transportation was needed. All students who indicated a yes on the application who applied on or before December 20th, will receive a transportation assignment in the mail in August before school begins. If you do not receive busing information at least a week prior to the beginning of school on August 24, please contact the Vanguard Office immediately, and we will help you locate a bus assignment.

Busing assignments are the responsibility of HISD’s Routing and Scheduling Department, R&S, and are based upon your home address. Bus stops are created based on a 2 mile radius from the home address that appears in Chancery, the HISD computer system that holds all of your child’s educational information. Below are frequently asked questions regarding transportation that may help you with the transportation process:

Q: What if I do not receive my busing information by August 17, the Monday before school begins?

A: Fill out the Transportation Service-Bus Change Request Form and submit it to the Vanguard office or to mtrendel@houstonisd.org and we will help you locate your stop, pick-up and drop-off times, and bus route number. The form can be found in the Vanguard office or on the Alexander Hamilton website under Vanguard, Transportation.

Q: What if the stop that has been provided for me is not the closest one to my home?

A: All stops are determined by R&S based on a 2 mile radius from the home address stated in Chancery. All stops take each rider into consideration and decisions are made based on locations that best serve the majority of student riders. R&S will not make changes to routes based on one student’s situation.

Q: What if the stop that has been created is not the safest one for my child?

A: All stops are investigated by field agents before they are created, but it is possible that some things can be overlooked or new construction pops up. Call our office and we will work with you in contacting R&S to find a stop that is safer. This is a process. R&S will send out another field agent who will investigate the area and report back their findings. If it is determined that the stop is unsafe, a change will be made. We ask that you be patient during this process. HISD and Hamilton take the safety of our students very seriously, and these issues will be handled as quickly as possible.

Q: What if my child needs to take another bus to school or home temporarily?

A: If you know ahead of time that your child needs to ride with a friend who is on another bus for whatever reason, please alert our office, and we will create a temporary bus pass. Temporary bus passes are made for a single day. If you need a permanent change, that is another process answered in the next question. Changes at the last minute cannot be granted. Drivers have to be alerted ahead of time and make adjustments to their manifest. It all boils down to safety issues. Note: temporary passes are for established bus riders only, students already receiving transportation privileges.

A: If you have a change of address, you must contact our PEIMS Clerk, Mrs. Gonzalez, and make the change so that it is reflected in Chancery. Then, fill out the Transportation Service-Bus Change Request Form and submit it to the Vanguard office or to mtrendel@houstonisd.org , and we will help you locate another stop and bus route. The form can be found in the Vanguard office or on the Alexander Hamilton website under Vanguard, Transportation. Remember, it will not become official through R&S if you do not make the change with Mrs. Gonzalez. As stated above, stops are made based on the address found in Chancery.

Q: What if my child needs transportation services, but we did not indicate as such on the application when we first applied?

A: Contact our office and we will register him/her for transportation services and help you locate a stop and bus route.

Q: What if my child is not a Vanguard/Magnet student but needs transportation services?

A: Transportation is only offered to VG/MG students because these students are transferred in from outside of our zoned area. All others must find other transport to and from school. Many of our students are serviced by privately owned transport companies or ride Metro. It is against policy to provide you with these numbers, but you are welcome to come to campus and meet with the drivers in the morning or afternoon to get their contact information. Private buses pick-up and drop-off on 22^nd Street, behind the campus as do the HISD buses.

Q: What do we do if we live outside of the HISD area?

A: Transportation services are only offered to HISD zoned students, but contact our office and we can see if something can be worked out at the nearest HISD campus to your home address that has a Hamilton stop already scheduled.

Q: What do I do if my child’s bus is late?

A: If your bus has not arrived by 20 minutes after the assigned time, contact Central Motor Pool at 713-676-9432 and give them the bus route number, the name of the bus stop, and apprise them of the situation. Get the name of the dispatcher you speak to. The dispatcher should be able to tell you what the delay is or in more extreme cases, whether or not a replacement bus is being sent and what time it should arrive. Then contact Hamilton, 713-802-4725, with the information so that we can assist in getting your child safely to Hamilton.

Q: What do I do if my child is being bullied or harassed on the bus?

A: Contact the Vanguard office immediately, 713-802-4725.

Q: What do I do if my child leaves something important or valuable on the bus?

A:  Items left on buses are the sole responsibility of the rider. You may contact Central Motor Pool, but do not expect an investigation if the items are not located when your child gets on the bus the next day. Talk to your child and make sure that he/she knows to check their area for their belongings before getting off of the bus.