RDALE Transportation

As with any transition, it seems the move to First Student has encountered some bumps in the road.  The ones I have heard about include:

• Sometimes the bus is running late to or from school. (this has happened "early on" in other years also)
• Apparently they are running the buses so efficiently (ie full), that they have informed folks that no one can change buses. (ie ride home with a friend, take the bus to after school activities, etc)  We may have gotten a we bit too efficient (crowded) if occasionally little Jimmy can not ride home with little Billy for a play date.

I have not heard of any other issues.  How about you?

Then I just learned that RAS is still running "whole district" busing to bring kids to the Plymouth Middle School Spanish Immersion program.  Which is interesting enough.  Then I hear that only Spanish Immersion kids are allowed to ride those cross district buses....

Now this makes sense for RSIS (ie elementary) since it is a stand alone building with its own start time etc.  However, it seems a bit like favoritism to provide cross district busing for only the PMS kids that are in the Spanish Immersion program.

And apparently this special treatment will continue... See the bottom of the Phase Out doc for the following quote. "Note: Students enrolled in the Spanish Immersion Program at Plymouth Middle School are not affected by the Transfer Bus Phase-Out."  They must have had a more effective lobbyist than the AP / IB programs...

Does anyone know, did they find a way to run SEA and RSIS kids on the same cross district buses?  Or are they running the routes twice?

Transportation Eligibility
Transfer Bus Phase Out