SANTA CLARITA – Budget cuts and the states refusal to reimburse schools forced the district to make the choice of keeping dollars in the classroom and not in school transportation.
“Students pay $1 per ride or are offered a monthly pass for $35 which covers not only the school routes, but also any main route in the Santa Clarita Valley,” says Patrick Ryan, a transit analyst for Santa Clarita Transit.
Safety on the bus is monitored through video surveillance and cooperation with the local sheriff station and the Hart school districts.
Punishments for bad behavior on the bus range from a sheriff’s investigation, to Saturday school, suspension and parent/teacher mediation from the school system.
The school routes not only provide transportation for students but also the general public.
Extra buses were brought in to handle overcrowding and there is an extra ‘overflow’ bus brought in for unusually busy days.
The Santa Clarita Transit system has been around for 22 years, helping SCV residents commute around the city and is now helping students get to and from school.
The Santa Clarita Transit has been playing host to Hart School District students for about 12 years.
Public transportation is the new way to get to school
