HISD bus

HISD = houston independent school district
bus = bus Calvin rides to school

This could be a long post about how the bus system here is not up to par.  Instead I'll make it short and just share one story.

This morning I get a phone call at 6:15 from Calvin's bus driver, Delia. Here's our conversation.

Delia: hi, is this Calvin's mom? I forget your last name.
Me: yes, this is Calvin's mom
Delia: oh, hi. yes, I don't have my drivers license so I can't drive the bus today. I had it yesterday when I went to the office but now I don't have it so I can't drive.  I don't know if there can be a sub so maybe you should drive Calvin to school.  I don't have my license so I can't drive the bus. I had it yesterday --
Me:  ok, thanks for letting me know.
Delia: are you driving him to school?
Me: No a bus should still pick him up
Delia: ok


With the HISD bus system they do not hire substitute drivers. When they are in need of a sub, they radio out to other drivers and see who is available right then to go pick up students who are stranded. This means they can never give you a pick up time. usually I call the Bus dispatch office 3 or 4 times to check on the sub bus situation and then about an hour past his usual pickup time I have to get kind of nasty, tell them I need to go to work and can't sit home all day and then they have a bus here within 15 minutes.  

Calvin's school is about 15-20 minutes away in light traffic (between 10am-2pm) but in the morning rush it takes about an hour to get there so I am not inclined to drive him myself. It wastes way too much time.


As we are getting ready to leave Houston -- 9 weeks from today-- we have been talking about our top 10 and bottom 10 things in Houston. HISD bus and all other public service type organizations will definitely make the bottom 10!