Conroe Independent School District

Transportation Department

Routing and Scheduling

Conroe ISD has a centralized Routing & Scheduling department.  This has been developed to serve our students more efficiently.  With the centralized department a more consistent and safe service can be provided for each and every one of our CISD students.

 Routing & Scheduling is a dynamic and changing process that requires constant monitoring and updating.  With the 28,446 stops servicing 32,987 students which are picked up on 976 runs and transported by 308 buses it is imperative for Routing & Scheduling to constantly revise the districts routes.

 Regular Education bus capacities are designed to transport a maximum of 71 students. This number may vary depending on the age group and size of students. For example, a 71 passenger bus can typically transport 71 elementary students; approximately 56 intermediate and junior high students; and approximately 48 high school students. Buses pick up a variety of combinations of these runs which constitutes each drivers route.  Therefore, any change to any run can and does ultimately affect a large number of students.  With this in mind, each route change request is carefully evaluated to ensure that the change is necessary.  All route change requests go through the Transportation Centers and can be initiated by the school or driver.

 Routes are set up in the beginning of the school year based on the students that are in the district database.  Each year parents/guardians fill out the Transportation Request form indicating whether their child is going to ride the bus.  The school inputs this information into the computer system.  Those parents/guardians that indicated that their child will ride the bus then becomes visible in the Transportation Routing program and the routes are developed to service those students.

 Special Needs students are registered for transportation through the ARD process.  Once the ARD Committee decides that a student needs Special transportation the information on this student is sent to Routing and Scheduling from the school.  Students, however are encouraged to attend the closest available program to his or her zoned school of attendance.  Transportation is limited to this area including transporting to daycare.

 It takes at least several days for any route change to take place in Special Needs Transportation.  As in regular transportation any route change affects a lot of other students and all parents/guardians need to be informed of any change that will affect their child’s transportation.  Due to these notification requirements, information dissemination regarding the needs of each student, and possibly equipment procurement and or adjustments needs etc. each change will take a minimum of several days but will be processed as soon as possible.  New students require additional considerations and therefore it also takes at least several days before services can even be started for these students.