Melissa ISD Bus Route Changes Spark Safety Concerns for Students

New Bus Service Limitations

• 🚌 Melissa ISD is implementing changes to bus service starting August 2025, limiting eligibility to students living more than two miles from school.
• 📌 This change affects students in neighborhoods like the Trail of Melissa, which is just under a mile from the school.

Safety Concerns on Busy Roads

• ⚠️ Parents are deeply concerned about the safety of students who will no longer qualify for bus service.
• 🚗 The primary concern is the speed and volume of traffic on roads like Highway 121, which has a 50 mph speed limit.
• 🚚 The presence of large trucks on Highway 121 creates a dangerous environment, with students potentially feeling the breeze from passing vehicles.
• 🚦 Crossing these busy thoroughfares, even for short distances, is deemed unsafe by parents.

Parent and District Perspectives

• 🗣️ Parents, like Danny Bryan and Celeste Harvey, express strong opposition, calling the situation "unacceptable" and stating their children "will not be walking to school."
• 💬 Melissa ISD states they are adjusting to accommodate the city's rapid growth and have a history of partnering with families and the community for student well-being.
• 😥 Despite the district's statement, parents fear a potential "tragedy" if safety measures are not maintained for their children.