Cy-Fair ISD is reinstating all bus routes this school year after safety concerns, but future funding remains uncertain.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — After more than a year of passionate pleas from parents and growing safety concerns, school buses are finally returning for thousands of Cy-Fair ISD students. But as families breathe a sigh of relief, many are now asking — will the buses be here to stay?
The push to restore transportation began after Cy-Fair ISD cut 79 bus routes ahead of the 2024–2025 school year, impacting more than 30,000 students. The district had cited financial reasons for the move, leaving middle and high school students who lived within two miles of campus — and elementary students within one mile — without transportation.
Parents, including Katherine Robinson, were deeply concerned about their children walking along busy roads with no sidewalks. KHOU 11 News previously covered multiple reports of students being hit and injured while walking to school, adding urgency to the community’s demands for action.
“When you’re dealing with really busy roads and no safe walking path, that’s a huge problem,” Robinson said.
In response to the growing outcry, parents like Jarred Hostetler organized efforts to push for a full reinstatement of the bus system, citing not only inconvenience but life-or-death safety concerns.
“I started talking to other parents in the neighborhood and realized they were concerned,” Hostetler said. “Other neighborhoods were having worse walks than ours.”
In addition to restoring transportation, Harris County Commissioners Tom Ramsey and Leslie Briones worked to install sidewalks in key areas previously lacking any pedestrian infrastructure.
“You can’t have children going out there and getting hit by cars on their way to school,” one community member said.
Cy-Fair ISD officials now confirm the routes are fully reinstated for the 2025–2026 school year. The district also increased pay for drivers and is actively recruiting qualified candidates. But while families are grateful for the return to safer conditions, uncertainty looms.
“It’s really a safety issue, and unfortunately it took a lot of children being very seriously injured for them to say, ‘oh this was a bad idea,’” Robinson said.
District trustees have acknowledged concerns about future funding and say the transportation budget will be a key part of early discussions ahead of next year’s vote.
For now, many parents — including Robinson — are thankful their children have a safe, reliable way to get to school.
“Not everybody’s in a position to take their child to school,” she said. “We were fortunate… but not everybody had someone.”
KHOU 11 will continue following the story as the district works to plan for future school years.
Looking for a job as a school bus driver in Cy-Fair? The district is offering hiring incentives and increased hourly pay. Visit cfisd.net/transportation or call (713) MYC-FBUS (713-692-3287) for more information.