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Online Help Available For Parents Seeking Bus Information

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By JAMIE PILARCZYK

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 16, 2008

TAMPA - Parents frustrated in trying to call the school district's Transportation Call Center have other options for finding where the bus will pick up their children Monday morning, when Hillsborough County public schools open.

Spokesman Steve Hegarty said the district's Web site, www.sdhc.k12.fl.us, allows parents to fill out an online Review of Student Eligibility for Bus Stop Assignment form that is responded to with an e-mail. He said he has filled out the form several times and has received an e-mailed response within a day.

Hegarty said for parents driving their children to school on the first day, bus stop information will be available directly from the school as well.

Families complained last week about having trouble getting through to the center on its hot line. Hegarty said the 16 lines at the call center received hundreds of calls Saturday. Once the call is picked up at the center, a caller can plan on being on hold an average of 17 minutes before being helped, Hegarty said.

"It's two days before school," Hegarty said. "It was much easier to get through two weeks ago."

He said the nature of the calls make for longer service times, researching answers for families whose children are dropped off at different sites than picked up or who have special needs.

"It's not as simple as 'Here's your bus stop,'" he said. "It can be complicated."

The transportation hot line, (813) 982-5500, will be open today from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. The district's Web site asks for those having difficulty getting through to be patient and try again later.

Reporter Jamie Pilarczyk can be reached at (813) 259-7661 or jpilarczyk@tampatrib.com.

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