Proposed Federal Transit Rules Upset Districts

Public Bus Agencies Warned Not to Run Routes for Students

The Federal Transit Administration wants public transit agencies to get out of the business of creating routes designed exclusively to take students to and from school.

But a proposed policy statement, which the agency says only clarifies rules that have been in effect for more than 30 years, has raised alarm among district officials. For some districts, those officials say, public transit is the most effective way to get students to school.

Paul Griffo, a spokesman for the federal agency, said that a final proposal would be released soon, but that any changes the FTA makes would not be expected to affect school transportation for the 2008-09 school year. The changes are meant to ensure that transit agencies that receive federal money are only using the funds for general transit service, Mr. Griffo said in an...