T.A.K.E Foundation to Raise Money for Bus Passes

For anyone looking to support a good cause while purchasing needed items on a dime, a rummage sale hosted by the Transport All Kids Everyday Foundation may be the perfect stop for you.

T.A.K.E., which is a part of the Poway Unified School District Foundation, hopes to raise money to help Poway families pay for a 31 percent increase in the price of an annual bus pass.

The rummage sale will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 23, at the PUSD transportation parking lot, 13626 Twin Peaks Rd. Those interested in contributing items to the sale may bring them to the lot this Saturday between noon and 4 p.m.

Ed Green, a bus driver for Poway Unified School District, who also helped start the T.A.K.E. Foundation, said an annual bus pass for one rider costs $575. The aim of the rummage sale, he said, is to help families cover the extra cost of the bus passes due to the recent price increase.

“We wanted to do whatever we could do to help people,” Green said.

Last year's 31 percent hike was the single biggest increase in price, according to PUSD Director of Transportation Tim Purvis. He said prices generally remain stable for a few years and only increase by about 10 percent.

This is the second year the T.A.K.E. Foundation has hosted the rummage sale, and Green said they’re hoping to exceed $5,000, which is how much money they raised last year.

“The more we raise, the more we can help families,” he said.

Most families pay for bus passes in one or two initial payments, but Purvis said that in special cases, arrangements can be made for families to pay in as many as three or four payments. He also points out that although $575 might seem like a large amount, when divided by the number of school days and factoring in two trips a day, that’s still less than $4 per day for transportation.

“It’s still a very, very economical deal,” Purvis said.

Since the bus pass prices were increased a year ago, ridership has dropped by approximately 800 students. The PUSD buses service approximately 2,800 students to 15 of the district’s elementary, middle and high schools.

Purvis said some students may be opting to walk, but most likely many parents have taken to dropping off students themselves.