HOUSTON, Texas – As the 2025-2026 school year approaches next week for most Houston area students, the state’s largest district, the Houston Independent School District, has officially launched its partnership with METRO, the city’s public transportation agency.
Recommended Videos
Earlier this year, HISD announced the collaboration to provide free rides for students in grades nine through 12 who live more than two miles from their zoned campus or are enrolled in a magnet program.
So far, approximately 600 students have signed up for the free service, and the district hopes to reach its goal of 1,000 before Tuesday.
To help parents and students prepare for this change, we spoke with Dante Arceneaux, also known as the METRO Kid.
Arceneaux, 19, is a recent graduate of Lamar High School who began riding the METRO bus to school in 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said he chose to take the METRO from his home in Holly Hall to Lamar because the school bus that normally picked him up was overcrowded.
Soon after, he earned the nickname “the METRO Kid” thanks to his extensive knowledge of bus routes across the city.
“I wish it were something I had when I was in school, even though that was a couple of months ago,” Arceneaux said. “Some kids come from homes where they don’t have bus fare.”
He even created a YouTube channel where he offers trip-planning advice to fellow students and new riders, a vlogs about his morning riding the bus.
“You have to plan your trip accordingly as you take public transportation. You can’t just walk out of the house and not know where you’re going, where the bus goes, what times they come, because you can be waiting sometimes 45 minutes for a bus and it might not come. I’ve rarely been in that scenario, but it does happen. A bus can break down, an accident can happen, anything," Arceneaux said.
For students riding the bus for the first time, Arceneaux said to:
- Be aware of your surroundings
- Plan your trip the night before
- Be at the bus stop 10 minutes before it says it’s going to arrive
- Learn backup routes
- Share your location with your parents
His advice to parents with children riding the METRO is, “My mom used to find my iPhone. As long as you have your location on with your kids, it’s okay to monitor your kids. It’s okay if you’re on the phone with your kids until the bus comes. Some parents wait with their kids, but then again, some parents don’t have time for that. Just let your parents know where you’re going, when you get on the bus, where you at, when you’re at school, and when you get off for the next transfer. Just stay up to date with your parents. That’s all you need to do."
Arceneaux says he still takes the METRO bus to get around Houston. He’s currently enrolled at Houston Community College in the automotive program, where he’s studying to become a mechanic.
