Toddlers expected to walk at least a mile to Head Start programs in Rapid City

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Head Start programs are one of the most successful ways for families to escape poverty. Yet, the National Head Start Association (NHSA) says more than 50% of Head Start programs in the United States have a transit stop accessible to their families. That accessibility means the Head Start program is within 0.2 miles of the transit stop; 0.2 miles is the most a toddler should be expected to walk.

In Rapid City, no Head Start programs are within walking distance for a toddler. As the crow flies, all Head Start programs are within 1 mile to 5 miles of a bus stop.

For Dusti Oliver, a single mom, her child would be expected to walk 1.2 miles from the bus stop at Family Fare supermarket on Cambell Street to Rural America Initiatives (RAI).

Oliver lives in income-based housing and works as a housekeeper at a hotel in Rapid City. She gets on the Rapid Ride bus at 8:17 a.m. and gets to work at 9:05 a.m., a 45-minute bus ride one way.

When Oliver’s daughter first started at RAI, Oliver had to rely on friends and family to pick her up. Or else it would be that 1.2-mile walk from the nearest bus stop on Cambell Street. In Oliver’s favor, RAI opened a bus route that picks the child up in the morning and drops her off in the afternoon.

“Like an early head start; that’s a very good part of it, but more or less just so I can work,” shares Oliver.

On top of letting Oliver work, NHSA says Head Start programs are proven to boost her income, likely keep her daughter out of jail, and help them out of poverty.

Oliver works Monday through Friday, “Only because [her daughter] goes to school then. Housekeeping-wise, it would be best if I worked on weekends, but she goes to school.”

RAI runs three buses and has two bus driver positions open. Anne Reddy, program director at Rural America Initiatives, says if a bus driver calls in sick, they must close a route down.

“A majority of our parents are single parents. We have single fathers, we have single great-grandmothers and grandmothers. We’ve even had grandpas who had custody of children. Most of our parents are busy working,” says Reddy.

Rapid City is looking at the current bus system. The city wants to get people to as much of the town as possible.

Rather than add a line, the city will adjust. They want to avoid multiple buses being on the same road simultaneously. In a 2022 transit plan, multiple expansion routes were included, one of which would pass RAI. However, that same plan says adding a new route would cost up to $500,000.

“Being able to provide transportation to schools, workplaces, medical appointments, a majority. Like I said, we’re not going to hit them all. Those are factors that we do look into,” explained Megan Gould, transit division manager for the Rapid Transit System.

Gould says new lines could be added in Rapid City 5 to 7 years down the line.

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