TX: Janis Scott, Houston's 'bus lady,' arts patron and tireless advocate for public transit, dies at 73

Janis Scott, a fixture of community meetings and public lectures who was lovingly called "the bus lady" by four generations of Houstonians, died Monday. She was 73.

A nearly lifetime bus rider — there was a time in the 80s when she bought a car but ditched driving after a few years — Scott was one of the most passionate advocates for Metropolitan Transit Authority service, specifically frequent buses crisscrossing oft-neglected communities.

"She knew almost every Metro employee, as well as board members and senior staff, through many administrations, with whom she communicated regularly," Metro Interim CEO Tom Jasien said. "She always wanted to make sure things at Metro were going well and advocated for the agency to make improvements to our service. She was part of the Metro family and will be truly missed."

Beyond the bus Scott was a "lifelong learner" who "regularly attended public events with speakers from around the country," said her friend, Oni Blair.

Scott was a 1974 graduate of Rice University and was among the school's first Black graduates. In later life, she was commonly on the Rice campus, often mentoring students or simply offering newcomers to Houston a companion to a public lecture, musical performance or simply a short walk on campus.

Scott was given the school's award for outstanding achievement in civic and community service in 2016.

Typically wearing a colorful headscarf, Scott sat dutifully during daytime Metro meetings and city council sessions, always advocating for improved transit access while her fellow bus riders were busy at work. She often said speaking up is the first step toward making changes.

"Metro is a lifeline for many of us — it's a mandate and a civil right," Scott wrote in an essay for the Kinder institute for Urban Research at Rice University. "If you do not have a car, public transit gives you access to many opportunities, including jobs, medical appointments, education and what I call life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness! Transit justice is a form of freedom, where sidewalks and curb cuts are fundamental provisions, especially for people with mobility challenges. It is crucial that the built environment is up to code."

Scott was very willing to tell officials when bus service was being denied, or how they could improve it and make it affordable for riders. Always polite but never demure, Scott tussled with elected and appointed officials for what she believed, becoming a trusted voice along the way.

"Janis was one of many riders who kept us accountable for providing good service," former Metro board member Christof Spieler said. "But she stood out for the thoughtfulness of her comments, the way she stepped back to consider the needs of all the other riders as well, her caring for the bus operators who took her around Houston, and her love of the city and its transit system. She will be missed."

She was a founding board member of the transportation advocacy group LINK Houston, and often appeared in LINK Houston and Metro marketing materials.

"Janis was a Metro treasure," former transit board chairman Gilbert Garcia said. "She knew more about Houston transit than most Metro employees. When I became chairman, I would meet with her regularly to hear how we were really doing. I will miss her infectious laugh."

The daughter of a domestic worker who carried her along on cleaning assignments, hoping Janis would stay quiet, she was raised near the Port of Houston and attended school in Galena Park. Both mother and daughter relied on the bus for transportation.

As a high school senior, she was bused from her neighborhood to the mostly white Galena Park High School as part of the district's desegregation efforts.

"We weren't welcomed," Scott said for a 2012 profile. "We weren't wanted. And there we were in our senior year, in an unknown place with unfamiliar people who were hostile to us verbally and physically. The kids used to throw stuff at us — rocks, eggs, you name it."

Scott nonetheless excelled in school and won a scholarship to Rice, again taking the bus to class.

After college she worked as an executive assistant and other roles at Marathon Oil, retiring early in 2003.

She rarely, however, stayed around the home she was raised in and resided in until a few years ago. Freed from work, Scott poured herself into whatever she was passionate about: public meetings, museums, club meetings and local arts performances.

Blair said services for Scott are pending.

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