And we wonder why there's youngsters arriving at uni who can't cope!!
In 8/9 months she could be going away to uni herself.
Your job as a parent is to prepare her to be an ADULT.
That means looking after and not losing things, being prepared for each day (if it's raining she should be wearing suitable clothing even if getting the bus), being adaptable, being resilient.
A 20 minute walk in the rain early morning at age 17 REALLY shouldn't be a problem.
At her age I was going to college a 2 hour train ride away full journey involved a 30 min walk to the right train station, train to about 45 mins away then connection for rest of journey and 20 min walk at other end. In all weathers and if I had a 9am start that essentially meant leaving home at 6am. Did it for 2 years. Also worked part time Eve & weekends involving an 8am start on a sat morning in next town and due to the bus times meant a 6.45 wake up as there was a bus at 7 but not another one till 8.
My dds (also 17 18 soon) been working full time since she was 16, this has included shifts meaning leaving early to walk to work 2 miles away in all weathers - and she has a permanent disability that affects her mobility too.
I had a 3m walk to primary school which from age 8 I did with just my best friend from next street. Dd had a 2.5m walk to primary.
Frankly both you and your dd need to toughen up.
Did she not go to college at all? Was there no other way for her to get there? And if she did stay home did she call college to let them know & apologise? And look for the lanyard?
Also if she was capable of walking home from the bus stop why are you giving her a lift? Is it on your way?
"I am extremely sceptical that only 4 kids ride that bus with the same driver each day." Ditto - and a few other things!
"Teenage lasses in my city were always out in the snow and dark in tiny skirts and strappy sandles in the middle of winter" my dd seems to wear little more than a hanky & a belt for nights out! It's been -2/-3 a few weekend nights round here recently. Suggestions of even to wear a jacket get met with 🙄 "there's nowhere to put it, it'll just get nicked or lost or a drink spilt on it"
Where we live now is rural, lived rural almost all my life (dad was army most bases are arse end of nowhere!)
"She did miss a day of college as I couldn’t get her there" is there really no other way of getting there? Even if late?
"All these people who say I’m mollycoddling her, what would you have done."
Mild bollocking for not having her pass for starters!
At 17 shes plenty old enough to remember it every day "purse, phone, keys, pass" mantra - drum it into her (though seems bus drivers now done that to some degree).
Expected her to call college ASAP to explain absence/lateness & apologise WITHOUT prompting.
Organise alternative transport if at all possible.
In future make sure she has everything she needs ready to go night before!
"She doesn't sound like she's got much common sense!" Totally agree