- Walking bus
A walking bus is a group of schoolchildren who, chaperoned by two adults (a "Driver" leads and a "conductor" follows) walk to school, in much the same way a
school bus would drive them to school. Like a traditional bus, walking buses have a fixed route with designated "bus stops" and "pick up times" in which they pick up children.The concept of the walking bus was invented in 1998 by
Hertfordshire County Council and was first used atWheatfields Junior School inSt Albans ,United Kingdom in1998 [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/880055.stm BBC News Article] ]Walking Buses have remained popular in the
United Kingdom and have recently gained a level of popularity elsewhere in Europe, North America [" [http://www.walkingschoolbus.org/ Start a Walking School Bus] ",Partnership for a Walkable America ] andNew Zealand . Proponents of walking buses say that its aims are to: [ [http://www.iwalktoschool.org/ The Official Website of International Walk to School] ]*Encourage physical activity by teaching children the skills to walk safely, how to identify safe routes to school, and the benefits of walking
*Raise awareness of how walkable a community is and where improvements can be made
*Raise concern for the environment
*Reduce crime and take back neighbourhoods for people on foot
*Reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and speed near schools
*Share valuable time with local community leaders, parents, and childrenIn
Auckland , New Zealand, as at November 2007, one hundred schools run 230 Walking School Buses with over 4,000 children and 1,500 adults participating. [ [http://www.travelwise.org.nz/media/pdf/2007_STPeval.pdf Auckland Regional Transport Authority School Travel Evaluation for the 2007 school year] ]ee also
*
Walk to school campaign
*walk to school data References
* [http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1021/p15s01-legn.html Students 'ride' to school on foot] — The Christian Science Monitor, accessed on 7 March 2005.
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