Walking School Bus
A Walking Bus is:
- A fun, environmentally friendly way to get to school
- A safe and healthy way to get daily excercise
- A great way to deal with traffic chaos around your school
What parents say…
“Socially it’s great because the children meet other
children whom they otherwise would’ve known only by sight.
My children have formed some good friendships because
of the Walking School Bus. The grown-ups get to know
other grown-ups better too!”
“The Walking School Bus is free. The only cost
is volunteering time on the roster.”
“Many parents registered because the children
themselves have asked to join – they see the Walking
School Bus as a fun thing to do.”
What is a Walking School Bus?
• A group of parents or volunteers are rostered to walk with a
group of children to and from school.
• Children are ‘picked up’ at specific stops on a designated
route by parent volunteers who act as ‘drivers’.
Why is walking to school
a good idea?
Currently over half of New Zealand primary school children are
driven to and from school – nearly double the numbers that went
by car around 10 years ago. And today nearly one third of all Kiwi
children get very little or no exercise every week.
School communities are increasingly concerned about the safety of
children on our roads and their health and fitness.
In response to these concerns, walking school buses are springing
up all over New Zealand as one way of encouraging children to walk
to school safely.
Reducing the number of cars on the roads not only means cleaner
air, beaches, rivers and streams but also less greenhouse gas
emissions that contribute to climate change.
Short journeys by car produce a particularly high amount of
harmful air emissions. Vehicles contribute to polluting waterways
through stormwater run-off from our roads.
Walking Bus Brochure (PDF 251kb)
Useful links:
LTSA Walking school bus information.