Recommendation of a Strategy
Walking School Bus Programs
Iowa Bicycle Coalition
What is a Walking School Bus?
A walking bus is a form of student transport for children who,
chaperoned by adults 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.
What are the benefits of a Walking School Bus?
Promote a healthy lifestyle
Reduce vehicle traffic and conflict
Reduce unhealthy emmissions
Increased safety
Build community and school spirit!
Healthy Lifestyle
The walking school bus can help to reduce childhood obesity
rates by increasing activity levels for kids. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports the prevalence of
obesity among children and adolescents has nearly tripled since
1980.
Traffic Congestion
More of this...
Means less of this...
Fewer vehicles driving to school creates a safer environment and
provides cleaner air for kids to breathe!
Research shows that active kids are happier, have fewer health
complications, and perform better in school!
Safety
Walking School Buses provide supervised, safe transportation for
school. No priority is higher than making sure our kids are safe at
school as well as on their way to and from school!
Sense of community
Walking to school is not an individual event, it is a community
event. A Walking School Bus program can give kids a sense of
community and pride in their school.
How can you start a Walking School Bus?
Keep it simple
Find volunteers
Make it fun
Start Simple
Start with one route, one day a week.
Walking Wednesdays or Walk-N-Roll Days are great examples of one
day a week promotions.
Who's already walking? Chances are you have parents and kids who
already have an informal walking school bus!
Volunteers
Parents. Nobodyis more motivated and more invested in providing
a great environment for kids than their parents
Retirees. Many communities have retirees who want to be involved
and make great volunteers.
Older students. There are no greater role models for kids than
older peers. High school age kids also benefit from community
service.
Have Fun!
Reward kids with freebies (erasers, zipper pulls, stickers)
Have a pep rally to kick start the program
Bring local Police, Fire, and/or EMS to help celebrate and
reward the students!
We can help
The Iowa Bicycle Coalition can help you with Walking School Bus
resources and training. We will also help you promote your program
and provide you the tools necessary to make your program a
success!
Move forward in 2013!
Intorduce your kids to happy, healthy, active lifestyles. The
habits they learn today will last a lifetime!
Contact us
For more information, contact:
John PhippsSafe Routes to School DirectorIowa Bicycle
Coalition
[email protected]
