What is a Walking School Bus?
A Walking School Bus is a school bus powered not by an engine but by legs. Children don’t sit inside this bus – they walk in a group to school, with an adult ‘driver’ in the front and an adult ‘conductor’ at the rear. The walkers are the bus. The bus travels along a set route to or from school, picking up or dropping off children along the way at designated ‘bus stops’. Bus stops can be meeting points along the route or each child’s front gate.
The service is free. All primary school age children are welcome to join the bus, even if their parents aren’t able to be drivers. The size of the bus depends on the number of accompanying adults: 8–12 children with two adults is common. The ‘bus’ can go as seldom or as often as volunteers want to ‘drive’ it and parents and children want to use it. Volunteers agree on a schedule/timetable. The ‘bus’ operates rain, hail or shine. Volunteers make decisions about cancelling the bus in adverse weather conditions.
Safety on the bus is of high importance. The route therefore is thoroughly checked for traffic hazards, and children and adults often wear bright, distinctive sashes or vests to be easily seen. The volunteer drivers and conductors (often parents) are registered under the participating Council’s Volunteer Policy, are subject to police checks and required to undergo training in road safety and duty of care.
The Walking School Bus travels the safest and most convenient route for its passengers. Routes can vary in length but are usually a maximum of 30 minutes or around 2 kilometres.
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