THE BUS WITH NO WHEELS
Every school morning at ten past eight, a line of children in yellow vests sets off from the corner of Hill Street in Westbrook, a small town in New Zealand. One parent walks at the front, and another at the back. Nine-year-old Leo Grant has been part of this "walking school bus" since February. His mother, Anna, learned about it by chance, when she noticed a poster at the local library. "I used to drive Leo to school, although it's only a kilometer away, because the main road near the school is so busy," she says.(lines 1–6)
A walking school bus is a group of children who walk to school with adults. Like a real bus, it has a fixed route and timetable, and children "get on" at stops along the way, often at the end of their street. Joining is free, and families may sign up for just one or two days a week. The adult volunteers do more than show the way: they help the children cross busy roads safely, and they make sure nobody is left behind.(lines 7–11)
Westbrook's walking bus was the idea of Peter Lowe, a retired traffic engineer. In 2001, Lowe lived on a quiet street near two primary schools. But every morning between eight and half past eight, it filled with hundreds of cars, leaving hardly any room for children on bikes or on foot. From his window, he saw parents who lived just around the corner driving their children a few hundred meters to school. "I was sure most of them would gladly let their kids walk, if only it felt safe," he remembers. Yet the first walking bus started only in 2005, because the town council had to check every route for dangers and train the volunteers first.(lines 12–18)
Experts say that the benefits go well beyond quieter streets. "Children who walk to school arrive awake and ready to learn, and they get exercise before the day has even begun," explains Dr. Ruth Kemp, who studies children's health. "They also learn how to behave on the road, which they will need later, when they walk alone." Anna is already telling other parents about it. "On the walking bus, the kids chat and make friends from other classes," she says. "And they arrive with a smile instead of sitting in a traffic jam."(lines 19–24)