The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is hosting a free webinar on April 18 that invites school-district transportation departments to the table to discuss how student walking programs can support yellow bus operations, and vice versa.
Dave Cowan, program manager for the Safe Routes to School National Partnership in Washington, D.C., said school-bus transportation remains the safest way for students to get to and from school, bus budget cuts are hitting bus programs. With walking programs also being slashed because of budgets, he said there are synergies for the two groups to work together to ensure students continue to have viable options for getting to and from school. At the same time, they both promote less traffic congestion around school campuses.
“District transportation departments and Safe Routes to School can work together to improve policies and programs to help schools save money, decrease traffic, increase community safety and improve the health of children,” he said.
Cowan added that Safe Routes to School also lowers child obesity rates because they encourage physical activity and fitness during the school commute.
While admitting envy of programs like Safe Routes to School that receive federal funding when school buses generally don’t, Charlie Hood, director of school transportation at the Florida Department of Education and a past NASDPTS president, said Safe Routes should be regarded as complimentary with yellow school bus transportation and not in competition with it. From the beginning, NASDPTS has supported the program.
“We have to explain that sometimes to those who see school buses as somehow being in competition,” he said, adding that he views parents driving students as well as students driving other students to and from school as the real competition. “But the reality is that we don’t have enough resources, at least in most states, to transport all kids. We know kids who live two blocks from school would be somewhat safer in a school bus than walking, but is that realistic?”
Safe Routes to School, was originally a dedicated program that was created by former Rep. James Oberstar, then the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, in the SAFETEA-LU federal transportation bill of 2005. But when SAFTEA-LU expired five years later, the House balked on passing new legislation until last year with MAP-21. Safe Routes to School was removed from that legislation as the majority of House Republicans never supported the program to begin with.
Safe Routes was supervised by the Federal Highway Administration, but Cowan pointed out that with funding now reduced the program must compete with others. He also said that Safe Routes programs should be collaborating with transportation departments, and vice versa, because they have a common goal of getting students to and from school.
A new strategy being promoted is “Safe Routes to Bus Stops,” which partner Safe Routes to School Programs with transportation departments to prioritize improvements to stops or move them to allow for physical activity of the students before school. Cowan added that this kind of program is not ideal for all bus stops, especially those outside of the two-mile radius from school and those located in high-density urban areas, but that safe routes to bus stops can “provide a safe and inviting environment for physical activity before school.”
“There are a ton of things districts can do that cost them nothing that at least acknowledges walking and biking as a viable way to get to and from school,” he said. “We are hoping folks grab at the political benefit of making the transportation department and district look good. There is political clout in putting in a little effort.”
