How Communities Can Support School Bus Ridership
Since the first all-steel school bus was built in 1930, it has been providing safe access to school for millions of students nationwide. Since then, ridership has grown to over 26 million, serving students of all ages from just about every type of community imaginable. So it’s easy to take the school bus for granted. But school bus ridership is not a given in every community.
Currently, 11 states have no mandate for providing transportation to school. The rest have mandates that vary from low to high student percentages. School transportation is a part of the educational system for many districts. For school boards faced with budgetary restraints, reductions to school bus services can become a real possibility.
As with other forms of public transportation, all community members benefit from the school bus—not just the families of school-age children. The school bus provides public safety, traffic and environmental benefits that can be lost by a cut or reduction in school bus services. So all community members should be concerned with school bus ridership.
“At a time when budgets are tight and there is much rhetoric about the cost of government, the yellow school bus remains a local government service that provides tremendous return for local taxpayers.”
-Keith Henry, President, National Association for Pupil Transportation
There’s no question that the school bus plays an important role in thriving communities. But support is key in maintaining school bus ridership. So what can communities do to protect school bus services in their area?
Parents with access to the school bus can support it by using it. Demand supports the justification for funding, and it’s by far the safest way to get children to and from school. Parents who aren’t sure if school bus service is available in their district should talk to an appropriate school administrator to find out, or to see if it can be requested.
Communities at risk of losing school bus service should contact their locally elected officials to let them know that access to school bus transportation is important to everyone. Involve legislators, parent-teacher groups and educators to support the cause. Resources available at schoolbusfacts.com can help.
Spreading the word about how the school bus improves traffic, reduces pollution and saves lives can go a long way towards garnering support and keep the school bus going strong.