walking bus

A walking bus (walking school bus) is a form of student transport for young schoolchildren who, chaperoned typically by two adults (a "driver" leads and a "conductor" follows), walk. The crocodile may walk to school along a set route, with some similarities to a school bus route, with designated "bus stops" and "pick up times" at which they pick up and "drop off" children. In Britain a group of schoolchildren walking together in a long line of pairs on an activity without stops or pickups, escorted by teachers, has been referred to as a crocodile since at least 1870. History In Britain a group of schoolchildren walking together in a long line of pairs on an activity without stops or pickups, escorted by teachers, has been referred to as a crocodile since at least 1870. The concept of the walking bus as a way to travel to school was first introduced in Japan not later than 1962. Australian transport activist David Engwicht is often given credit for inventing the WSB system in the 1990s. It was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1998 by Hertfordshire County Council, first used by pupils of Wheatfields Junior School in St Albans. Walking buses have remained popular in the United Kingdom, often for school trips rather than travelling to school, and have recently gained a level of popularity elsewhere in Europe, North America and New Zealand. Proponents of walking buses say that its aims are to: Encourage physical activity by teaching children the skills to walk safely, how to identify safe routes to school, and the benefits of walking Raise awareness of the extent of a community's walkability and where improvements can be made Raise concern for the environment Reduce crime and take back neighborhoods for people on foot Reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and speed near schools Share valuable time with local community leaders, parents, and children