A walking bus is a group of children walking to school with one or more adults. It's that simple. A BIKE TRAIN is a variation on a walking bus. A BUS STOP & WALK is a walking bus that involves nearly the whole school!
Please see sidebar for hands-on assistance and great resources. The Safe Routes to School National Partnership created a fantastic resource: How to Start a Walking Bus at Your School. This step-by-step guide outlines how to plan and implement a walking school bus for your school and includes proven tools, tips and real-world resources for a fast and easy start. The handout "Starting a Walking School Bus" is available in English and Spanish, provides an overview of walking buses and how to get started. Watch a walking bus in action: The Lyndale Walking Bus is the first of four grassroots wellness stories profiled in this Making It Better video. Find it on on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZMUKGdYOM4&feature=relmfu
When starting a walking bus, share walk safety tips (English, Spanish) with families to reveiw with their children. If volunteers are concerned about liability, below is a consent form they can use. See below also for a frequent walker's punch card that can help motivate children to make walking to school a regular habit.
WATCH - Walking and Wheeling Webinar
VIEW - Slides to Walking and Wheeling Webinar
Minnesota Online Crossing Guard Training (starring Minneapolis Public Schools students, staff, and parents!)
Walking Bus Tip Sheet