I have noticed that several parents...

[RitaZ.]

have posted about their children riding the bus to school. Is this typical where you live? How far is the school from your home?

Where we live, you must live at least 2 miles from your assigned school to qualify for school bus transportation. The way the boundaries are drawn up, kids usually live less than 2 miles from their school. If your child is reassigned to another school, then the parent is totally responsible for transportation. Also, there are different guidelines for ESE students.

Most kids around here walk to school, parents pick them up, after school care bus picks them up, or ride their bikes.

How is it where you live?

 

[MosMom]

My daughter would freeze up like a popsicle if she walked. We live in the boonies! Beyond that, there are no sidewalks beyond our neighborhood so it would be dangerous to have her walk down a busy road with no sidewalk.

It took me until I was in middle school before I realized that not all mail carriers drove around to deliver the mail. You always saw on TV that they walked but not where I was from. Your mailbox is out at the end of your driveway on a post and the mail carrier drives up to deliver. No walking door to door here.

 

[Beth76]

We live 1/2 mile from the elementary school and the neighbor kids take the bus. It's totally walkable, entirely in the subdivision, no major streets to cross. I think maybe that's only for elementary. There probably is a limit for the bus for M.S. and H.S.

 

[RitaZ.]

My daughter would freeze up like a popsicle if she walked.

Duh! I didn't think about that...

 

[Kimberle]

School bus for elem kids, live 1 mile from school, middle school kids, 1.5 mile, and HS, 2 mile.

 

[Mimi Q]

We live in a rural area. Lots of kids ride the bus and very few live within two miles of their school. It was a one hour bus ride home for me when I was in elementary school.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I walked to 1 school my whole life and that was b/c it was literally in the neighborhood.

I live in Florida too---it's the 2-mile rule not matter the age...so Elem kids usually get dropped of by mom and dad (some less fortunate children do walk, but not in my neighborhood). There was a couple of kids that got hit by a car a few weeks ago--they lived 1.9 miles from school so used Public Transportation. She was walking across a busy road to catch that bus. The 2-mile rule is firm. I have no idea why!

 

[zurgswife]

We live about 3/4 of a mile...about 15min walk my kids walk or get driven.....actually less walking this year as dad has been home and is willing to drive...I'm a meanie I made them walk...

 

[Miss Kelly]

If you live anywhere in the city, you can ride a bus here(regardless of grade). Otherwise, parents pick up or drop off their kids.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Lots of kids around here walk. I will take DD to school even if there is a bus available.

 

[ahutton]

Our Elementary and High Schools are less than 2 miles away, and both get bus service. Our neighborhood is accessed from a 2 lane county road with no sidewalks and they would have to cross main streets where there are little or no traffic controls. I know that is not the case in all districts here though. I lived 2.1 miles from my Jr High in Dallas and would have had to cross 2 very busy streets and while I had bus service, the few houses that were closer were not allowed to ride.

 

[RitaZ.]

The 2-mile rule is firm. I have no idea why!

Actually, there is a way around it that parents may not know about. Once the bus seats have been filled with students that qualify for bus transportation, and if there are empty seats, then parents of those children that don't qualify can apply for bus transportation. I know a few parents that have done this, but it's not really advertised by the schools.

 

[BethanyF]

Our elementary school is free bus if you are more than 1.5 miles from school, or if you live in a area the state deems a 'dangerous walk' We live about 2/3 of a mile from the school, but Sam gets the bus because of the dangerous walk ruling.
Otherwise I would either have to pay $400 per year or drive him. There is no way I would let him walk, most of the walk is down a busy street.

 

[CamColt]

We live 1 mile from the school and my kids take the bus.
There is currently an attempt to charge a fee for the bus but I dont think it will go through. They tried the same thing last year and when it came down to it, they found the money.

 

[tar heel]

No charges for bus transportation to public schools in North Carolina. The general rule is you're not eligible if you live 1 mile away or less, but it's not always closely adhered to. I live in a very rapidly growing area and my youngest son goes to one of the "new" elementary schools. It's seven miles away on the other side of the interstate, oppositie direction of my office. I happily put him on the bus.

My older child who is still at home goes to a high school about five miles away, and he rides the bus, too. He will likely drive himself after he becomes eligible for his license in April.

 

[RitaZ.]

Interesting... I see that there are some situations where walking to school just isn't an option.

 

[buzzlady]

We don't have any bussing for our public school.

 

[Kitty 34]

My kids never had to ride the bus to school as we live less than a half mile from all our schools.

 

[Kae]

My DS7 rides the bus. We live less than a half mile but we have a busy intersection that he would have to cross. The kids in the neighborhood next to us walk.

Kae

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

I don't know why it is done so here, but most families drive their kids to and from school. (including me )

Plenty of buses available (if you live at least a mile away) though.

Not many walkers to DS's school---it is off a very busy road.


There are 450+ kids in his school, and the principal said that on average they load up 300 cars in the afternoon. And since some of those are carpoolers with several kids per car, that is alot of kids.