What it is
The Walking School Bus Programme supports schools to set up organised groups of students who walk to and from school along a designated route, supervised by adult volunteers. Children are ‘picked up’ and ‘dropped off’ at agreed Walking School Bus stops, helping to create a safe, social, and reliable way to travel to school.
Walking school buses are owned and operated by volunteer parents and caregivers, with support from the school and Auckland Transport through the Travelwise Schools Programme.
Find out more about how a walking school bus works.
Aim
To establish and support walking school buses that provide children with a safe, active, and enjoyable journey to school while encouraging healthy travel habits and community connection.
Learning opportunities
Students build confidence and independence while developing road safety skills and healthy travel habits. Walking school buses support physical wellbeing through regular exercise and provide daily opportunities for social connection and peer interaction across different age groups.
Parents and whānau benefit from strengthened community connections, shared responsibility, and reduced congestion around the school, contributing to a safer and more welcoming school environment.
Available resources
As part of the Walking School Bus Programme you have access to:
- discretionary funding for items and incentives to support a successful bus
- rain ponchos for children and umbrellas for adult volunteers
- high visibility vests for adults
- Walking School Bus ‘tickets’ and hole punch
- Walking School Bus milestone key tags
- Walking School Bus leader licences (learner, restricted, and full) for children who take on leadership roles
- Child First Aid training for volunteers.
Find more Walking School Bus resources.