Student transport

Student transport is the transporting of children and teenagers to and from schools and school events. School transport can be undertaken by school students themselves (on foot, bicycle or perhaps horseback; or for older students, by car), they may be accompanied by family members or caregivers, or the transport may be organised collectively, using buses or taxis.

Bus
Student transport can use specially designed school buses or general-purpose transit buses or coaches assigned to the duty. Many districts in Canada and the United States use specially built and equipped school buses, painted school bus yellow and equipped with various forms of warning and safety devices specific to them. In other parts of the world, buses used for transporting students tend to be more general-purpose type buses than their North American counterparts.

Car
Parental transport of students in the family automobile, sometimes termed the "school run", is increasing due to perceived hazards to unaccompanied children. Older students in some countries are able to drive themselves to school.

Cycling and walking
The Walk to school campaign and 'walking buses' promote the benefits of walking to school.

Safety and student transport modes
A 1994 report based on Australian road safety statistics found that travelling to school by bus is: Officials of the National Transportation Safety Board (in the USA) say school buses are safer than cars, even if they are not fitted with seat belts.
 * 7 times less likely to cause serious injury or death than being driven in a family car,
 * 31 times less likely to cause the same than walking
 * 228 times less likely to cause the same than cycling.