School programs provide ride-matching services, active transportation resources, messaging, and education to increase usage of buses, carpooling, bicycling and walking. School carpool programs are often managed by the school but can also be implemented and managed by regional agencies using software for carpool matching based on school district that puts parents in communication with each other behind a login screen. Educational resources can be tailored to youth through hands on classes about active transportation safety or even teaching kids how to ride bicycles.
School programs target how students travel to school. VMT is reduced by improving awareness, education, and access to non-Single Occupancy Vehicle modes, thereby making alternative modes more attractive to parents and youth.
For more details, see CAPCOA (2019), School Carpool Program, pg. 20 for VMT reduction quantification.
Ensure programs prioritize low-income neighborhoods and students with limited transportation options. Use multilingual materials, and partner with Title I schools and community-based organizations to address barriers to walking and biking.
Programs can be supported through California’s Active Transportation Program (ATP), which consolidates state and federal funding for projects and programs that increase walking and bicycling and improve safety and mobility for non-motorized users. StanCOG can also support regional coordination and grant development for school-based programs, while local school districts, cities, and community organizations can pursue ATP funding for eligible Safe Routes to School infrastructure and program components. Additional opportunities may include local air-quality and public-health funding, school district resources, and partnerships with community-based organizations.
StanCOG’s Bicyclist and Pedestrian Safety and Education Campaign documented Safe Routes to School activities throughout Stanislaus County and highlighted the work of Safe Kids Stanislaus. Local initiatives included International Walk to School Day, Safe Routes to School, and National Bike to School Day, with more than 1,400 helmets provided to children through these efforts. StanCOG also coordinated bicycle instructor training intended to expand the number of local instructors capable of teaching bicycle skills to elementary school-aged children.
The City of Turlock developed a dedicated Safe Routes to School component as part of its active transportation planning. The program addresses walking and bicycling to school, including education and encouragement activities such as International Walk and Bike to School Day and development of school-focused walking and bicycling resources. This provides a directly applicable model for other Stanislaus jurisdictions developing school mobility programs.
