“Walk & Roll” Helps Kids Get to School with Less Driving

Every fall, many parents gear up for the chauffeuring duties that come with the start of the school year. Some of these parents are driving twice a day from as far as Montecito to Dos Pueblos High School – 15 miles x 2 round trips x 5 days adds up to 300 miles and 7-15 hours in the car per week, depending on traffic.

CEC and Traffic Solutions' Walk & Roll program and website provides resources and encouragement for families to carpool, bike, walk or take the bus to school. For example, at Dos Pueblos, we are working with the PTSA Traffic Committee to organize a carpooling registry that will help decrease the school's notorious morning traffic. Families can connect with neighbors and arrange carpools, saving time and gasoline.

The Walk & Roll website also has information on MTD's school booster buses, resources for biking and walking, and news and events. While Walk & Roll primarily works with high school families, COAST's Safe Routes to School has great programming in many of the elementary and junior high schools.

Commit this school year to using alternative transportation to get your kids to school. Try picking one alternative transit day per week and see how it goes. If you already do that, up the ante and add a few more days (or the full week!) to your routine. Driving less saves time, money and gasoline, and reduces traffic, pollution, and stress levels.

Check out www.Walk-Roll.org for more ideas. Share your own ideas and experiences with alternative transit on our Facebook page.