link (http://www.click2houston.com/education/17227964/detail.html)

School Buses To Be Replaced By Shoes? Gas Prices Have More Students Walking

Posted: 10:54 pm CDT August 18, 2008
Updated: 11:11 pm CDT August 18, 2008

Providence, R.I. -- Because of rising fuel costs, an increasing number of youngsters will find themselves hoofing to school this fall.

Many school districts are eliminating or reducing bus service, forcing kids to walk, bike or rely on mom or dad.

In Montgomery County, Md., just outside Washington, elementary school kids can already be required to walk up to a mile -- two miles for and high schoolers.

Major cuts loom in California, where schools are not required to provide transportation to campus. The Capistrano Unified School District in Orange County has eliminated 44 of its 62 bus routes. That's going to affect an estimated 5,000 students.

Critics say canceling bus service will just put more cars on the road.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Not to mention, this simply won't work in rural areas.

Not to mention, this simply won't work in rural areas.

Not at all!!! Plus in some areas, it may not be safe for kids to walk!!!

some company pays for the gas i need to get back and forth from school. :snob:

Wow, that's a new one. Canceling bus service because of gas prices. The benefit of more kids walking would be that they would be getting exercise, but I hope that the district is looking at safety issues as well. Maybe they could have the kids meet in one central location that's closer to the school and bus them that way?

Andrea

Just anofftopic: note. I realize I have done posted the same exact thing more than once, so if anyone finds any double posts of mine, I apologize. Just wanted to mention that!

don't think its such a bad idea, given the obesity epidemic in this country, kids could stand to be more active. however, safety measures should be put into place, maybe parents or trusted people in the community could chaperone the kids that have to walk

The NC lottery has so far raised $725,000,000 toward education, One would think they could afford some gas out of that.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e211/zoneboy/ScreenHunter_04Aug210245.gif

I live in a rural area, and they cut all busing for kids less than 2 miles away and all high school kids.

I think it's a great idea! Of course, safety measures would have to be put into place. Maybe cities like Boston that still bus kids to school outside their neighborhood will consider returning to sending students to school in their own neighborhoods.

Sorta OT, but there are quite a few kids in my neighborhood who get DRIVEN to and from the bus stop every morning, rain or shine. They do not have far to walk and it is a perfectly safe area. I don't understand why their parents do that :rolleyes:

But what if it rains, or when it's winter? I hope there's still some bus going close by, when the weather is bad, even if they have to pay for it.

Two miles each way or both ways?

Two miles each way or both ways?
Two miles each way.

Not in this day and age. I'd drive my kid. There are other after school activities to get exercise.

It's good that you drive your kid, if you can do that.