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I drive my son to school. He has Autism and the school in our neighborhood doesn't have a program for his age group. So my choices are take him myself or let the county sub-contractor, Chrystal Transportation, pick him up.
NRG, GREAT Question! Here in Portland we walk as does about 75% of our school. Even on the rainy days we walk. At the end of 4th grade is when I see groups of kids walking together without parents. We're going to miss walking to school.
New school in Durham is about 3 miles from the new house. Thus walking is out. Looks like we don't have a safe bike route either. While I visited the new school I saw the carpool line... very intriguing and kind of scary concept. I haven't figured out if my son will ride the bus or if I'll drive him. He's never riden a yellow school bus... we ride mass trans buses all the time but that's with a parent. I think in Durham we are the second bus stop in the morning and second to last to get off in the afternoon. So I don't know how I feel about him sitting on a bus for 45 mins.
Plus, I doubt I'll let my daugther ride the bus the following year for Kindergarten. She has a life threatening allergy to peanuts so I don't know what my comfort zone is with the bus driver and all those peanut butter smeared lunch boxes.
Looks like I'm going to have to navigate the high seas of the car pool. Now I see why everyone drives those mini-vans and SUVs. YOu can pack in more car pool kids. But I probably can strap at least 2 kids to the top of my Outback. That would make an interesting ride to school.
I believe each family has to balance the child, the route and the routine. I did drive my son until I felt he was old enough to handle the bus himself. For him, it was a year later then my other child. That's just how it goes!
We just moved into a sub here in Holly Springs with option of the bus. In Illinois our school was in our neighborhood so the kids either walked, rode their bikes, or I picked them up depending on the situation (weather, etc.) My two son's (9 and 6) thought it would be cool to ride the bus. Since it is a new experience for them (and as a NC raised, bus riding kid myself) I said yes even though I had my concerns like others have posted. Well yesterday, my 6 year old (who got assigned to sit on the bus with a 5th grade boy!) asked me what "F##K you" means and "Why Mom, would someone write the word "penis" on the back of the school bus seat?"!!!! My 9 year old was listening and chimed in that all of the seats have "stuff" written on the back of them but he just tries to "ignore it". This really upsets me and when I called the school and the transportation dept. to talk about it, "I got the "oh well" response. In Illinois this would have been considered vandalism and any student caught would have been removed from the bus for good. All kids eventually see or hear things you don't want them to but having it happen my 6 year old so soon and because of the school bus really makes me angry...
I'm having the debate with my spouse off and on now. My oldest starts KG in August, and I support riding the bus. There are several kids on our street that ride, so there will be familiar faces. It's about 6 miles, so we would save a good bit of gas every day. We wouldn't get caught up in the minivan traffic jam at the school. The bus is provided (for free) to take our kids to school. I think kids should learn that you don't have to drive everywhere. I want our kids to not be too sheltered...
The only thing I worry about is that he'll be 5, and 11 year olds will be on the bus. He may feel intimidated.
I think the school bus riding issue depends on so many variants. Its not about whether or not it builds character (parents aren't deciding to drive their kids to school to spoil them).
In our case, my boys take the bus in the morning and I pick them up via one of those super long car pool lines. My youngest is in PreK and those kids get a seperate bus, my 2nd grader is on a bus with up to 5th graders. Someone was bothering one of his friends on the bus (a 5th grade girl) so my son and his friend went to the principal's office to complain about it. I was very proud that they took control and tried to solve their own problem. Other than that, there's been no issues.
The bussing issue here is that the Middle school gets the buses first so it takes forever for the drive. We are literally a 5 minute drive to the school and the kids are picked up at 7:30am latest. School lets out at 3:15 and my son's bus pulls up at 4:30!! I started picking him up so he could have time to do his homework AND PLAY!! Kids need time to be kids and with all the homework nowadays and getting home so late, there wasn't any time for playing, running around, riding bikes, etc.
I was also carpooling with the next door neighbors, one week I'd pick my and her kids, the next week she's pick them up.
Our kids can't walk to school..too far on a very busy road but also its just plain not safe nowadays to let your kids that far out of your sight.
I"m sure there are a myriad of reasons. Some people live too close to the school to be allowed to ride the bus and may not want their small child walking. Back in Virginia I requested morning Kindergarten for my guy instead of afternoon and had to give up bus rights to do so. We walked (12 mins each way) when it was nice weather, and drove in the winter.
Durham County has a very liberal transfer policy, but if you go to a diff (non magnet) school you have to provide transportation. Now if you get into a magnet, the county provides bus rides
What we do in our neighborhood is the mom's got together and take turns taking and picking up the kids. And if the weather was nice on your day you could walk up and get them. When my daughter switched to middle school I had to drive her because we were too close for the bus but to get to her school she had to cross a 4 lane road and the speed limit was 50mi/hr. I would not let her walk....there was an accident at that intersection at least once a month.
I am hoping that in our new neighborhood I can work something out with the other mothers also.
Here in skokie (and a lot of chicago) there is NO bus service if you live within walking distance of the school (1.5 mile or less i think). So you HAVE to drive or walk them to school.
I am wondering about how this will work once I move. I am going to be living in Heritage and the publis schhol they will attend (jones dairy) is so close that i dont know if i will be REQUIRED to drive them or not. I guess I'll find out when I get there.
I do have to admit that my middle schooler REALLY wants to take the bus...I will let her if that is how it works out but my youngest will start kindergarten in 1yr and I will walk/drive her. Of course part of the appeal is I should be able to walk her to school alot more than I could my oldest (in Oregon) since the weather should be nicer
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While I visited the new school I saw the carpool line... very intriguing and kind of scary concept. I haven't figured out if my son will ride the bus or if I'll drive him. He's never riden a yellow school bus... we ride mass trans buses all the time but that's with a parent. I think in Durham we are the second bus stop in the morning and second to last to get off in the afternoon. So I don't know how I feel about him sitting on a bus for 45 mins. 
That would make an interesting ride to school.
