Principal Points - "Busing vs Carpooling"

Past Principal Points

Busing vs. Carpooling

A little while ago, a group of parents met to discuss the possibility of running a bus from North Calgary to the school. A possible route was charted and costs calculated, and then a survey was sent to twenty-two families who might wish to ride the bus. Of the fourteen surveys returned, only three families indicated that they were "definitely interested" and only two who said they were "probably interested." So for the coming year, the school will not be running a bus. What was most interesting, however, were the number of comments which parents made that favored carpooling. Here is a sample of the reasons they gave for preferring a car to the bus:

More contact with the teachers. More opportunity to chat and ask a few questions about a child's progress.

More contact with other parents after school as people fellowship in the parking lot.

More contact with one's children during a prime time part of the day.

On the way there, they work on homework or Scripture memory verses.
On the way home, they are much more willing to talk about their day, what they learned, what happened, etc. After a long bus ride, they are all "talked out."

The atmosphere in a car is more positive than that on a bus. It is quieter, and the kids get to know each other. There is time to sing or pray.

It is generally quicker to take the car, and the car provides door to door service.

In many ways carpooling is safer. Although the actual driving part may be safer in a bus, the walking to and from the bus stop, and crossing busy streets is less safe. There are dangers from the weather and other people that are a real concern.

With carpooling the costs are spread around so that it is actually less expensive than paying for the bus, especially since each child costs an additional amount.

After listening to these points, I realized that in many ways, we may have a better school for not having a bus. That is not to say that we would never have one, but by having parents physically at the school several times every week, we have generated a tremendous sense of unity and common purpose. If children arrive at school in a better frame of mind, and arrive home more rested and relaxed, then that is a good thing.

Of course, what we do not know is how many people currently not enrolled at AKCS would do so if there was a bus. Perhaps more research in the future will make that clear, but in the meantime, I think we would do well to celebrate the advantages of carpooling rather than wishing we had a bus service. It may just be God's best for us after all.

Brian Hazeltine, B.Ed., M.A.
Principal, Airdrie Koinonia Christian School