TDM Toolbox

Subsector: School Programs
School Buses
VMT Reduction Potential: 3
Cost: 3
ROI: 3
TAM Relevancy: 4
Land Use Content: Urban, Suburban, Rural
Trip Type: School
Scale: Community, Site
Timing: Short Term (1-3 years)
Implementors-Private: Educational Institutions
Implementors-Public: Municipalities, Regional Agencies, School Districts, Transit Agencies
Eligibility Status: Feasible, Currently Exist, Implementable/Expandable, Applicable Funding

Description

School buses allow children to safely get to school without parental supervision and reduce the number of vehicle trips attracted to schools. School bus service can be expanded to non-traditional forms such as through partnership with the transit agency. Marin Transit currently offers supplementary school bus routes to support k-12 schools that only operate on school days.

Implementation Details

  • Develop a funding mechanism for subsidizing school buses.
  • Expand Marin Transit’s school routes to all elementary, middle, and high schools.
  • Coordinate with the Marin County School Districts’ Transportation Departments to identify service and resource needs.

Mitigation Potential

Increased school buses change how students travel to school and reduce VMT by reducing the vehicle trips associated with schools.

For more details, see CAPCOA, T-40. Establish a School Bus Program, pg. 215-219 for VMT reduction quantification.

Linked Strategies

Equity Considerations

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.

Funding Sources

Eligible programs can be funded through Federal and State Active Transportation Plan (ATP) and SRTS grants. Some cities offer SRTS grants and these projects can often be packaged with larger programs or improvements to expand funding eligibility. Other funding sources include the Clean School Bus Program (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), and the Zero-Emission School Bus and Infrastructure Program (California Air Resources Board & California Energy Commission).

Implemented in TAM Area

Current TDM Implementation

Marin Transit provides school districts with operational and planning support for Yellow School Bus programs that serve younger students. Marin Safe Routes to School promotes school buses in their programming and educational materials as an alternative way to commute to school.

TDM Benefit Locations

Using school buses as a TDM measure is especially effective in congested areas where school trips overlap with high volumes of commuters. Areas that would benefit from expanded school bus programs and subsidized buses include San Rafael’s Elementary/Middle School Cluster, Novato Hamilton and Downtown neighborhoods, Larkspur, and Mill Valley.