Student Transportation
Report Card

Parents Voice Very Serious Concerns About Sustainability

95% of school buses in the United States run on diesel, which creates greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. And it goes without saying that regular gasoline bus engines are at least as environmentally harmful as diesel engines.

Understanding those two points, 72% of parents have serious concerns about the fact that school bus fumes create harmful air quality for students and communities. Of that number, 45% identify themselves as very concerned or extremely concerned.

More than half (51%) think their children’s health is at risk, exposed to diesel exhaust and harmful pollutants created by the bus. 25% are unsure. Only a quarter of respondents are not particularly worried about fossil-fuel school bus emissions.

Tesla changed the electric vs. gas-powered automobile landscape and the electric-based transportation boom is now entering the school bus realm. 

Parents are definitely on board with this momentum, as 54% believe EVs/electric buses should replace old polluting buses, and another 22% are undecided. Only 22% disagree completely and are not in favor of exploring the use of EVs/electric buses. 

And ​​even as political momentum is driving toward a more sustainable policy structure, the reality is that EVs aren’t just better for the environment, they’re often much more efficient from a cost perspective, too.

Parents Lack Confidence in the Safety of Student Transportation

Thinking about a child’s daily school bus ride can be unnerving. Parents worry about horrible accidents, unqualified drivers, and bus-ride-transmitted COVID-19. Some perceive buses as perilous environments beset by a host of illicit activities. So, what do parents fear most and what do they think needs to be done to combat these issues?

Bullying and/or fighting was the paramount safety concern, in addition to concerns about drug use, unsafe vehicles, toxic fumes, sexual harassment, and untrustworthy and/or poorly trained bus drivers.

All of these concerns add up to a question of physical and emotional safety on the school bus. Only 16% of parents are extremely confident about their children getting to and from school safely on the bus. In total, only 42% are confident, and 58% have serious doubts about their children getting to and from school safely on the bus.

Flipping the anxiety on its head, what do parents think should be done about their specific concerns? And what will give them peace of mind?

Increased visibility with secure onboard cameras rose to the top of their list. Digital communication is also desired, indicating that push for increased modern technology in today’s school bus systems.

Taking it further, 24% of parents would like to see on-bus cameras that they could access from an app. An additional 13% mentioned that more driver training would be a key element in making them feel more confident regarding school bus safety. 11% are worried about on-bus air quality, 18% want better digital communication including real-time schedule and routing updates, 10% want more consistent sanitation and improved air circulation. 

Surprisingly, only 15% felt that mandatory seat belts should be the norm, and only 9% felt that there should be more efficient school bus routes to shorten time on the bus.

There is a general labor shortage across the United States, and school bus companies are not immune to difficulty finding drivers. When labor supplies are tight, companies sometimes relax standards to fill positions. This is a major pain point for parents as only 17% feel that drivers are extremely trustworthy and competent, and only 34% said that drivers are somewhat trustworthy and competent.

While many Americans feel that the COVID-19 pandemic is on the wane, we know that COVID-19 is much more transmissible in closed areas, and 72% of parents still have concerns about the risks associated with COVID-19 on school buses.

Parents Question the Efficiency of School Bus Routes

First-one-on and last-one-off was a nightmare for many bus-riding students. If a student lived furthest from school, their commute could be three or four times as long as that of the student that lived nearest the school.

And commuting time seriously impacts student exercise and sleep patterns. Nearly 60% of parents think commute times are  too long for school-aged children. Another 21% are unsure, and just 21% do not believe commute times are too long.

Inefficient routes and lack of resources cause children to sit on the bus for too much time each day. Parents agree, as 55% believe children are on the bus for too long, while another 22% are unsure. On the other hand, just 23% of parents believe their children do not sit on the bus for too long. 

48% of parents agree that today’s commute times have a potential negative impact on child mental health and wellbeing. Another 24% are neutral on this issue, and only 28% totally disagree and believe that excessive commute times are a non-issue.

Drop-off and pick-up flexibility are paramount for working parents. 78% of parents were not completely satisfied with the flexibility for pick-up and drop-off, suggesting that parents desperately need some relief in managing their children’s commute

Are schools investing adequately in achieving that relief? 66% of parents surveyed believe that traditional school bus systems are a poor use of school system budgets and resources. Only 34% disagreed and felt that school bus systems deserved the budget and resource consideration received today.