News Release - December 1, 2017
RDN Transit Introducing Kids Ride the Bus Program
December 1, 2017
Getting children excited about riding the bus safely is important in creating life skills and life-long riders. Our new Kindergarten to Grade 5 school program teaches kids how to ride the bus. BC Transit has worked with educational experts to build the Kids Ride the Bus program using aspects of the province's concept-based learning approach for today's curriculum. The program supports teachers and students with activity books, a kids' peer-to-peer learning video and a selection of curriculum activities.
The curriculum engages the students with concepts such as public transit and the environment, transit history in the community, how to plan a bus trip and transit route planning. These concepts allow students to explore the concept of how travel choices impact the community and its environment, building life skills by understanding how maps and schedules are related and creating a bus route using planning methodology. "Collaborating with educators and students is a fundamental aspect of our future. Students play a major role within our transit system and being able to help students access the system early on in life will assist in them developing sustainable transportation habits," shared Chair Veenhof.
Schools can order activity books at no cost, schools are encouraged to have all interested classes from Kindergarten to Grade 5 participate. The books include activities such as word searches, a maze, spot the difference and connect the dots. In addition to the activity books there are also opportunities to have a Transit Ambassador attend the school with a bus. The Ambassador will engage the students and explain how to ride the bus, provide local transit history and fun facts, and wrap up with a tour of the bus to reinforce the student's passenger skills. The bus will remain stationary during the visit. Presentations to each class will take approximately 45 minutes.
The RDN is pleased to bring this important program to the region as it is in line with the current strategic plan to support and advocate for transit and active transportation. To learn more about the overall program, visit kidsridethebus.com. Any questions about how you can bring this program to your school, please contact the RDN Transit office at (250) 390-4531.
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Contact:Daniel Pearce
Director, Transportation & Emergency Services
Regional District of Nanaimo
(250) 390-4531
[email protected]