Metro has successfully implemented its pioneering 'My bus' yellow bus scheme. Now 150 brand new yellow buses provide dedicated home-to-school transport for over 9000 pupils at 132 West Yorkshire schools.
Background
In December 2003, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced that Metro had been successful in its bid for £18.7m of funding to extend My bus services to approximately 300 West Yorkshire schools over a three year period .
This allowed Metro to begin ordering a fleet of new vehicles that are used exclusively for home-to-school transport and recreational hires for young people.
When it announced its bid to extend My bus across West Yorkshire, Metro received widespread support for the scheme from West Yorkshire MPs and head teachers. The then Transport Secretary Alistair Darling and Education Secretary Charles Clarke both expressed their enthusiasm for the scheme.
The first of the brand-new vehicles began going into service in Autumn 2004.
How it operates
My bus drivers, who are specially trained, have a list of all the pupils registered to travel on their bus, so they know whom to expect at each stop along the specially devised route. If a child will not be travelling due to sickness or holiday, parents are asked to telephone the dedicated My bus Hotline (0113 348 1122) so that the driver will know not to expect them. On arrival at school, the children are escorted from the bus to the school. In the afternoon, a teacher will supervise the loading of the bus.
Metro began My bus'pilot schemes, in Hebden Bridge and Ilkley, in 2002. In both locations My buses were shown to have reduced school gate congestion by attracting significant numbers of pupils, many of whom formerly travelled to and from school by car. Because of this exclusive use and registered system, Metro’s pilot schemes showed that parents were happy and confident to wave off their children, aged as young as four, on the bus.
The Buses
The highly visible My buses are single deck and fully accessible, and in addition to statutory safety exits, special hatches in the roof provide additional emergency exits. Each pupil is allocated their own high-backed padded seat with seatbelt. Each bus has a radio/CD player and on-board CCTV and is driven by a dedicated driver.
Highways improvements are also made around schools when needed, to allow buses to get as close as possible.
Recreational use
As well as being used for transport to and from school, My buses are available to hire to schools and young peoples’ groups throughout the region. Details of when the buses are available, and instructions on how to make a booking can be found here.
