By Makebra Bridges

It’s back-to-school time and that means loading the kids in the car, and shuffling them to and from school, practice, games, activities and more. Sometimes that even means playing taxi to all of your child’s friends between going to work, running errands and taking care of the household.  If you’re worried about the environment and the cost of gas, try these ways of travelling to school.

Sometimes using alternative methods of travel isn’t convenient, but if you plan accordingly you can make these a part of your daily routine.

1. Walk. The number one way to save money on travel is to walk. Not only does walking save money on gas, it helps you stay active and in shape.  Learn more about the benefits of walking to school.
2. Take the school bus. If you don’t live close enough to school to walk, your child can take the school bus. Not only is riding the school bus exceptionally safe, it is also surprisingly fuel efficient and fuel efficient.  According to reports, 17.3 million vehicles would be needed to transport the number of students currently riding the school bus—that is more than $11 billion in fuel.  In addition to saving money on fuel and mileage, riding the school bus is free!
3. Ride a bike. If you live close to your child’s school, ride a bike to school with your child. If your child is older, let him/her ride with neighbors. Not only does this save money, it also keeps your kid active and teaches responsibility.
4. Roller Skate/Skate Board. Sometimes schools don’t have bike racks, so letting your child roller skate or skateboard to school is also a good option. Your child can keep the skates or skateboard in their locker until the end of the day.  Roller skating and skate boarding can be a group activity.  Encourage your child to find friends to skateboard or roller stake with to school.
5. Carpool. If your child’s school doesn’t provide free bus services, consider carpooling with a group of children in your neighborhood. Instead of each family spending time driving and paying for gas, the cost is shared between many families because drivers rotate each week. The more people in your carpool group, the better it is for everyone.

Photo credit: Kevin Dooley