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Interested in joining a carpool, walkpool or bikepool? Click below to get started:
Join 511 schoolpool!
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511 SchoolPool
Rides to School Rewards Program
Program Overview
Wheels’ School Tripper Bus Routes
Walk and Bike to School Days
Walking and Bicycle Safety Tips
2010 Walk ‘n’ Roll to School Campaign
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school - pool verb where families find others in their neighborhood to carpool, walk or bike together to and from school. Synonyms: rideshare, carpool. |
New in 2011, the City of Pleasanton is partnering with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and 511 Regional Rideshare to promote 511 Schoolpool. Similar to the City’s previous Schoolpool Program, 511 SchoolPool is a new, free service to help Pleasanton school families share the responsibility of getting children to school. SchoolPool matches parents who make similar school trips. You can even request matchlists for multiple children. Whether you are driving your children to school, or bicycling or walking with them, 511 SchoolPool can help you share these responsibilities with other parents and save you time!
Join today and be on your way to a greener way to school! Click on the “Join a schoolpool” link above. You will be matched with other interested parents in your neighborhood whose children attend your child’s school. Your personal information always remains confidential. Only your name, street name (no address), cross street and phone number or email address appear on the matchlist, which is only provided to other interested parents at your child’s school. For more information, call (925) 931-5039 or email the Economic Development Department.
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We want to encourage Pleasanton students to start and continue walking, biking, taking transit and pooling to school. These activities help reduce traffic in our community and improve air quality! When you register for 511 SchoolPool to form a walk, bike or carpool, your student(s) will receive a ‘thank you’ reward from the City of Pleasanton Rides to School program. As they continue to use green ways to get to school and log their activity in 511’s Trip Diary, your student will receive giveaways the more they schoolpool and be entered into a monthly random drawing to win gift cards and other cool prizes. Keep track of your student’s trips by clicking on the “Trip Diary” link above to log on to your account and access the Trip Diary feature.
School Tripper bus riders win too! Middle and high school students that track their bus trips will receive a one-time Wheels’ Farebuster 10-ride pack once they’ve ridden the bus to or from school 10 times. To get started, all they have to do is register at 511 Schoolpool by clicking on the link above. If you prefer to not be matched for walk, bike or carpools, you can set this preference when you register. Consider being matched for those days your student may not ride the bus. Once you’re registered, have your student use the Trip Diary to track their bus rides to school – the more they ride, they more they can win in monthly random drawings for gift cards and other cool prizes.
Be a winner with Rides to School Rewards and you’ll be on your way to a greener way to school! For more information, call (925) 931-5039 or email the Economic Development Department.
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Rides to School Program Overview
The City of Pleasanton and the Pleasanton Unified School District have partnered to bring Pleasanton schools, Rides to School, Pleasanton's School Traffic Calming Program. The program is an interactive partnership to plan and manage school traffic at individual schools. The process was adopted by the Pleasanton City Council as a flexible living document to improve and calm traffic conditions at and around schools.
The main goal of Rides to School is to provide the tools and an interactive process whereby each of the partners can come to a consensus on a traffic management plan for each individual school. Elements of the program include the following:
- Enforcement and Monitoring - The Pleasanton Police are present to monitor speeds, traffic safety procedures and issue citations as warranted. Other elements include the School Citation Program, Speed Monitoring Trailer and Neighborhood Speed Watch.
- Signing and Striping - The City of Pleasanton Traffic Engineering Department reviews the need for items such as speed limit signs, loading zones, restricted movement signs, crosswalks, parking restrictions (permit parking) and signing and striping.
- Ridematch Pooling Program - Facilitation of carpools, bikepools and walkpools by parents. The database is managed by RIDES for Bay Area Commuters. Several promotional events are held to encourage the use of this program including Hot Chocolate in the Park events. This event recognizes participants in the program at each school.
- Site Improvements - City of Pleasanton staff makes recommendations for site redesign by the School District, implementation of staggered bell times, pick-up and drop-off procedures, parking lot functionality, drop off loops and sidewalk and bike trail modifications or additions.
- Bussing - The local transit provider, WHEELS, provides specific "School Tripper" busses that are scheduled to accommodate middle and high school students. An Annual Try Transit Program, sponsored by WHEELS, provides FREE rides during the first month of school to middle school students.
- Pedestrian Safety - The Pleasanton Police Department contracts out the school crossing guards that help students safely cross the streets. Safety education includes a suggested routes to school plan with assemblies and fliers. Other elements include a Safety Patrol and Escort Service and the Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 campaign.
- Safety Valet Program - Fifth grade students have the opportunity to be role models at their school by participating in this program to help schoolmates in and out of their vehicles which helps expedite the pick up and drop off procedure. Students and parent volunteers are trained by the Pleasanton Police Department and the Economic Development Department sponsors incentive/reward parties for participants.
- Walk to School and Bike to School Participation - Walking and biking are viable alternatives to being dropped off at school. These events help encourage these modes by getting both parents and students involved as well as providing safe walking and biking tips. Elementary schools participate in the Annual Walk to School Day in October and middle and/or high school Bike to School Days are held annually in May.
| Funds for this program are provided by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's Transportation Fund for Clean Air in cooperation with the Alameda County Transportation Commission and the City of Pleasanton. |
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RIDE THE BUS TO SCHOOL!
- Minimizes your family’s carbon footprint
- Reduces gas expenses
- Ease traffic and enhances safety around schools
- Contributes to clean, healthy air
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Pleasanton School Tripper Bus Routes
The Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority, known locally as Wheels, operates numerous school tripper routes to help students get to and from school. When your kids take Wheels to school, it’s a win-win for you and the environment.
School tripper routes are conveniently coordinated with school hours and provide your middle or high school student with a safe, convenient and eco-friendly travel option.
Hart Middle School
Harvest Park Middle School
Pleasanton Middle School
Amador Valley High School
Foothill High School
Please note: Wheels makes every effort to provide you with current schedule information. However, we advise you check with your school for details about “early release” days as there may be updated information.
For additional information on school tripper bus routes, call (925) 455-7500 or go to www.wheelsbus.com.
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Walking or Biking to School is the Way to go!
In most communities, school-related traffic accounts for about 20% of morning peak hour traffic. This can be greatly reduced if parents and students walked or biked to school, rather than drove their cars. With reduced vehicular traffic, a sense of safety in and around the school is more apparent. Another issue on the rise in many communities is childhood obesity. Walking and biking to school can be the healthiest ways to get to school since your child is getting their daily exercise in and they don’t even know it! Like adults, kids need exercise. Most children need at least an hour of physical activity every day. Regular exercise helps children:
- Feel less stressed
- Feel better about themselves
- Feel more ready to learn in school
- Keep a healthy weight
- Build and keep healthy bones, muscles and joints
- Sleep better at night
Walk to School and Bike to School Participation
Since we know that walking and biking are viable alternatives to being dropped off at school, participate in your school’s walking or biking events. These events help encourage these modes by getting both parents and students involved as well as providing safe walking and biking tips. Elementary schools participate in the Annual Walk to School Day in October and middle and/or high school Bike to School Days are held annually in May.
If your child is younger, consider joining them on the walk or bike ride to school to fit exercise into your daily routine. The larger the walking or biking group is, the more visible they are to motor vehicles. We recommend that elementary-age walking and biking pools are supervised by an adult. Check out these safety tips to help you and your child get started on a healthy way to school!
Walking Safety Tips:
- Encourage your child to help choose the safest place to cross the road.
- Practice stopping at the curb, looking left, right, left, listening for traffic and making eye contact with drivers.
- Find all the traffic signs and roadway markings on your route. Talk about what these words and symbols mean.
- Talk about ways your child can avoid or minimize dangers along the route, i.e., driveways, parked cars, strangers, etc.
- Observe people walking, cycling, driving or riding cars. Talk about the safe and the risky things you see.
- Talk with your child about the buildings, people, animals, landscaping, etc. on your walk.
- Discuss the ways your walking trips benefit your health, safety and quality of life.
Bicycle Safety Tips:
- Make sure your student’s bike is in good condition before riding. Look over the bike, especially for properly inflated tires, to make sure everything is set for their ride to school.
- Always wear a bike helmet AND make sure it fits properly. A helmet should fit snug and always snap the straps.
- Be aware of traffic. Stop. Look left, right and left again before leaving a sidewalk or driveway. Enter traffic only when the road is clear. Stop at all intersections, marked or unmarked to make sure a car is not approaching.
- Obey the “Rules of the Road” and use hand signals before turning.
- Ride with traffic, never against it. Children may ride on the sidewalks but be on alert for pedestrians and cars backing out of or entering driveways.
- Use hand signals when you stop or make a turn.
- Concentrate – stay in control.
- Stay to the right. Ride single file as far to the right side of the road as possible.
- Prevent bicycle thefts. Carry a lock and use it.
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The “Walk ‘n’ Roll to School” promotion is designed to educate students and parents about the alternatives of getting to and from school. Valley View Elementary School participated in Walk ‘n’ Roll to School for the 2010-2011 school year.
Objectives
- To promote walking and biking to travel to and from school as opposed to being dropped off in a vehicle;
- To increase health and exercise by walking and biking to and from school; and
- To reduce vehicular traffic, thereby increasing safety in and around the school area.
To encourage parents and students to walk or bike to school, a month-long promotion is kicked off with the International Walk to School Day in early October. Throughout October, students are encouraged to walk and bike to school. Students will keep track of their participation on a monthly calendar. At the beginning of November, the calendar will be turned in for a participation prize and the chance at winning a grand prize and other prizes.
To quantify a reduction in vehicular traffic, the percentage of walkers, bikers and those driven to school are measured using survey instruments. Two assemblies will be held; the first to introduce the promotion in mid-September and the second in mid-November to announce the survey results and the drawing winners. The promotion will be supported with weekly reminders via the school newsletters and a surprise Walk to School day with granola bars and water bottles.
Walk ‘n’ Roll to School is co-sponsored by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Tri Valley Air Quality Resources Team in cooperation with the cities of Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, San Ramon and the Alameda County Safe Routes to School Program.
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