IN many parts of our metropolis, we can observe worsening road congestion around schools, triggered by more students traveling to and from school in private motor vehicles. During opening and dismissal times, roads leading to many private schools are filled with cars queuing to pick up or drop off students. The last 500 meters approaching the school pickup/drop-off points can sometimes take 30 minutes, given the sheer numbers of vehicles (sometimes numbering in the thousands) squeezing into limited road space. If we do nothing, the situation will surely get much worse — for students, their families and the rest of society.
Ask any parent: getting kids to and from school is one of the most stressful parts of their lives. Because school travel times are steadily increasing, kids and parents are getting up earlier and getting home later. Travels to school of nearly two hours each way are not uncommon. Because of the considerable time consumed, kids have much less time for play and exercise, less time for study, and less time for interaction with family and friends. This is a serious problem. Some students catch up on sleep by napping inside their car. There are even stories of kids who go to bed at night already dressed in their school outfits.
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