Health and Nutrition Section

Transportation Assessment

Notice: Participation in the Green & Healthy Schools program is completely voluntary. To apply for desired state recognition in one or more topic areas, provide complete information as requested on this form. Names of participating schools will be posted on the Green & Healthy Schools website and information about implemented school practices may be used to promote healthy and environmentally sound behaviors and educate students. Wisconsin Open Records Law requires the Department to provide records, including personal information, upon request [ss. 19.31-19.39, Stats]. This form is prepared as part of the Department’s policy on education as authorized by NR 1.70 (3) of the Wisconsin Administrative Code.

We use various types of transportation every day to get from place to place. Whether we walk, bike, use public transportation or drive, transportation is a very important part of our lives. The transportation choices we make, however, can also have a great effect on the environment and our health. If your school situation allows, encourage walking or biking to school. Carpooling with neighbors or riding the bus reduces the number of individual cars arriving at school, which is favorable both for air quality and traffic. This section will help you identify the transportation choices people in your school are making and help you identify alternatives.

School Name: ______Date: ______

Conducted By:

Please include administrators, teachers, school staff, students and parents involved in this assessment.

Name: Title and/or Grade Level:

______

School Population:

Students: ______Staff: ______

A. Curriculum and Community

1. Does your school curriculum include transportation-related topics covering health and environmental impacts of transportation choices?

c Yes c No

If yes, in which subjects/courses and at what grade levels are they offered?

2. Does your school curriculum include transportation safety (use of seat belts and bike helmets, pedestrian and bike safety, etc.)?

c Yes c No

If yes, in which subjects/courses and at what grade levels are they offered?

3. Does your school incorporate walkable field trips (i.e. park, local farmer’s market)?

c Yes c No

4. Does your school sponsor or participate in any programs to encourage carpooling, use of public transportation or non-vehicular transportation to and from school (i.e. ride-share, bike to school week, bike safety classes, etc.)?

c Yes

c Carpooling – Describe: ______

c Non-vehicular – Describe: ______

c Public transportation – Describe: ______

c Safe Routes to School

c Walk-to-School Day

c Walking school bus program

c Organized bike “trains”

c Subsidized transit passes

c Other: ______

c No

5. Does your school work with public and elected officials to address transportation issues or concerns?

c Yes c No

6. Does your school offer staff professional development regarding sustainable transportation education?

c Yes c No

B. Classroom Transportation Assessment

Complete this assessment for each classroom and use the results to help you complete the school-wide assessment. Questions should reflect transportation practices for the day the assessment was completed.

Room #/Name: ______Teacher: ______

Grade: ______Subject: ______Date of Assessment: ______

Total number of students and staff in the class: ______/______

(students/staff)

1. What mode of transportation do staff and students in your class usually use to get to school? (Estimate number for each category.)

Personal Vehicle / Bus / Bike / Walk / Other
Car / Van/Minivan / Truck / SUV / School / Public
Staff
Students

2. Approximately how many of the students and staff carpool in a personal vehicle? (A carpool is considered to be one driver with more than one rider.)

Number of students: ______

Number of staff: ______

Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin – Transportation Focus Area Assessment – last updated: 3/2015

C. General Transportation (Total all classroom assessments conducted in Section B to complete this section.)

1. What mode of transportation do staff and students usually use to get to school? (Approximate percentages)

Personal Vehicle / Bus / Bike / Walk / Other
Car / Van/Minivan / Truck / SUV / School / Public
Staff
Students

2. Approximately what percentage of the students and staff come to school in a carpool? (A carpool is considered to be one driver with more than one rider.)

Students ______%

Staff ______%

3. Does your school offer designated carpool parking stalls?

c Yes c No

4. Approximately how many school buses stop at your school during the day?

Before school ______

After school ______

Buses used for extracurricular activities (sporting events, field trips, etc.) ______

5. Do the school buses idle their engines for longer than 3 minutes while parked outside the school:

During warmer months (August-September and April-June)? c Yes c No

During colder months (October-March)? c Yes c No

6. Does your school have marked “Idle-Free” zones for buses and cars?

c Yes c No

7. Does your school (or bus company) have a plan to regularly review bus routes?

c Yes c No

8. Does your school allow students to bike to school?

c Yes c No

9. Does your school provide bicycle parking racks for students and staff?

c Yes c No

10. Which of the following are available for students and staff to get to and from school?

c Bike lanes c Sidewalks

c Bike paths c Other ______

c Public transportation (bus)

11. Are sidewalks and bike paths safe and accessible for all?

c Yes c No

Do sidewalks and bike paths near school have:

YES / NO
Adequate lighting / c / c
Curb cuts / c / c
Smooth paved surfaces / c / c

12. Are crossing guards provided before and after school for students who walk or bike to school?

c Yes c No

13. Besides buses, what types of vehicles are owned by your school, what are they used for and what kind of gas mileage do they get?

Type of vehicle / Number / Use / Average gas mileage*
Economy car
Hybrid car
Mid-sized car
Large car
SUV
Truck
Van
Other:

*Use EPA fuel economy estimates: www.fueleconomy.gov.

14. Does your school have a policy pertaining to fuel-efficient fleet vehicle purchasing?

c Yes c No

15. Does your school (or school district) have a safe driving and seat belt policy for staff using school vehicles?

c Yes c No

16. If your school has a driver’s education program:

Does it use fuel-efficient vehicles for instruction? c Yes c No

Does it teach eco-driving concepts? c Yes c No

17. What incentives does your school offer students and staff to encourage sustainable transportation practices?

D. Traffic Safety

1. Does your school manage vehicle and pedestrian traffic on school grounds?

c Yes c No

If yes, does that management include:

YES / NO
Designated separate drop-off points for busses and personal vehicles? / c / c
Drop-off points located at least 25 feet from air intakes, doors and windows? / c / c
Drop-off points located so students do not have to cross traffic flow? / c / c
Pick-up and drop-off points away from other parking areas? / c / c

2. Are the school bus and personal vehicle drop-off points supervised during heavy traffic times?

c Yes c No

E. Action Plan

Based on the information you gathered from this assessment, what recommendations do you have for the school to improve its transportation behaviors and identify transportation alternatives at your school? Use the chart on the following page to brainstorm and organize ideas for action.

Transportation Assessment: Ideas for Action

Based on the information you gathered from the Transportation Assessment, what action ideas do you have to alter

transportation behaviors and identify transportation alternatives at your school? Use this sheet to record your ideas.

Section / General Ideas / Classroom Connections/ Lesson Plan Ideas / Community Involvement/ Activity Ideas / Outside Sources (organizations, community members, professionals)
A. Curriculum and Community)
B. Classroom Transportation Assessment
C. General Transportation
D. Traffic Safety

Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin – Transportation Focus Area Assessment – last updated: 3/2015

Please save a copy of this Assessment for your records.

For any questions regarding Green and Healthy Schools Wisconsin, please feel free to contact us:

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Attn. Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin – WA/5

P.O. Box 7921

Madison, WI 53707-7921

Phone: (608) 267-7622

Fax: (608) 267-2768

e-mail:

Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin – Transportation Focus Area Assessment – last updated: 3/2015