Walked dog. Made hot breakfast. Showered. Packed nutritious lunch for you and your child. Out the door with child, school bag (including said lunch), field trip permission slip….all before 8:00 a.m.…you’re killing it! Spend 20 minutes in unplanned traffic to school and 10 minutes in the school’s kiss and ride drop-off. Arrive at work 25 minutes late and frazzled – you also forgot your phone. Definitely not killing it.
If you are a parent who sends your child to a school without a busing program, you can probably relate to this scenario. While the ride to and from school can be a wonderful time to connect with your child, providing transportation every day can be stressful. Additionally, the time spent in the car could be spent working, freeing up time to spend with your child at home, in the park, etc. So what is a parent to do?
(Da-da-da-DA!) In response to this common issue facing D.C. metro-area parents, Commuter Connections launched a program called SchoolPools, which allows parents within a school to connect with one another and form their own carpools, walking groups or biking groups. The idea is that families who unknowingly live near one another could be sharing a ride to school – saving both time and money. Not only is a carpool convenient, it provides parents and kids an opportunity to meet one another – helping to build a closer sense of community.
The SchoolPools database is completely confidential – only basic contact information, such as your phone number and e-mail are shared with potential matches. Schools must be registered with the Commuter Connections SchoolPool program to participate, so check with your school’s principal or transportation coordinator to see if your school is taking advantage of this program.
For more information on SchoolPools and how to get your school registered, please visit: https://tdm.commuterconnections.org/schoolpool/, or email Sarah McGowan at smcgowan@datatrans.org.