School travel plans: preliminary evidence for changing school-related travel patterns in elementary school children

In New Zealand, the School Travel Plan (STP) program was developed to increase school-related active travel rates and decrease traffic congestion. The plan was developed through collaboration among the school, community, and local council. The STP was tailored to each school's specific needs and incorporated educational initiatives, physical infrastructural changes in the vicinity of schools, and policy development. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the STP program in changing school travel modes in children.

Effectiveness was assessed by determining the difference between pre-STP and follow-up travel mode data in schools. The differences were assessed using multilinear regression analysis, including decile (measure of socioeconomic status), school roll at baseline, and STP year of implementation as predictors.

Thirty-three elementary schools from the Auckland region participated in the study. School size ranged from 130 to 688 students.

The final 2006 sample consisted of 13,631 students.

On a set day (pre- and post-STP), students indicated their mode of transport to school and intended mode for returning home that day.

Differences are reported as percentage points: there was an increase in active transport by 5.9% ± 6.8% when compared to baseline travel modes. School roll, STP year of implementation, and baseline values predicted engagement with active transport.

Preliminary findings suggest that the STP program may be successful in creating mode shift changes to favor school-related active travel in elementary-school children.