The Pélican school in the Iberville sector now has its own scooter bus to bring the children to the schoolyard in complete safety. This initiative of the Canadian Cancer Society was inaugurated on September 5th in the presence of dignitaries, volunteers and enthusiastic children.

The Trottibus is a free walking bus concept that is gradually making its way into schools and allows primary school students to walk to school under the supervision of volunteers who accompany them until they arrive at the playground.

This is the first year this service has been introduced at the Pélican School. “There was already an attempt in the past, but now it is really coming to fruition,” explains Anouk Gadbois, who acts as a volunteer, manager and initiator of the project.

In the very first Trottibus deployment, the march was accompanied by representatives of the school management and the police as well as Mayor Andrée Bouchard.

Volunteers

There are three trips planned in the area near the school with planned stops so that the students arrive at their destination around 7:45 a.m. Around a dozen volunteers will be involved in the project. Each of them must first complete a training course and wear a fluorescent jersey with the image of the scooter bus.

“Overall, we see that the voluntary participation of parents in this project is increasing. We even had a grandmother who gave us her name to participate. This is clearly a popular idea that attracts many families because it is easier for parents to let their children walk when they know they are well looked after,” says Ms Gadbois.

Advantages

There are many benefits associated with this initiative. From an ecological perspective, there are fewer car journeys. It is also an opportunity to become a good pedestrian from a young age by following safety advice from volunteers.

From a health perspective, the morning walking phase allows participants to engage in daily physical activity. In addition to maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, young people will also be able to concentrate better in class.