The School Run Reimagined
Every weekday morning, parents across Aotearoa buckle their tamariki into cars and join the slow-moving river of traffic clogging the roads to school. What should be a fun, active and independent journey for students has become a time-consuming headache—one that fuels congestion, costs families time and money, and limits kids’ freedom to move safely on their own.
It wasn’t always this way. A generation ago, walking, biking, or catching a bus to school was the norm. According to a 1980 Auckland Bicycle Planning Committee report, between 1978 and 1980 in Auckland, approximately 20% of intermediate school students cycled to school. At some schools, rates were as high as 45-70%.
Today, according to Stats New Zealand, more than half (50.2 percent) of all students get to their place of education by car, truck, or van, either as a passenger (39.1 percent or 449,604 people) or by driving themselves (11.1 percent or 128,223 people).
During school holidays, Tāmaki Makaurau sees traffic volumes drop by 10 to 15 percent, equating to around 70,000 fewer car trips, according to Auckland Transport.
Trapped by Car Dependency
While it’s easy to blame the teenagers, we need to look at the system as a whole. Are we setting our tamariki up for success? Many would argue not. For many families, the daily drive to school isn’t necessarily preferred, but feels like the safest and most convenient option.
This is mainly due to:
Unsafe Cycling Infrastructure: Dangerous intersections, and a lack of protected cycle lanes make cycling and other active modes unappealing, and oftentimes unsafe.
Urban Planning for Cars, Not Pedestrians: Streets and neighborhoods are designed primarily for vehicle traffic, with wide roads, narrow footpaths, high-speed limits, and minimal pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.
Public Transport That Fails Families: Some bus routes are expensive, unreliable and inaccessible. For example, this study found that students in Dunedin experience common barriers to using public transport, including trip distance, cost, trip chaining, built environment and lack of bus shelters and bike racks.
“The less safe the environment is for kids to walk and cycle to school, the more parents will say, 'Well, I'm not going to let my kid walk or cycle to school'. And so you have more people driving again. It's a cycle that goes around in circles and means as a result, we have kids that are less healthy and less active. And it also causes more congestion." – Matt Lowrie, Greater Auckland
The Cost of Sticking with the Status Quo
Relying on cars for the school run has real consequences. The financial cost is substantial—fuel, maintenance, insurance, and parking quickly add up. Families spend thousands each year just to get their children to school. And while wealthier households can absorb these costs, lower-income families end up paying a disproportionate share of their income just to participate in daily life.
Then there’s time. The school run steals hours from families each week. This is quality time that could be spent eating breakfast together, getting extra sleep, or enjoying an active commute with neighbours. Instead, parents and children alike are stuck in traffic, often frustrated before the day has even begun.
The health toll is just as severe. Fewer children walking and biking to school means fewer opportunities for daily physical activity, contributing to rising rates of obesity and other preventable health issues. And while parents worry about keeping their kids safe, car dependency itself remains a leading cause of child injury and death.
The Alternative: A School Run That Works for Families
A better system is possible. In cities that have prioritized safe and accessible transport options for children, school streets look very different:
Safe Walking & Cycling Infrastructure: Well-maintained footpaths, protected bike lanes, and safer crossings make it easy for kids to travel under their own steam.
Reliable, Affordable Public Transport: Frequent, low-cost school buses and well-connected public transport networks ensure children can get to school efficiently and independently.
School Streets Designed for Kids, Not Cars: Policies that limit vehicle access near schools at drop-off and pick-up times reduce congestion and make the area safer for walking and biking.
Community-Led Solutions: Programs like walking school buses and supervised bike routes give parents peace of mind while fostering independence in children.
Time to Rethink the School Run
New Zealand has a choice. We can keep treating the school run as an unavoidable burden—one that costs families time, money, and peace of mind. Or we can build a system that works for everyone, where children can move independently, families save money, and streets are designed for people, not just cars.
Can your children get to school safely and independently without the use of a car? We’d love to hear from parents and caregivers across the motu. Email us at comms@allaboard.nz with your frustrations, hopes, visions, fears and ideas. We are here to help!