To the editor:
The current cost of the school buses for the Wellesley Middle School is $400 for anyone living within two-miles of the school. This is a huge problem for those who want their children to ride the bus but may not have that money, or want to pay that high fee. If the cost to ride the bus was lowered, this would not only help children in schools, but also everyone in Wellesley.
A survey taken in Wellesley showed that 20% of the 689 families surveyed would take the bus if the cost was under $100. This means 138 families would have their children take the bus if it was at least under $400. That would be 138 students, plus another 106 when siblings are factored in. Most of Wellesley’s morning traffic is cars driving to and from school. If these people were to take the bus, this traffic would be lightened drastically. If the bus cost was lowered, much of the morning traffic problem would be solved.
If the bus cost is lowered, then the amount of school tardies per year would decrease drastically. Since the kids would have a reliable source of transportation every day, they would be less likely to have to wait for a parent or try to find a form of transport when they just can’t. This improvement in attendance would also assure that the students are able to start the day off right and keep their grades steady.
Finally, riding the bus can create a community for the child riding it. People on the bus share the connection of riding the bus to and from school everyday. These are friends you can be talking to every bus ride for however long you are on the bus. These interactions would form a strong connection between the kids, and these are the kind of bonds that can last a lifetime. They may even form who your child becomes.
In conclusion, lowering the cost of the bus would positively affect more than just the students riding it. It may cost the school a large amount of money, but this would be money well spent on improving the lives of the kids in the school which should be the number-one priority for the school. Overall, when kids ride the bus, they are not only helping themselves but also others.
Maja Zei
Wellesley Middle School, 8th grade