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Walking school buses, in which a adult volunteer escorts a group of children walking to school along a fixed route with designated stops, have been adopted in cities seeking to reduce car congestion near schools. Parents drop children at the nearest stop, much as they would for a conventional bus, and the group proceeds together under supervision, picking up additional children along the way. Proponents cite increased daily physical activity and reduced traffic outside school gates during drop-off periods as clear benefits. Because the scheme depends on volunteer availability, its reliability can suffer when regular escorts are unavailable, and some routes have been suspended during volunteer shortages. Safety planning typically requires route assessment for traffic crossings, adequate escort-to-child ratios, and, in some programmes, hi-visibility clothing for all participants.