Seongdong-gu 'Walking School Bus' Satisfaction Survey Shows 98% Satisfaction Among Participants

Seongdong-gu Ensures Safe School Routes by Operating a Walking School Bus That Satisfies Everyone

98% Satisfaction Reported in Survey of 1,190 Parents and Students Using the Walking 'School Bus'

Operated with the Largest Budget and Staff Among Seoul Autonomous Districts, Expanding to After-School Program Students from October

Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) announced that a satisfaction survey of users of the 'Walking School Bus,' which supports the safe commute of elementary school students, showed that 98% of respondents were satisfied.

To efficiently operate the Walking School Bus project, Seongdong-gu conducted a user satisfaction survey through each school's online notification system for five days starting July 10. The survey targeted a total of 1,190 people, including 610 parents and 580 students, with 1,163 respondents (98%) expressing satisfaction.

In particular, many parents responded that the service shortened their preparation time for work by supporting the commute of children from dual-income families. Additionally, they noted that it helps prevent crimes and traffic accidents on the way to and from school. Many students also expressed that they enjoy commuting with their friends.

Since its full-scale launch in 2014, the Walking School Bus project has employed 94 traffic safety instructors hired by the district who patrol designated 38 routes between schools and homes for one hour in the morning and two hours in the afternoon throughout Seongdong-gu. They accompany 968 first- to third-grade elementary students with similar directions, ensuring the safety of their school routes. Since last year, the program has expanded to operate during vacation periods, with 41 instructors active at 16 elementary schools during the current summer vacation.

There was also a request to expand the Walking School Bus service to students using after-school programs. Reflecting this, the district plans to expand the service to include after-school program students starting this October. Seongdong-gu operates the Walking School Bus with the largest workforce and budget among Seoul's autonomous districts, making it a model case.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, "Seongdong-gu's Walking School Bus project fills the care gap and is an essential service that satisfies parents and students." He added, "We will continue to operate it flawlessly to reduce the childcare burden on working parents and strive to create a safe commuting environment for students."