Walking school bus

• Grant number: 21/11943-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2022
• End date: February 28, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering - Operational Research
• Principal Investigator: Franklina Maria Bragion de Toledo
• Grantee: Beatriz Martins Bassi
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Matemáticas e de Computação (ICMC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07375-0 - CeMEAI - Center for Mathematical Sciences Applied to Industry, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Over the past two decades, scientific research has indicated that children walking or cycling to school has physical benefits, reducing their stress levels. However, due to the lack of safety on the streets and the habit of using cars, even parents living within walking distances from school choose to drive or use school transportation. As highlighted in the literature, besides helping to reduce pollution, walking to school encourages social interaction, boosts children's self-confidence, and contributes to physical and mental health. When a monitor is responsible for the route, safety is enhanced, and children have the opportunity to learn safe walking rules. Therefore, several initiatives around the world have emerged to encourage walking to school. This undergraduate research aims to study the problem of the walking school bus, which aims to define students' routes to school in order to minimize the number of monitors needed to accompany them and seek fast and safe routes.(AU)