Vehicles

Although students and their families are encouraged to choose active and sustainable modes to travel to and from school, we recognize that this may not be possible every single day of the school year. However, developing alternative pick-up and drop-off routines, such as the ones listed below, can help reduce vehicle traffic congestion in the direct vicinity of the school and improve safety for all.

Walk-a-Block

A Walk-a-Block program encourages families to park legally a block or two away from the school and then walk the final leg of the journey together. 

• Work as a team to identify locations within the school community where parents can park legally for a short period of time and that also allow for a safe walking route to school.

• Encourage families to take advantage of the Walk-a-Block parking locations. Pair your communications with safety messaging such as the Walking Tips tool in this section.

Kiss and Ride

Kiss and Rides are designated areas, located close to the main entrance of a school, where parents can safely and quickly drop-off and pick-up students. This type of model helps to keep traffic flow moving and eliminates the need for parents to park their vehicles.

• Work closely with administration, staff, and parents to identify an appropriate location for your school’s Kiss and Ride, and decide on a design that works for your school community. 

• It may be helpful to create a flyer or poster that can be shared with parents to illustrate traffic flow and identify expectations of Kiss and Ride users. 

• A successful Kiss and Ride will have visible signage, adult supervisors, and will include clear communications to the school community about how to effectively and safely use the Kiss and Ride.

In the City of Toronto, residents are able to request traffic calming (e.g., narrowing roads, speed humps, etc.), changes to speed limits, and improvements to intersection and major crossings within their community. However, in order to have the feasibility of these requests investigated by the City, communities must take a variety of steps.

The Guide to Safer Streets Near Schools is a research-based resource designed to assist residents in requesting street improvements within the City of Toronto. The guide accessibly explains City of Toronto policies that relate to street improvements and provides suggestions on which ones may be most relevant to your community. Within the guide you will also find a toolkit that includes:

• A worksheet to help identify issues and develop potential solutions

• Sample templates (letters, traffic calming petition)

• Ideas and resources for teachers

• A list of organizations working for safer streets

The following opportunities, aimed at assisting students with safe road crossings, are available through the Toronto Police Service:

1. Adult School Crossing Guards: To request a School Crossing guard in the City of Toronto, members of the school community (parents/school staff/members of the public, etc.) must submit a written request, identifying the desired location, to officeofthechief@torontopolice.on.ca.

2. School Safety Patrol Program: Student volunteers can be trained through the Toronto Police Services’ School Safety Patrol Program to assist their peers in safely crossing the street while travelling to and from school. For details on Toronto’s Schools Safety Patrol Program, contact the Program Coordinator at 416-808-1915.

Note: Once a request for a School Crossing Guard has been received, a survey of the desired location will be conducted by Toronto Police to determine whether a School Crossing Guard is warranted. This process may take several months.

No Idling Signs

“No Idling” signs are available to your school for mounting on a brick wall, fence, or post. 

Speak to your Head Caretaker to arrange for installation. The cost of the sign and installation will be covered by the school.

• Bike Share Toronto is a short-term bicycle rental service

• Enterprise CarShare and Zipcar are carshare services that allow members to enjoy the use of a car without the hassle and expense of owning one.

Toronto Public Health supports schools to promote active transportation through a multi-pronged approach that includes family, school, and community components as well as working with community partners. Using a consultative approach, activities are customized to meet the needs and interest level of each individual school. Support provided by Public Health Nurses can include:

• Proving content for newsletter and announcements

• Delivering presentations to students and/or parents

• Directing schools to relevant resources

For more details, contact the Public Health Nurse assigned to your school or Toronto Public Health at 416-338-7600 or publichealth@toronto.ca.