Transit Education

Get Transit Smart with Valley Metro’s Transit Education Programs

Valley Metro offers FREE transit education programs designed to meet the diverse needs of our community. Contact our Transit Education staff to schedule your transit presentation and start learning how to make smart transit choices today!

Community Outreach Program

Designed for community and human services organizations and the general public

Valley Metro conducts specially tailored transit presentations for community groups such as: 

• Mobility training for senior citizens and persons with a disability
• How to use the transit system for new residents and refugees
• General presentations to any group who wants to learn more about the transit system
• Transit information and assistance at community or special events

School Outreach Program

Designed for students, educators and administrators

Valley Metro’s school outreach program is designed to help your students learn more about their transit system. The program consists of FREE classroom presentations about the Valley Metro transit system and a FREE Group Field Trip pass for eligible groups using local bus and light rail services.

Classroom Presentations

Our classroom presentations help younger students learn about public transit and how to ride safely through fun and creative activities. Older students, who may have a greater ability to use public transit on their own, learn practical information such as the benefits and how to ride the bus and light rail. They also learn about safety issues and the economic, environmental and social impact of their transportation choices.

Help your students learn more about public transit by scheduling a classroom presentation prior to your first group field trip. Presentations are geared to the age of the group.

We also participate in special events such as:

• Environmental Fairs
• Transportation/Vehicle Days
• Career Days and more

Group Field Trips by Bus and Light Rail

When you use public transit for your field trip, not only are you taking your students on an educational adventure, you are teaching them important transit skills that they will carry with them for a lifetime.

To schedule a group field trip using local bus or light rail services, tell us where you want to go, the date and times you would like to travel, and we will do the rest. We provide you with the best route for your trip, time schedules, nearest bus stops and light rails stations and transfer information if necessary.

Guidelines for Using the Free Group Field Trip Pass

• Preschool, elementary or junior high students traveling with their teachers, as well as special needs high school students are eligible.
• Group size is a maximum of 35 per bus or light rail vehicle, that includes students and adults.
• One-week advance notice is necessary to receive a free Group Field Trip pass, although two weeks or more is preferable.
• Your group can use transit for field trips at any time; the free Group Field Trip pass may only be used between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Tips for Planning Group Field Trips

• Coordinate your travel plans with our field trip coordinator as soon as possible, preferably a few weeks in advance. (Remember to contact us at least one week in advance if you would like to receive a Free Group Field Trip pass.) Our field trip coordinator will help set up your itinerary and send it to you along with your Group Field Trip pass, if your group qualifies for one.
• We also recommend that you schedule a free classroom presentation prior to your first group trip on transit.
• Under most circumstances, we can comfortably accommodate groups of 35 or less on local bus and light rail services during the times that most school groups travel. We will assist larger groups by staggering travel times, or plan for alternate routing.
• Valley Metro coordinates group trips so only one group rides on a vehicle. We do this to help your trip go smoothly and to ease overcrowding. You can also help by following the instructions included in your field trip itinerary.
• Group trips are scheduled according to space availability on a first-come, first-served basis. We cannot make route or schedule changes, or provide additional vehicles for field trips, but we will make every possible effort to address a group’s needs.

Tips for Groups Using Transit on Field Trips

These simple steps will help your trip go smoothly:

• Arrive at your bus stop or light rail station at least five minutes before the scheduled departure time.
• Stay in the “Safe Zone” at the bus stop, that is, a safe distance from the curb and street. At the light rail station, it is behind the textured strip on the edge of the platform.
• Make sure you are getting on the right vehicle. Check the destination sign above the windshield on the bus and signal the operator that you want to board. At the light rail station, check the directional signs posted for your destination.
• The field trip leader boards the bus first and inserts the Group Field Trip pass into the farebox to activate it, which marks the date on the pass. The leader keeps the Group Field Trip pass to be used on any trips later that day. At the light rail station before boarding, activate the pass by dipping it into the Validator slot on a fare vending machine. Have your group board the same light rail car. Keep the Group Field Trip pass on hand in case a fare inspector asks to see proof of payment for your group.
• Assist your group in finding seats quickly. If you have to stand, hold onto the handrails.
• Follow the simple guidelines for safety and courtesy on BUS and RAIL.
• On the bus, signal the operator when approaching the bus stop near your destination. On the light rail, operators automatically stop at all light rail stations. Listen and watch for your destination.
• Quickly exit the bus through the back door or the light rail through the closest door. Move away from the transit vehicle back into the “Safe Zone.”

Fun Bus Stuff for Kids

Let’s Ride The Bus! Coloring Book [543K PDF]- Designed to help young children understand the basics of riding the bus, this unique learning tool is targeted for preschoolers through first graders. Let our future bus riders color while they learn the safety rules for riding a Valley Metro bus! (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you don’t have Acrobat Reader, you may download it free from Adobe’s website.)
Optional Let’s Ride The Bus black and white front cover
Optional Let’s Ride The Bus black and white back cover

5th Annual Cool Bus STUFF Art Contest

Go Smart. Go Transit.

Help Planet Earth one ride at a time.

Winning entries in the 5th Annual 3rd Grade Cool Bus STUFF Art Contest are featured in Transit Education’s 2010 calendar which is distributed valley-wide.

The mission of Transit Education is to promote various modes of transportation by communicating the benefits of Valley Metro’s programs and services to any group. Light rail, one of the newest services, is represented in the submitted artwork.

The contest brought in 670 entries from very talented 3rd graders valley-wide. Although we think they are all winners, the judges were tasked with choosing the Best of Show and 12 Top Winners. They also included a few Honorable Mentions.

Valley Metro is very grateful to parents and teachers and proud of all students who entered the Cool Bus STUFF Art Contest. We could all learn from these exceptional talented 3rd graders. Enjoy!

Valley Metro Design a Bus Wrap Student Art Contest

Each year Valley Metro conducts the Design a Bus Wrap Contest for high school students.  This project, which is entering its 10th year, was created to involve students in the transit system in a fun and creative way.  Students are an important segment of our ridership and Valley Metro is proud to celebrate their talents.
Students are asked to create a bus wrap (an advertisement that covers the entire bus) that promotes public transit from their point of view.  The winning design is featured on a bus that is in regular service for one year. 

The contest runs from January through mid February and is open to all currently enrolled high school students in the Valley.

2009 winner “Valley Metro, Going, Going…Green!”
Max Ellinger, New School for the Arts & Academics, Tempe