Valley Metro Bus
Rider Alerts
Transit Education
Valley Metro’s Transit Education Programs Teach You Skills for a Lifetime
School Outreach | Classroom Presentations | Group Field Trips
Tips for Valley Metro Field Trips | Fun Bus STUFF for Kids! | Contact Us
Cool Bus STUFF Contest | Design A Bus Wrap Contest
Community Outreach
Valley Metro conducts transit education programs for community groups. We provide information and training to promote independence, transportation choices and knowledge to travel on Valley Metro. We present to a variety of audiences including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, refugee organizations, social services and other related organizations.
We can also provide transit information and assistance at your next community event. Contact us for more information.
School Outreach
Valley Metro’s school outreach program is designed to introduce students and teachers to their transit system. By building a positive attitude toward public transit, we also present students with ideas on how to be safe and knowledgeable bus riders.
The program consists of presentations about the Valley Metro transit system and field trips using local bus service. Valley Metro assists school groups traveling to and from the many educational places and events that our Valley offers.
Classroom Presentations
Our transit education coordinators conduct free presentations in the classroom to help your group become more familiar with public transportation. Classroom presentations are tailored to your group and offer students and teachers an opportunity to learn about transportation choices and how to safely travel on the Valley Metro bus. We leave behind various fun and educational materials for students and a teacher’s packet full of useful transit tips.
Before your first Valley Metro bus trip with your group call the transit education coordinators to schedule a classroom presentation. Or schedule a classroom presentation with the field trip coordinator at the time you are planning your group bus trip.
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Group Field Trips on Valley Metro
By using Valley Metro local buses for school field trips, your students are also learning important life skills. Let our field trip coordinator organize your next group trip on the local routes, and provide you with an itinerary and other information to help with the ride. A “Free Group Field Trip All Day Pass” (Free Pass) is also available to eligible preschool through 8th grade groups.
Groups eligible for a Free Pass
Preschool, elementary or junior high students traveling with their teachers, as well as special needs high school students are eligible.
Guidelines for Using the Free Pass
- Group size is a maximum of 35 people per bus, including students and adults;
- One-week advance notice is necessary for the Free Pass, though two weeks is preferable; and
- Although your group can use the bus for field trips at any time, the Free Pass can only be used between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Under most circumstances, we can comfortably accommodate groups of 35 or less on a local city bus during the times that school groups travel. We will assist larger groups by staggering travel times, or plan for alternate routing. Valley Metro tries to coordinate group trips so that not more than one group rides on the same bus. 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 buses for field trips, but we will make every possible effort to address a group’s needs.
Tips for Valley Metro Field Trips
Planning for your Valley Metro bus trip:
- Coordinate your travel plans with our field trip coordinator as soon as possible, preferably two to three weeks in advance. (Remember to contact us at least one week in advance if you would like to receive a Free Pass.) Our field trip coordinator will help set up your itinerary and send you a Free Pass if your group qualifies.
- We also recommend that you schedule a free classroom presentation.
Day of your Valley Metro bus trip:
Following these simple steps will help your trip go smoothly:
- Get to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
- Make sure your group is waiting in the “Safe Zone,” a safe distance from the curb and street.
- When the bus pulls up, confirm that it’s the bus you want to board by checking the sign above the windshield.
- Upon boarding, show the operator your Free Pass and tell him or her how many are in your group.
- If your group will not be using this pass, have the exact bus fares ready to deposit in the farebox. To expedite boarding, please arrange for one adult to deposit the fares for everyone in your group. If your group will be transferring to another bus, ask the operator for a group transfer when you deposit the fares.
- Assist your group in finding seats quickly. If you have to stand, hold onto the handrails.
- Encourage your group to observe good bus etiquette, so all passengers can enjoy the ride.
- Watch for your bus stop and signal the operator a couple of blocks before you reach it.
- When possible, exit through the back doors, then move quickly 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
4th Annual Cool Bus STUFF Art Contest
Valley Metro’s Cool Bus STUFF annual art contest gives 3rd graders from across the valley a chance to illustrate how Valley Metro helps you and the community and why it’s the smart way to ride! Winning entries are featured in the annual Cool Bus Stuff Calendar. This years contest themes highlighted the environment and the benefits that taking the bus can provide. Students could select from one of the themes below:
Valley Metro: Let’s Go Green Together!
- Go Green and Save: Show how you and your family can travel green by using city buses to help Planet Earth
- Go Green to Fun Places: Show you and your family traveling green on the city bus to a fun place in your city
- Go Green and Be Safe: Show a safe way to ride the city bus as you and your family travel green
View This Year’s Cool Bus STUFF Winners Image Gallery
Valley Metro Design a Bus Wrap Student Art Contest
Calling All High School Students!
The contest is open to high school student in the Phoenix metropolitan area who are enrolled during the 2008-2009 school year. Submissions must be made by individual student, not classes or other groups of students.
What do I have to design?
Participants will design a bus wrap (an advertisement that covers the entire bus) promoting public transit. There are two parts to the wrap—the driver’s side section and the passenger’s side section. Your design must feature a short, one sentence slogan that either (a) promotes public transit in general, or (b) points out one or more of the benefits of public transit. We’ve enclosed some background information about public transit and Valley Metro to give you some ideas in this regard (see page 2). The slogan must appear on both sides of the bus. The artwork on each side of the bus can be different, or it can be the same.
When is the deadline?
All entries must be submitted to an art teacher at your school by the end of the school day on February 13, 2009. Teachers: Contact Dolores Nolan at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 602-262-4001 for delivery arrangements.
How will all the entries be judged?
Entries will be judged by a panel consisting of transit staff members and city offi cials, school administrators, professional advertisers and other Valley business professionals.
Are there any prizes?
The prize winners will be announced in April 2009. The design that wins fi rst place will be used to wrap a Valley Metro bus, which will be unveiled in April 2009. The wrap will remain on the bus for one year. First place winner also receives $500, second place $250 and third place $100.
Click here to view the contest flyer
| Contact Us | |
|---|---|
| Transit Education Coordinators Preschool - Elementary call (602) 261-8253 Junior High - High School (602) 495-7283 ...or email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Field Trip Planning or call (602) 253-5000 | Community Outreach call (602) 262-4001 ...or email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) For Personalized Transit Information E-mail (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call (602) 253-5000. Text Telephone Machines for the hearing impaired: (602) 261-8208 |