Urban Air Pollution Impact of Modal Shift in School Transportation in Kuwait

Abstract

The objectives of this research study are to (1) determine parents’ perceptions of traffic congestion and its impacts as far as the automobile transport of children to schools, (2) identify reasons for the preference of the auto mode for school transport, and (3) estimate the likely energy and air pollution benefits of a modal shift for school transportation. The database included the result of a survey of a systematic-random sample of 1,500 heads of households interviewed at their randomly selected workplaces. A total of 1,232 completed questionnaires (82.1%) were processed for data analysis. A profile of respondents’ socioeconomic status, congestion experiences, and reasons for not using the school bus is presented. Also described is data indicating that the preference of the personal automobile for transport to school stems from households’ economic affluence/social prestige rather than inferior characteristics associated with a bus service. Estimation of air pollution impacts of school transportation shows that enormous environmental gains will be made if the demand for school transportation in Kuwait is shifted from car to bus.