School Travel Planning Evaluation

We would like to invite you and your child to participate in a study aimed at understanding how the School Travel Planning program influences children’s travel behaviours, physical activity levels, and air quality around your child’s school. School travel planning is a school-specific program that uses the 6 E’s of Safe Routes to School (i.e., Education, Encouragement, Engineering, Enforcement, Equity, Evaluation) to try to increase the number of students who choose environmentally friendly modes of travel to get to and from school. The study is being conducted with grade 4 to 8 students at elementary schools across the Thames Valley District School Board & London District Catholic School Board. 

As the parent/guardian, you will be invited to:

1. Complete the School Travel Planning Family Survey
2. Participate in a Focus Group (Intervention Schools Only)
3. Provide parental consent for your grade 4 to 8 child(ren)

If you agree for your grade 4 to 8 child to participate in our project, your child will be asked to:

1. Provide Assent
2. Complete the School Travel Planning Survey for Youth
3. Wear an Accelerometer
4. Complete a trip diary
5. Wear a Passive GPS Logger (Optional)
6. Participate in a Focus Group (Optional – Intervention Schools Only)

Yes. Parents will receive $10 gift card for Amazon for each phase of the project they participate in, to a maximum of $30.

Children who participate in the STP Evaluation study will receive $5 for each phase of the project they complete as a thank you for participating to a maximum of $15. Additionally, each participant will earn $1/day for each day they are enrolled in the study and $3 for returning the equipment each season. If a child does not wear the equipment and bring the diary for any given day, the $1 will be withheld until the following day when they bring the equipment and diary.

If you have any questions you can contact our research team by email at activeschooltravel@uwo.ca.