Do u ride public transit with ur kids?

[LauraLou]

I use public transit with my daycare kids. I normally have 3 during the day and 2 after school, and all 5 during the summer. We've used the bus to go to play groups, the library, and even the splash pad in the summer! With just the 3, I use a double stroller, and the oldest walks. Bus drivers are accommodating, especially during quiet day times, and allow me to park and apply the brakes on my stroller and help my walking child get seated. The driver lowers the step for the stroller, making it easier to board. I've occasionally had grumpy drivers, but most often they are quite friendly. When I have all 5, I use the double stroller for the youngest of the group, and my 2 school aged kids love to help the preschooler get seated while I park the stroller and apply the brakes. Again, the drivers usually wait until the kids are seated and I give the go ahead. If it's a question of safety, buses do receive appropriate servicing as needed. I've once been in a collision involving a bus and a car. The bus I was on was turning, and a car refused to yield or slow down, resulting in the car being pushed onto grass (no injuries). In a collision of bus and personal vehicles, the sheer size of the bus gives the safety advantage, we barely even felt the collision. I don't drive and have always used public transit with my own children, so I'm accustomed to using public transit with kids.