Portumna Community School

Title:

The Economic Effect of the “School Run”

A young scientist project by:

Stephen Conroy, Caolan Bennett

&

Darragh Salmon

Project Ref number: 2364

Stand number: _________________________________

 Comments Page

This page is dictated to all judges on the day of the 6th – 9th of January 2016.

__________________ ____________________

Student Judge

Circle date

Date: 10th / 11th / 12th January 2018

__________________ ____________________

Student Judge

Circle date

Date: 10th / 11th / 12th January 20188

__________________ ____________________

Student Judge

Circle date

Date: 10th / 11th / 12th January 2018

__________________ ____________________

Student Judge

Circle date

Date: 10th / 11th / 12th January 2018

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 Table of Contents

Contents
Comments Page ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................... 2
Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4
EXPERIMENTAL METHODS ............................................................................................................................. 5
RESULTS..................................................................................................................................................... 6
Conclusions and recommendations ........................................................................................................ 9
Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................... 10
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................. 11

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 Abstract

Our project was to research and calculate the costs of the ‘school
run’ to the economy and compare it to the cost of a free bus service
for all students.
Our research included looking at different factors.

- We researched the average hourly wage of a parent and using

statistics calculated the amount of money lost through lost
wages.
- We researched the amount of fuel consumed by several
different models of cars per kilometre and calculated the cost
of fuel.
- We researched the cost of the school bus service.

We compared our findings and found that the ‘school run’ by car is
two and a half times as expensive as a bus seat, thus parents
dropping students to school is costing the economy money.

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 Introduction

The idea for our project came from reading a RTE article at the
beginning of the school year. It was reported that the number of
students eligible for the state school bus transport scheme system
had fallen by around 18,000 between 2011 and 2015.

We found parents driving students to school takes a significant

amount of time and capital. We decided to investigate the full cost of
the "school run" to the economy and compare it to an estimated cost
of a free bus service for each student.

We noted that there was significant previous research into the

environmental side of the ‘school run’ but very little research
completed on the economic side of it.

Our aim for this project is to calculate many of the cost factors
involved with the school run and to estimate the cost of a bus service
that would cover all students who currently go to school by car.

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 EXPERIMENTAL METHODS

- We first researched the number of students who travelled to

school and what mode of transport they used.
- We then researched the average distance students lived from
school and used that to calculate the time it takes for parents
and children to travel to school.
- We then found the average income of a family and used that to
calculate the loss of income.
- We gathered data on the amount of fuel consumed by several
of the most popular cars per kilometre and calculated the cost
of fuel for average school journeys.
- We researched how much the bus service currently cost per
student and estimated how much it would cost to provide a bus
service for all students.

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 RESULTS

We found that a bus service that would cover all students that
currently drive would be two and a half times cheaper than the
‘school run’

The cost of a bus service that would cover all students would be:
€146,358,195

While the total costs of the ‘school run’ is:

€ 357,946,083

Euro

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 Breakdown of Results/ Calculations

Number/ how students Travel to school.

- 345,550 students attend secondary school in Ireland

- 43% of students drive to school = 148587
- 28% of students take the bus = 96754
- 21% of students walk = 72566

Average distance from school

- Average distance from school = 8,000m

- Average distance travelled per week = 160km
o 8,000m(distance) * 2(round trip) * 5(days in a week)* 2 (twice a day) =
160,000m
- Time spent travelling = 242mins per week
o 160,000m (distance) / 11m/s (speed in m/s) = 14546s per week.

Lost Income

- Average gross hourly rate for on parent in a family is €15.28

- Time travelling to and from school is 4.03hrs. per week
o 242(time spent travelling in minutes) / 60 = 4.03
- Lost wages per week = €61.52
o €15.28(gross hourly rate) * 4.03 = €61.52
- €12.33 per day
o €61.52 / 5 = €12.33
- Assuming 167 day school year that’s €2,060 per year.
o €12.33 * 167 = 2,060

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Fuel Cost

- Cost of fuel per litre was €1.40

- 5344km driven per year
o 32km(distance travelled per day) * 167(Days in a school year) = 5344km
- €350 per year (based on an online fuel cost calculator).

Bus Service

- According to a report completed by the Department of

Education it costs €958 to transport a student by bus per year.
- Cost of bus for all people currently driving = 143,346,346
o €958(cost per person) * 148,587(people currently driving) = 142,346,346

Results

- Lost wages per year = €2059

- Fuel Costs per year = €350
- Total per year = €2409
- Cost of bus per year per person = €958

- Cost of ‘school run’ = € 357,946,083

o €2409(cost of ‘school run’ per person per year) * 148587(no. of students who
get to school by car) = €357,946,083

- That means that the school run is 2.5 times more expensive.
o 357,946,083(total cost of ‘school run’) / 142,346,346(total cost of bus
service) = 2.5

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 Conclusions and recommendations

We can conclude from our extensive research and calculations that

taking the bus to school rather than the “school run” by car is far
more economical. We recommend that the government provides
free bus seats for all students.

While speaking to parents during our research the subject of stress

and mental health was mentioned as a serious concern. Parents told
us the school run and associated traffic delays with distractions in
the car were adding to this stress.

Our project was to investigate the economic side of the side of the
school run versus traveling by bus but clearly there is plenty of scope
for further investigation into the effect on mental health and
subsequent costs relating to this.

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 Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge and thank the following people for

their help and support with our project

Our Science Teachers:

Ms. Barry and Ms. Keena

Our Principal:

Mr Long

And our parents and families

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 REFERENCES

RTE article pg. 4

- https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.rte.ie/amp/915111/

Number/ how students Travel to school pg. 7

- Number = https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/Key-Statistics/Key-
Statistics-2015-2016.pdf
- How = Irish Independent Article

Average distance/time spent travelling pg. 7

- http://www.cso.ie/en/census/censusforschools/census2002schoolresources/factsforstuden
ts/averagedistancetravelledtoschool/

Lost Income pg. 7

- Household income http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-

hbs/hbs20152016/hinc/

Fuel Cost pg. 8

- http://www.nextgreencar.com/cost-calculators

Bus Service Cost pg. 8

- https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Value-For-Money-
Reviews/st_vfm_school_transport_scheme_2011.pdf

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