It's early morning, still dark outside. At 57, I help my 8-year-old granddaughter dress warmly for a quarter-mile walk, with no streetlights guiding our way, no sidewalk providing safety from the traffic, and no shelter to protect us from the unpredictability of the weather. Every school day for the past 7 months, since I moved in with my son, we go through this grueling ritual. And we are not alone. Five other children, who live at the bottom of our street, face the same struggle every afternoon.

Research consistently shows that a considerable portion of young students' safety depends on the location and facilities of their school bus stops. An article by The American School Bus Council suggests that safe bus stops should not only be easily accessible but also have proper lighting and shelter facilities in place (ASBC, 2012).

As a concerned grandparent, resident of this neighborhood, and supporter of student safety, I'm calling on local schools and transportation departments to re-evaluate the location of our bus stop. While placing a bus stop at every doorstep might be impractical, we implore the relevant authorities to at least consider alternate pick-up and drop-off locations that are not only closer to our homes but also equipped with necessary safety features such as streetlights, sidewalks, and basic weather protection structures.

For the safety of our children, for their comfort, and to ease the burden on the families, please join our petition to implement a safer and more accessible school bus stop in our neighborhood. Please sign now.