A walking bus (crocodile, walking school bus) is a form of student transport for schoolchildren who, chaperoned typically by two adults (a "driver" leads and a "conductor" follows), walk to school along a set route, with some similarities to a school bus route. Like a real bus, walking buses have a fixed route with designated "bus stops" and "pick up times" at which they pick up and "drop off" children. History The concept of the walking bus was first invented in Japan Australian transport activist David Engwicht is often given credit for inventing the WSB system in the 1990s. It was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1998 by Hertfordshire County Council. It was first used by pupils of Wheatfields Junior School in St Albans, the United Kingdom in 1998 Walking Buses have remained popular in the United Kingdom and have recently gained a level of popularity elsewhere in Europe, North America and New Zealand. Proponents of walking buses say that its aims are to: Encourage physical activity by teaching children the skills to walk safely, how to identify safe routes to school, and the benefits of walking Raise awareness of the extent of a community's walkability and where improvements can be made Raise concern for the environment Reduce crime and take back neighborhoods for people on foot Reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and speed near schools Share valuable time with local community leaders, parents, and children In Auckland, New Zealand, as of November 2007, one hundred schools ran 230 Walking School Buses with over 4,000 children and 1,500 adults participating. The largest (contiguous) walking bus involved 1,905 participants on 9 November 2012 in Newmarket, Suffolk. Parents and/or children on some walking buses are encouraged to wear brightly-coloured jackets or waistcoats. This has led to criticism that the walking bus is too regimented, and fails to achieve its original purpose of improving children's independent mobility. David Engwicht, whose 1992 book "Reclaiming our Cities and Towns" is credited by some as the origin of the Walking School Bus concept in New South Wales, has since stated that "The moment the Walking Bus turns into an official program, it creates some significant difficulties, particularly in litigious and risk-averse cultures." Public health The walking school bus can help to reduce childhood obesity rates by increasing active transportation to school. The American Public Health Association cites that participation in active transportation to school has reduced