Sean Murphy

Lines of cars sitting in front of PVHS waiting to pick students up, creating unnecessary traffic congestion and frustrations amongst drivers stuck in line.

Many students have heard the tall tales parents have passed on about the difficulty of their route to school.  However, many of these stories are accurate. 

Students use various means of transportation, with one specific mode rising to the top: private vehicles. In 2017, 54.2% of students were taken to school via a private vehicle, compared to only 14.3% in 1969. Accordingly, in 2017, 10.4% of students walked or biked to school compared to 42% of students in 1969.

Due to the increase in transportation via private vehicles, the infamous pickup/drop-off line was introduced. Thousands of vehicles clog the roads and create traffic congestion. More importantly, they emitted excessive amounts of carbon dioxide that contribute to climate change. This still occurs at every school in the Pleasant Valley district. 

With a surplus of students driving to PVHS, the situation was further inflated. “There’s a little over 750 parking passes that we’ve handed out to students this year,” shared office administrator Courtney Brankovic. This growing number does not even account for the number of students that arrive by parent drop-off.

With a little under half the student body driving to school, the parking lots are bursting at the seams. However, one alternative to simply expanding the parking spaces might be more effective. 

By increasing the quality of bus services, the school can decrease the amount of students traveling by private vehicle. Current bus schedules are leaving students with inadequate pickup or drop-off times. “My bus comes to pick me up a little before seven, which is more than an hour before my first period class. I don’t take the bus because of how inconvenient that is for me. If my bus schedule was better, I’d definitely take the bus” shared senior Rory Raj Meeduri.

Inconvenient bus schedules also interfere with extracurricular activities such as before-school clubs or after-school sports. With many students participating in these extracurricular activities, taking the bus is not an option. 

Despite the increase in private vehicle transportation, some students still prefer the alternatives. “I choose to take the bus as it doesn’t make much economic sense to own a car, and if I need one to go to work or volunteer there is normally a car available for me to take,” said senior Himanshu Jangid.

The issue of private vehicle transportation goes far beyond the Pleasant Valley school district and is a major issue in American society. Public transportation is a secondhand priority among urban planners and the consequences have been grave economically and climatically. For the United States to move forward, sustainable transportation is a necessity.