Health and Activity Impacts of Student Commute Modes
Active school transportation can profoundly influence children’s health, safety, and wellbeing. This project will investigate how different school commute modes – walking, bicycling, school bus, or private car – affect student physical activity and health, exposure to traffic-related air pollutants, safety, and travel disparity. Focusing on Texas school districts that currently or historically participate in Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs, we will combine new data collection with existing evidence to evaluate the benefits and challenges of various commute modes. The study will also examine how shifting school trips to active modes may reduce vehicle emissions near schools and improve air quality. We will conduct surveys to quantify students’ physical activity during commutes, assess their exposure to emissions, and gauge perceptions of safety. Recent literature (2015–2025) will be synthesized to identify how school transportation choices affect student health (e.g. obesity, respiratory health, mental wellbeing) and safety outcomes, including disparities by socioeconomic status and geography. By evaluating SRTS interventions’ effectiveness in Texas communities, the project will fill critical gaps in understanding the multi-faceted impacts of commute mode on student wellbeing. Expected outcomes include practical recommendations for school districts and transportation agencies to design safer, healthier school travel environments.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $60,000.00
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Contract Numbers:
69A3552348329
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Sponsor Organizations:
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
University Transportation Centers Program
Department of Transportation
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Managing Organizations:
1111 Rellis Parkway
Bryan, Texas United States 77807 -
Project Managers:
Ocon, Monica
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Performing Organizations:
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Texas A&M University System
3135 TAMU
College Station, TX United States 77843-3135 -
Principal Investigators:
Xu, Minjie
- Start Date: 20250701
- Expected Completion Date: 20260630
- Actual Completion Date: 0
- USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers
- Source Data: 02-09-TTI
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Commuting; Health; Mode choice; Research projects; School children
- Geographic Terms: Texas
- Subject Areas: Research; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Transportation (General);
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01976233
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)
- Contract Numbers: 69A3552348329
- Files: UTC, RIP
- Created Date: Jan 13 2026 3:25PM