Safe travel on the bus, train or ferry
Wellington has the highest number of public transport users in the country. Keep our youngest users safe on their journey with these resources.
Many of your ākonga (students) may travel to school by bus, or even by train or ferry in some areas. This is a great way for them to get around and reduce congestion at the school gate. Public Transport is a very safe way to travel. And it is often combined with a short walk, helping our tamariki get some fresh air too!
We’ve selected some of the most relevant resources on bus safety and shared them below.
MetLink “Heads up, Phone down” campaign
In 2025 for Road Safety Week, MetLink has partnered with the Brake Road Safety Charity to remind our tamariki and rangatahi to keep their “heads up!” and “phones down” when crossing the road.
The key message is to pause your phone use (or other distractions) and pause your feet before you cross the road. We think this message rings true for all of us!
You can download a copy of the poster here (5.5 MB, Png).
Staying safe around buses (and heavy vehicles)
Trucks and buses have blind spots where the driver can’t see you, and they may need to swing wide or cut the corner when turning. These tips were designed for people on bikes, but apply to all our young road users.
- Ride, scoot or walk to be seen. Be predictable don’t swerve in and out of gaps.
- Stay back if a truck or bus is turning, or may be about to turn. Especially when walking or waiting near street corners.
- Stop where the driver can see you.
- In a queue, wait behind trucks and buses – it’s safer than trying to pass.
- Choose safe routes.
- If in doubt, stay back and stay safe.
Visit www.sharetheroad.org.nzopen_in_new for more info.
Download the "Watch out for heavy vehicles" poster here (245 KB, Pdf).
Supporting resources and links
Last year one of our school bus providers, Tranzit, produced some great videosopen_in_new on School bus Safety – both for student passengers and for the people driving past school buses.
· Starting the school bus journeyopen_in_new (Opens in YouTube, Auto CC English, 1min 06 sec)
· 20km/hr past a stationary school busopen_in_new (Opens in YouTube, Auto CC English, 58 seconds)
· Best bus behaviouropen_in_new (Opens in YouTube, Auto CC English, 58 seconds)
From Tranzit:
“This is about reminding everyone in the community about the importance of adhering to the road rules and working together to keep children safe.”
If you’d like to find out more about our free Tranzit Coachlines school bus safety resource, please email marketing@tranzit.co.nz ”
- For more information on School bus routes and Safety tips, visit: https://www.metlink.org.nz/getting-started/apps-maps-and-guides/schools-guideopen_in_new
- For more information on Travelling with children and prams, visit: https://www.metlink.org.nz/getting-started/apps-maps-and-guides/children-and-pramsopen_in_new
- Visit our page on Rail Safety week, for resources specific to trains and rail crossings.
Teacher Resource - School Bus Safety:
This is a quick guide to roles and responsibilities for school bus safety. It is aimed at school boards and senior leaders, bus controllers, teachers on bus duty, and parents and caregivers.
Student views on bus Safety:
In the Far North District, most students travel to and from school by bus. Every school community has specific safety challenges related to the journey, so this project provides students with engaging ways to share their perspectives and gain safety insights about the daily school bus ride.
https://education.nzta.govt.nz/coordinator-resources/student-views-on-bus-safety/open_in_new
What's next?
Rail Safety week
Support Rail Safety week in term 3, to keep your tamariki safe around the rail corridor and crossings.
Related Lessons
Te eke pahikara kia haumaru Cycling safely
Information about our Pedal Ready cycle skills training programme and the BikeReady curriculum resources.
Te Haumarutanga Kutarere Scooter Ready
More and more children are riding their scooters to school. As well as having fun on a scooter, with training kids can learn important and useful skills.
Māia Confidence
Mā raro, mā wīra rānei nā te mea he pai mō tōku toiora!
I walk or wheel because it builds confidence!