AN American-style yellow bus service is helping more children get to school and be on time in Rawthorpe.
The pilot project was introduced in September 2003. It aimed to help improve school attendance and the punctuality of children living on the Town Avenue estate.
A second bus serving Bradley schools began at the start of this year.
A report due to be presented to the council's overview and scrutiny for transportation tomorrow praises the service.
It says overall attendance of yellow bus pupils at Rawthorpe Infant and Junior Schools has increased by 5%.
Unauthorised and authorised absences for children using the service are also down for a 12 month period compared to the same period the year before.
And three quarters of the infant and junior school children using the bus had either improved punctuality or were not late.
The report says the project has been well received by children, parents/carers and staff at the schools involved.
And requests have been made for Metro to consider widening the scheme.
The annual costs for the services are £10,000 for the Rawthorpe bus and just over £15,000 for the Bradley bus.
Council officer David Warburton said general satisfaction with the service was very high.
"Generally people feel that the yellow bus offers a safe and convenient service. It is felt by some as having benefits for their child and on the congestion around the schools," he added.
A full evaluation of the Bradley scheme is due to be carried out later this month.
