Safety concerns mount over school transport changes in Tornio, Finland

In rural Tornio, Finland, ninth-grader Senni Kolehmainen starts her journey to school by navigating a narrow road in complete darkness to catch the bus. Along the way, a taxi passes, transporting other children to school. On some days, Senni and her younger sister worry about whether they will find seats on the bus or have to stand during the ride to the city school.

The Kolehmaisen family reflects a growing concern among numerous families across Finland regarding the safety of school transport. This fall, many have reached out to authorities about the shift in municipalities to handle school transport via general public transit instead of on-demand rides. Eero Kalmakoski from Traffic Safety states that public transit is subject to different regulations than on-demand services, even when it comes to school transport, which can lead to issues like a lack of seat belts in buses and potential overcrowding.

In Tornio, the city provides school transport beyond legal requirements to encourage students to walk part of the way, which varies from 1 to 2 kilometers. This has resulted in some older children walking over a kilometer down unlit rural roads to meet the bus.

Parents have raised serious concerns regarding the safety of these walks, leading to social media discussions. The education director confirmed that many complaints have emerged this fall due to a recent transport operator change, causing initial confusion and dissatisfaction among parents.

Authorities in Tornio are actively addressing safety concerns, even adding extra transport services where needed. Local education services have also committed to evaluating road safety independently, ensuring the routes taken by children are secure.