Toko School goes undercover

Greg and Diane (Totalspan Taranaki) surrounded by pupils of Toko School after the installation of their new bus shelter.

On Friday 2nd December, 2008, Toko School in Taranaki was the first school in NZ to have a new bus shelter installed as part of the Totalspan Undercover Kids Bus Shelter Programme.

The rural school is just one of 120 across NZ that is to receive a bus shelter in the coming months.

The Toko School shelter will be located close to the school at a large new bus turnaround area that is designed to keep students safe when they come and go from school.

Toko School principal Richard Bradly says the school was delighted to hear it would receive a new shelter in time for Christmas.

“We had been concerned for some time about the safety of Toko School children, parents and high school students all combining in one area before and after school. The school decided a new area was required where the bus could turn around and children could get on and off the buses safely,” he says.

“The Totalspan shelter will be invaluable to our school as it will ensure the safety and shelter of school children in the area.

“The school is in close proximity to a 100 km/h highway so it is vital that we minimise the dangers at the school gate. The bus shelter from Totalspan will help to do this,” he added.

A total of 209 schools submitted applications for bus shelters.

The Totalspan Undercover Kids Programme had planned to provide 112 shelters valued at around $2000 each, but the applications were so impressive that the company decided to allocate eight additional shelters.

Leon Skylakis from Totalspan says the programme is a great way for the company to give something back to rural communities, which are an integral part of their business.

“Many parents and communities worry about children waiting by the side of the road for their bus. The Undercover Kids Programme is designed to reduce the risk to our children. The new shelters will be highly visible to motorists and will provide excellent shelter for children,” he says.

“The feedback we have had from schools and community members has been amazing.

“We were taken aback by the number of applications we fielded. This proves that this programme is needed in the rural community. We will be doing everything we can to meet the needs of schools around the country in the years to come,” he added.

Totalspan aims to provide another 150 shelters this year and to keep increasing the number supplied in the years following.