Public transport is a form of transport that has long been difficult to develop in Iceland. There has been little tradition of utilizing public transport within the city as well as between parts of the country. The private car has long been considered a more attractive option in transport, as the flexibility and comfort it offers are, in the opinion of many, unequivocal. In recent years, the debate about improved public transport has become increasingly voluminous, and there is increasing pressure to strengthen the competitiveness of public transport and reduce the weight of the private car.

Purpose and goals

The purpose and goal of this course is to introduce the bus to primary school children aged 10–11 and make them independent bus users. The aim is for students to realize the social and personal benefits of using the bus. Students learn about the savings from using the bus, the impact of the private car on the environment and what is gained from using public transport. They also learn to read the route system and thus learn about their immediate surroundings, read from timetables and plan their journeys.

We produced videos about this project in Icelandic: