"Jitney Cab" Family Walking Group Blooms in Albany

Elizabeth Silva is a local mother who formed a special walking group for kids en route to . Do you know about unique efforts around town you think others should know about? Email albany@patch.com.

Q: Tell us about the "jitney cab" effort, what is it and how you started it.
The elementary schools in Albany, including Cornell, have been encouraging families to participate in "" -- adults leading kids to school on foot. You can get t-shirts and reflective vests, and you join an official list. We've always walked our kid(s) to school, but never joined a formal group.

Then, one day about two years ago, my husband and daughter passed a neighbor as she was trying to get her fractious preschooler into a car seat while her older daughter waited patiently to get in the car and be driven the five blocks to school. The girls knew each other, were even in the same class,
and my husband offered to walk the other girl to school. She was eager to go (and leave her yowling little sister behind), and her mother was happy to allow it (letting her calm her younger daughter and not rush so much). That is how it started. We never were official, hence the "walking jitney cab" nickname.

The next year, the yowling little sisters from both households had grown
to be kindergartners, so they joined the group, with the other mother also
walking with us (with kindergartners, you still need more adult hands),
plus a friend of their family. And this year, we've hit 10 kids.

Q: What does the term jitney cab refer to?
One definition is an illegal (unlicensed) taxi cab (or gypsy cab). Since
we aren't registered with the school and started casually, we feel just a
little bit on the wild side. (We aren't really, we just never bothered to
get put on the list.)

Q: How many people are involved altogether?
This year, we have between five and 10 (depending on schedules) kids walking, and two to six adults (and three little kids in strollers), from six families. It helps that one apartment building near us has six kids at Cornell. We might have more, but almost all of the kids are girls and that scares off the boys (cooties are still alive and well in elementary school).

Oh, did I mention the ? Last Thursday, we walked on the even side of Stannage while two wild turkeys walked on the odd side. It was quite the talk on the playground, but I don't think they'll be joining us regularly.

Q: How often do you walk?
Every school day, rain or shine. Wednesdays are our big day, since all kids start at the same time.

Q: What's the goal?
To get everyone to school on time safely. Adult coversation, kid playdates, and general exercise are bonuses. Also, almost all of the girls have joined Girl Scouts as a result, so watch out come . 

Q: What's your background?
We've been here almost 10 years, moving here from Canada, and we chose
Albany for its (my husband works at the , plus we could
get to the park, library, post office and shops, and I was already thinking
ahead to schools). I'm a stay-at-home mom.

Q: What else would you like people to know about the venture?
I think one reason we never joined a formal walking school bus was that we didn't want someone else to do it. We wanted to walk with our kids. Now we know it doesn't have to be like that. In our group, all the parents usually walk along, but it is a very nice option to be able to send the kids along with the group if you can't (someone is sick, or going to work early).

Q: Can others join in? If so, how?
Yeah, sure, people can join us (gosh, we're hard to miss) -- we leave sort
of early, since we need to get a kindergartner to school by 8:20 a.m., but
we're loud and going straight down Stannage every morning from the 500
block on.

Do you know about unique efforts around town you think others should know about? Email albany@patch.com.