A teacher directs students from Guiyang Guanshanhu No 9 Primary School onto the bus. [Photo/gz.xinhuanet.com]

A new bus line has recently been opened for rural students from Guiyang Guanshanhu No 9 Primary School in Guiyang, Guizhou province, putting an end to the days when the 118 students had to spend four or more hours commuting to school.

Shangmai village, 12 kilometers away from the school, takes more than?two hours to travel from on foot. “Once I got up too early, and I fell asleep on my way. The mid-day bell was about to ring when I finally arrived,” said Zhao Zhi, a student of Guiyang Guanshanhu No 9 Primary School.

Others used to share rides from parents, with 3 or 4 students crowding onto a teetering electric bicycle. One student broke his leg in a traffic accident last semester, when 4 students traveled to school by an electric bicycle, which alerted Long Chaofa, the headmaster of Guiyang Guanshanhu No 9 Primary School.

“Students from Shangmai village must continue travelling on this route for a long time in the future. I hope every one of my students can commute safe,” said Long Chaofa.

At Long Chaofa’s request, nearby buses have been deployed by the Guiyang Bus Company to cater to the students from Shangmai village. Students from the village are now able to reach the school safely and on-time.

Rural students benefit from the new bus line. [Photo/gz.xinhuanet.com]