Cuthie, my 2 youngest boys are 10 and 13 and also enjoy riding the bus. It's a socialization thing. We live 2 miles from the 5th grader's elementary school, and about 4.5 miles from the 8th grader's middle school. My oldest ds, now on his 2nd tour of duty in Iraq was also a bus rider. All three were car riders in kindergarten, because around here they are not allowed to ride the bus until 1st grade.