Parents may be choosing to value the benefits of the child playing with other children more than the tail risk of a viral infection.

I am not saying one is right or wrong, but I think it is valid to look at all the other viral infections kids are exposed to and cannot be vaccinated against, and realize they just have to roll the dice. In the past 4 years, my kids have had RSV, a noro or rotavirus, probably Covid at least once, and a numerous other viruses.

RSV/noro were the worst, but if they are going to play with other kids, it is all but guaranteed they will have something. I am actually most afraid of noro/rota viruses, far more than Covid. That thing tore through the entire daycare and shutdown multiple classes within 2 days, and the cleanup from all the vomit was crazy.

Where do almost all parents drive kids to school? In the US?

Yes, in a lot of the US. I know so few people who do not drive kids to school that the outliers are remarkable.

You probably just hang out with people in the top income quintile or decile.

If I were to guess, the vast majority of kids still get to school via school bus.

I see, sorry to hear that. It's better in Europe though here too the number of parent chauffeurs has definitely increased. I thought the school bus is still the US way but that's probably then just movies keeping up that appearance.

School busses are the norm for rural and suburban schools. City public transport or walking is more common in larger metro areas, but in states that get very cold, even metro areas still have school busses so that young kids don't have to risk walking to a bus stop.

TBH, I have never heard of a US school district where the majority are driven to school by their parents, though to be fair to the parent poster I can't sat that I would be terribly surprised if such a place existed.