Bike Bus

What Is A Bike Bus?

A Bike Bus is a fun and exciting way for kids to ride their bikes to school together. With a Bike Bus, a group of students bike along a set route, picking up more friends along the way, just like a school bus but on bikes. Adult volunteers help lead and keep everyone safe so kids can enjoy the fresh air, get active, and commute sustainably. It’s a great way to start the school day.

Building Healthy Habits

A Bike Bus is a great way to promote physical activity and healthy habits for kids. By biking to school regularly, students get exercise, which helps them stay active and energized throughout the day. Currently, according to Rutgers University, only about 11% of children in the U.S. walk or bike to school, and that number hasn’t changed in a decade. However, research shows that if kids start biking or walking early on, they’re much more likely to keep doing it as they get older. A Bike Bus makes it easy and fun for students to build healthy habits that can last a lifetime.

Environmental Impact

By choosing to bike instead of driving, kids and families can help reduce air pollution and cut down on traffic around the school. With fewer cars on the road (and idling near the school in the drop-off/pick-up line!), there’s less noise and cleaner air, making the community a healthier place to live. Plus, riding bikes teaches kids about sustainable transportation and how small actions can have a big impact on protecting the planet.

A Bike Bus not only makes getting to school more fun, but it's also good for the environment.

Academic And Social Benefits

Riding in a Bike Bus offers more than just a fun way to get to school—it comes with academic and social benefits, too. Starting the day with physical activity can help students arrive at school energized and ready to learn. Plus, biking together fosters important social skills like teamwork and cooperation. The Bike Bus creates a sense of community, allowing students to bond with their peers and develop friendships while supporting their physical and mental well-being.

Ready to Start a Bike Bus?

Step 1: Define Your Goals

Identify the core reason for starting a Bike Bus at your school.

Identify the objectives for your Bike Bus.

Examples:

Reduce car traffic during school drop-offs.
Promote physical activity for students.
Build a stronger sense of community.
Provide an eco-friendly commuting option for families.

Ensure your goals are specific, measurable, and aligned with the needs of your school community. Share these goals to unify participants and guide your efforts.

Step 2: Build Your Team

Recruit Allies: Engage parents, caregivers, teachers, and community members who are already biking or are interested.

Methods:

Start conversations near bike racks or at school events.
Use flyers, newsletters, or social media to share your ideas.
Contact members of the local biking community, including bike shops, biking advocates, and interest groups or clubs at local colleges and universities.

Assign Roles:

Volunteers can help with organizing, providing training for kids, riding, managing safety, coordinating with the school, and/or providing repairs.
Establish regular communication channels, such as email lists or group messaging platforms, to keep volunteers informed and engaged.

For more information, please see the Community Engagement section below

Step 3: Plan Your Route

Understand Commutes: Use mapping tools (e.g., Google, My Maps) to determine potential routes based on where students commute to school from.
Select Streets: Prioritize safe, low-traffic streets and streets with bike-friendly infrastructure.
Keep It Simple: Start with a route that’s manageable for most participants (e.g., 0.5–3 miles long).
Test the Route: Ensure that the route is practical and to time the journey to establish meeting point(s) and start time(s).

See Other Resources below

Step 4: Secure Buy-In From Key Stakeholders

School Leadership: Discuss the plan with the school principal or other leadership to address bike storage, arrival logistics, and school policies.
PTA and Teachers: Partner with PTA for event support.
- Involve interested teachers, especially those teaching subjects that relate to aspects of the Bike Bus. For example: PE teachers can promote health and physical activity through biking.
Community Leaders:
- Invite city officials to aid with potential safety concerns, such as potholes or high-traffic areas.

Step 5: Organize Your Launch Event

Choose the Event Type:
- Decide between a one-time kick-off or recurring weekly rides.
Sign Students Up
- Agree on final pickup point(s) and time(s), depending on where students are riding from.
- Sign-up can include a brief waiver signed by parents authorizing their child’s participation in the bike bus.
Make It Special:
- Arrange giveaways like bike safety kits or free coffee for volunteers.
- Create a welcoming atmosphere at the school with a cheering group or music.
Invite Guests:
- Include local leaders, bike safety advocates, parents, and caregivers to build momentum.

Step 6: Promote The Bike Bus

Spread the Word:
- Use school communications, community boards, and social media to announce the Bike Bus.
Highlight Benefits:
- Emphasize reduced traffic, health advantages, and community building.
Encourage Participation:
- Provide clear instructions for joining, such as contact information, meeting points, times, and requirements (e.g., helmets).

Step 7: Build a Sustainable Routine

Establish Frequency: Start with once a week and scale up based on interest and feasibility.
Expand Gradually: Add more meeting points or routes as participation grows.
Gather Feedback: Regularly collect input from participants to improve the experience.

Step 8: Evaluate and Grow

Measure Impact: Track participation numbers, traffic reduction, or feedback to demonstrate success.
Celebrate Milestones: Recognize students for their achievements and volunteers for their contributions.
Collaborate for Upgrades: Work with city officials to address ongoing safety concerns or needed infrastructure improvements. This can include raising funding for bike racks at the school, advocating for physical roadway improvements designed to make streets more bike-friendly, etc.
Plan for Longevity: Create a system for training new leaders to sustain the Bike Bus over time, as students age into different schools.

Community Engagement

Explore ideas for building partnerships and creating a stronger, safer biking community. Foster community engagement and promote a sense of camaraderie among participating students, parents, caregivers, and volunteers. 

Connect with your Local School

Teachers and school administrators can each play important roles in operating a successful and organized Bike Bus. Getting support from school administration can prove challenging due to liability concerns, so the level of involvement (from acknowledgment to full-on official support and involvement) from school administration can vary. Teachers can play a big role in spreading the word to students and getting them excited about the Bike Bus, and they can also be directly involved in organizing and operating rides. Click here for more info.

Connect with Local Bike Shops

Partnering with local bike shops is a great way to improve your Bike Bus! Bike shops can provide assistance with parts, offer safety tips to riders, and bring awareness of your Bike Bus to the larger community. Forming a partnership with your local bike shop is a win-win: you help support local businesses, and they can provide your bike bus with resources, expertise, and more riders! Here are some useful resources to help you identify local bike shops near you:

Local Police And Fire Departments

This page offers practical suggestions for Bike Bus organizers to engage their local police and fire departments. By collaborating with these community partners, you can enhance safety, visibility, and participation in your Bike Bus program. From launch-day escorts and safety workshops to ongoing involvement and traffic support, police and fire departments can play a vital role in making every ride fun and secure! Click here for more info