Bike Bus

What Is a Bike Bus?

A bike bus is a group of people who cycle on a set route together.

One example of a bike bus is kids riding their bikes to school together, picking up more friends along the way, just like a school bus but on bikes. Another type of bike bus is organized through the community for other events where a crowd of people may travel together, such as for sporting events or “Bike to Work” day.

Benefits of a Bike Bus

Builds healthy habits
Reduces environmental impact
Fosters community engagement

Community-Organized Bike Buses

Does your work organization encourage biking to work or school? Are you attending sporting events or other community gatherings? Talk to us about joining or starting a bike bus!

Joining a community bike bus or starting your own is a great way to meet others and navigate crowded events. Participating in a bike bus also helps promote safer streets, as traveling together in a group increases visibility to drivers and encourages supportive biking infrastructure, like bike lanes. Plus, riding with others can make the journey more fun and less intimidating for new cyclists. It's an opportunity to share safety tips, build friendships, and inspire more people to choose biking as a regular way to get around.

Check out the Community-Led Citi Field Bike Bus.

Bike Bus Partnership Opportunities

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! View a list of bike shops along the Empire State Trail.

Local Police and Fire Departments

Partnering with local police and fire departments can help make your bike bus safer, more visible, and more engaging for the community. These partners can support launch events, provide traffic and safety assistance, participate in community outreach, and help riders feel confident along the route. Building relationships with local first responders is a great way to strengthen your bike bus and encourage broader community participation. Download a resource with information about engaging police and fire departments.

Local Schools

Teachers and school administrators can each play important roles in operating a successful and organized bike bus. It is important to keep in mind that getting support from school administration can sometimes 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. Download a resource with information about engaging teachers and school administrators.

Ready to Start a Bike Bus?

Starting a bike bus is easier than you may think! Use these eight steps as a guide and you’ll be organizing your own bike bus in no time. While some of these steps are geared towards bike buses for schools, they are easily adaptable to bike buses for work, sporting events, and community activities.

Step 1: Define Your Goals

Identify the core reasons and objectives for a 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.

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

Step 2: Build Your Team

Recruit allies: Engage parents, caregivers, teachers, sports fans, coworkers, 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.

Step 3: Plan Your Route

Understand Commutes: Use mapping tools (e.g., Google, My Maps) to determine potential routes.
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 time the journey to establish meeting point(s) and start time(s).

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 infrastructure improvements needed. 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.