What’s a bike bus?

We’re glad you asked! A bike bus is a group of students and adults who ride to school together along a planned route, making the trip safer, healthier, and more fun. It is a community-driven active transportation alternative to traditional school buses and car rides.

Last month, we hosted a webinar covering everything you need to know to start a bike bus in your community. We were joined by Sam Balto of Bike Bus World, Mike Robinson of East Aurora Bike Bus, Meg Reitz and Keith Walters of Geneseo Bike Bus, and Lindley Hickox of Toga Safe to School, who shared their experiences getting a program off the ground.

Start one in your community and learn why parents say that bike bus day is the easiest day to get their kids out of bed.

How Do You Start?

The first question people usually ask is, “How do I start?” and it may be easier than you think. All you need is one student, one adult, and two bikes. You can then build up to a small group of three to five kids and another parent to help guide the ride.

You don’t need to have a perfect plan or a full roster of riders before getting started. In fact, starting small can make it easier for kids to get comfortable riding together and for organizers to figure out what works best for their community. 

As Coach Balto put it, “You don’t need permission to make your neighborhood better.”

Make It Work for You

Every bike bus will be unique due to differences in local infrastructure, terrain, and the needs of the families participating. Not every town has sidewalks, bike lanes, or an easy route to school. All of these things come into play when starting a bike bus, and there is always a way to work around roadblocks.

A bike bus also doesn’t have to happen every day to make an impact. Starting once a month, a few times a year, or whenever works for the families involved can still build momentum. Every ride counts.

The Geneseo Bike Bus is a great example of how a small community-led effort can create larger change. Located in a rural community where active transportation infrastructure can be limited, the group has had to navigate questions of safety and a lack of bike lanes. But through petitions and persuasive essays written by students, they were able to build support for the village board to earmark funds for a multi-use path to improve the experience for kids.

Build Your Community

You don’t have to do it alone. Local businesses, bike shops, schools, community organizations, and families can all help fill gaps and strengthen the effort. A simple group chat can also make it easier to coordinate routes, schedules, weather updates, and last-minute changes.

It is increasingly important for kids to interact with the outside world and for parents to have opportunities for social connection outside of the workplace. A bike bus is a way to get kids moving, teach them the rules of the road, build confidence and independence, and create connections between students, parents, and neighbors.

It can also help communities develop a collective appreciation for active transportation and build momentum for improvements that make walking and biking safer and easier for everyone.

Maybe one day, we’ll see a bike bus in every town. Not because every community needs to look the same, but because we want New York State to be a place where people of all ages have opportunities to walk, bike, get outside, and build a lasting connection to their community.

If you want to learn more about bike buses, you can watch the recording of our webinar here!