Children ride their bicycles to school during a parent-led bike ride in Montclair, New Jersey. Photo: Andrew Hawkins/Montclair Bike Bus via AP
On a sunny fall morning, children wearing helmets and backpacks gathered with their parents in Montclair, New Jersey, for a group bicycle ride to two local elementary schools.
Volunteers in orange safety vests made sure everyone assembled in a neighbourhood shopping area was ready before the riders set off on their five-mile (eight kilometre) “bike bus” route.
Every few blocks, more adults and kids on bikes joined in. Eventually, the group grew to over 350 people. Older students chatted with friends, while younger ones focused on pedalling.
Cars along the way stopped to let the long line of cyclists pass. Pupils and parents peeled off toward the first school before the remainder reached the group’s final stop.
It’s a familiar Friday scene in Montclair. For the past three years, what began as a handful of parents hoping to encourage their kids to bike to school has grown into a weekly ritual for both the township of about 40,000 residents and many of its families.
“It was so fun,” second grader Gigi Drucker, seven, said upon arriving at Nishuane Elementary School. “The best way to get to school is by bike because it gives you more exercise. It’s healthier for the Earth,” she added.
But travelling to school on two wheels isn’t just for fun, according to organiser Jessica Tillyer, whose children are six and eight years old. She believes that biking together each week helps promote healthy habits for the children and strengthens the sense of community among parents.
“And it really started because a small group of us, about five parents, all wanted to ride to school with our kids and just felt like it wasn’t safe. And for me, I felt kind of lonely riding by myself to school. So, bike bus just took off as a small effort. And now we can have up to 400 people riding together to school,” Tillyer said.
A cool movement
The bike bus movement isn’t new. Hundreds of them exist throughout the United States and Europe, as well as in Australia, Brazil, India and Indonesia, according to Bike Bus World, a nonprofit organisation that promotes and provides information about bike buses.
Co-founder Sam Balto, who established a bike bus in Portland, Oregon, more than three years ago, said interest has grown so much that he offers free coaching calls to help others launch their own. He estimates there are more than 400 routes worldwide, and the number continues to grow.
“Children and families are craving community and physical activity and being outdoors. And when you present that versus a school car line, people naturally gravitate to something that’s super joyful and community- driven,” Balto said.
Organisers hope the bike bus movement will not only get more children on their bikes but also push elected officials in the US and abroad to invest in safer biking infrastructure.
While starting a bike bus may not be difficult, keeping it running year-round through different seasons takes more effort.
Organisers of successful rides shared advice for parents hoping to create their own.
Andrew Hawkins, one of the leaders of Montclair Bike Bus, said that once enough families express interest, the first step is to plan a route carefully. That means identifying streets with low traffic while considering how many students can join at the starting point and along the way.
“It took us a while to come up with a route we were happy with, but we’re still ready to adjust if necessary,” Hawkins said. “Things can change. It could be that new groups of students move into a certain block, or traffic patterns shift, and you have to adapt.”
Children ride their bicycles to school during the ‘bike bus’ ride. Photo: AP
Organic growth
The Montclair group started via word of mouth and social media posts. As the number of participants grew, the organisers created a chat group to coordinate and share weekly updates. They also reached out to other families through PTAs, school forums and other parent communication channels.
One unexpected benefit, several parents said, is the bike bus motivates children to get up and out the door more quickly on Friday mornings.
“He’s more excited to get out of bed for the bike bus than for the regular bus. So actually, I have an easier time getting him ready for school,” said Gene Gykoff, who rides with his son to the boy’s elementary school.
To keep momentum going all year, the Montclair Bike Bus team organises themed rides on weekends and holidays. These events also allow families who can’t join on weekday mornings to experience what the bike bus is all about before committing to a regular schedule.
Montclair Bike Bus consists of multiple adult-led groups and routes that encompass all of the township’s elementary schools and middle schools. Organisers think the primary grades are when children benefit most from cycling with a group.
Students in the first few years of school can learn about riding safely and apply those skills when they bike on their own or in small groups as they get older.
Not a race
The Montclair parents found that most elementary school students can handle a distance of three to five miles (4.8 to eight kilometres), and the group travels at a speed of around six miles (9.65 kilometre) per hour so the younger kids can keep up.
“The slow speed can be tough for some of our older kids who want to go a little bit faster. We tell them there’s no racing on the bike bus – everyone gets to school at the same time. But there have been occasions where we’ve had to split the ride into two groups so that some of the older kids can go a little bit faster than the younger kids,” Hawkins said.
Keeping a bike bus going year-round requires consistency, which means preparing to pedal when it’s raining or cold outside, Balto and Hawkins said. Leaders monitor weather forecasts and decide whether to cancel a Friday ride due to unsafe conditions or to proceed as planned while reminding families to dress appropriately.
“As it gets colder, we tell everyone to make sure they have the right gear – gloves, neck warmers, warm jackets,” Hawkins said. “The idea is that kids should feel comfortable riding all year.”
The Montclair bike bus secured reflective vests and bike lights from sponsors to increase visibility on dark winter mornings. Leaders also carry basic maintenance tools, such as tyre pumps.
Weather is often more of a concern for adults than it is for children, Balto observed. “Kids want to be outside with their friends,” he said. “If you’re going to do this in all weather, just do it consistently. People will get used to it, and they’ll start joining you.”
Despite all the planning and coordination involved in running a regular bike bus, experienced organisers say the key is simply to start. It can be as informal as two families riding to school together and sharing a flyer to spread the word, Balto said.
“If you’re consistent – once a week, once a month, once a season – it will grow,” he said.
Tillyer said she gives the same advice to anyone who asks how to begin: just go for it.
“Don’t ask for permission. Don’t worry about what it’s going to take,” she said. “Find a small group of people, get on your bikes and ride to school. Once people experience it and enjoy it, more will want to join.” – AP
