Montclair, New Jersey — On a sunny fall morning, children wearing helmets and backpacks gathered with their parents in Montclair, New Jersey, for a group bike ride to two local elementary schools. Volunteers wearing orange safety vests made sure everyone gathered in the nearby shopping area was ready before the riders set off on the 5-mile “bike bus” route.
Every few blocks, more adults and children joined on bikes. Eventually, the group grew to more than 350 people. The older students talked with friends, while the younger students focused on pedaling. Cars stopped along the road to let a line of cyclists pass. The students and parents set off towards the first school before the rest reached the group’s final stop.
It’s a familiar Friday scene in Montclair. Over the past three years, it started as a handful of parents hoping to encourage their children to do so Bike to school This service has developed into a weekly ritual, and a regular transportation option for many families.
“It was a lot of fun,” said student Gigi Drucker upon arriving at Nishwan 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 traveling to school on two wheels isn’t just for fun, according to organizer Jessica Tellier. She thinks cycling together every week helps Promote healthy habits For children and strengthens the sense of community between parents.
“It actually started because a small group of us, about five parents, all wanted to go to school with our kids and felt like it wasn’t safe. And for me, I felt kind of lonely riding alone to school. So, the bike bus started as a small effort. Now we can have up to 400 people riding together to school,” Tellier said.
The bike bus movement is not new. Hundreds of them are located throughout the United States And Europeas well as in Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia and Israel, according to Bike Bus World, a non-profit organization that promotes and provides information about bike buses.
“It’s a great idea,” said co-founder Sam Balto, who created a bike bus in Portland, Oregon, more than three years ago Interest has grown So much so that he offers free coaching calls to help others launch their own. It is estimated that there are more than 400 routes around the world, and the number continues to grow.
“Kids and families crave community, physical activity and being outdoors. And when you offer that versus a line of school cars, people naturally gravitate to something that is very joyful and community-driven,” Balto said.
Organizers hope the bike bus movement will not only lead to more kids riding their bikes, but will also prompt elected officials in the United States and abroad to invest in safer bikes. Cycling infrastructure.
Although starting a bike bus may not be difficult, keeping it running year-round during different seasons requires more effort. Successful tour operators have shared tips for parents hoping to create their own tours.
Once enough families express interest, the first step is to carefully plan the route, said Andrew Hawkins, one of the leaders of the Montclair Bike Bus. This means identifying streets with low traffic taking into account the number of students who can join at the starting point and along the route.
“It took us some time to come up with a route that we were happy with, but we are still willing to adjust if necessary,” Hawkins said. “Things can change. New groups of students might move into a particular building, or traffic patterns change, and you have to adapt.”
The Montclair Collection began through word of mouth and social media posts. As the number of participants grew, organizers created a chat group to coordinate and share weekly updates. They also reached out to other families through PTAs, school forums and other communication channels with parents.
One unexpected benefit, many parents said, is that the bike bus motivates kids to get up and out the door more quickly on Friday morning.
“He’s more excited to get out of bed to go to the bike bus than the regular bus,” said Gene Geckoff, who rode alongside his son one morning. “So, I actually have an easier time getting him ready for school.”
To keep the momentum going throughout the year, the Montclair Bike Bus team organizes themed rides on weekends and holidays. These events also allow families who cannot join on weekday mornings to experience what the bike bus is all about before committing to a regular schedule.
The Montclair Bike Bus consists of multiple adult-led groups and routes that include all of the town’s elementary schools and two of its middle schools. Organizers believe that the primary grades are when children benefit most from cycling with a group. Students in the first few years of school can learn how to ride safely and apply those skills when they ride alone or in small groups as they get older.
The Montclair parents found that most elementary school students could handle 3 to 5 miles, and the group travels at about 6 miles per hour so the younger kids can keep up.
“The slow speed can be difficult for some of our older kids who want to drive a little 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 when we’ve had to split the ride into two groups so that some of the older kids can ride a little faster than the younger kids,” Hawkins said.
Balto and Hawkins said keeping the bike bus going year-round requires consistency, which means being ready to pedal when it’s raining or cold outside. Leaders are monitoring the weather forecast and deciding whether to cancel Friday’s ride due to unsafe conditions or go ahead as planned while reminding families to dress appropriately.
“As the weather gets colder, we are asking everyone to make sure they have the proper equipment – gloves, neck warmers, warm jackets,” Hawkins said. “The idea is for kids to feel comfortable riding all year round.”
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 tire pumps.
Balto notes that the weather is often more of a concern for adults than for children. “Kids want to be outside with their friends,” he said. “If you’re going to do it in all weathers, do it consistently. People will get used to it, and they’ll start joining you.”
Despite all the planning and coordination it takes to run a regular bike bus, experienced organizers say the key is to start simply. It can be as informal as two families going 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.
Tellier said she offers the same advice to anyone asking how to get started: Just do it.
“Don’t ask for permission. Don’t worry about what it will take,” she said. “Find a small group of people, ride your bikes and go to school. Once people try it and enjoy it, more people will want to join in.”