Houston students pedal to school on bike bus
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Bringing back biking to school. Photo: Courtesy of Brad Olsen
On Fridays, dozens of kids and parents at Poe Elementary School trade the school drop-off line for bikes, part of a growing "bike bus" movement across the country.
Why it matters: Bike buses — organized groups of children and adults who bike to school together — are bringing back a once-common way of getting to school, while giving kids exercise, independence and a little fun before the first bell.
Flashback: In 1969, 48% of kids ages 5-14 walked or biked to school. By 2017, that number had fallen to 11%, according to the National Household Travel Survey.
State of play: BikeHouston executive director Joe Cutrufo and other Poe parents launched the weekly Poe Bike Bus late last school year and brought it back at the start of this school year.
- It now has two Friday morning "lines," with about two dozen kids riding approximately one mile each route on a typical week.
How it works: Many of the families live near the school, near Rice Village, and start together at a designated meeting spot while some join in along the route.
- Children typically ride with their parents, with adults leading and following to keep the group together and on a planned route that avoids busier streets.
What they're saying: "Nobody looks at a bike bus and frowns," Cutrufo tells Axios. "Everyone we pass when we're riding to school is smiling and waving."
- "We're ringing our bells as we ride through the neighborhood. … It's community building, it's spreading joy and it's doing a service for kids and parents."
Zoom in: Brynne Olsen rides with her three school-age kids, along with her husband and their 3-year-old in tow.
- She says it "turns a chore into something fun."
Reality check: Bike buses aren't easily replicable everywhere in car-centric Houston.
- They work best on lower-speed neighborhood streets, Cutrufo says.
What we're watching: BikeHouston wants to help parents launch bike buses at more Houston schools, including with route planning and tips for safely leading rides. Field Elementary in the Heights has also experimented with one.