Start a Bike Bus
You can do this.
And you don't have to figure it out alone. Starting a Bike Bus isn't founding an organization — it's a few families deciding to ride to school together, on a regular day. Here's a simple way to begin.
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Find a few families.
You only need a handful to start. A couple of families riding together is already a Bike Bus.
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Choose a comfortable route.
Pick streets and paths that feel calm and doable for kids — not the fastest way, the friendliest way.
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Work backward from the school arrival time.
Decide when you need to arrive, then set your start time and stops from there.
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Test ride it at kid pace.
Ride the route yourself, slowly, and see how long it really takes with kids in mind.
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Choose a consistent day.
A regular day — even just once a week — is what turns a ride into a Bike Bus.
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Recruit adult helpers.
A few grown-ups riding along makes everyone more comfortable, especially at the front and back.
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Invite families.
Spread the word at school, with neighbors, and in the community. Make it easy to just show up.
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Ride, learn, and adjust.
Your first rides will teach you what works. Change stops and timing as you go.
We'll help you get rolling.
You bring the families and the local knowledge. Bike Bus Chico can help with the rest. We can help:
- Think through a route
- Develop stops and timing
- Make a shareable route map
- Create stop and timing graphics
- Add the route to BikeBusChico.com
- Connect leaders with the Bike Bus Chico community
- Share lessons from other Chico routes
Let's start one together.
Join the community and tell us about your school. We'll help you take the first step.