Even the littlest among us deserve to be on bikes!

Today we're talking with Sam Balto, better known as @CoachBalto or @BikeBusWorld on social media. By posting videos of a joyous river of school kids riding bikes through the Portland neighborhoods, he has garnered national attention—as well as hosted some of the biggest entertainers for a morning ride.

The bike bus movement is more than viral videos. Research lately has pointed out kids and their families are struggling to stay active, allow autonomy, and rebuild community that has eroded over the past decades. Bike buses (and other active options like walking school buses) sit at the center of all of these: Kids start school focused after an active morning; they can participate solo; and adults can begin to re-weave a web they can rely on.

A League of American Cyclists webinar recently broke down how bikes are part of the solution, too: https://bikeleague.org/calendar/feeling-free-children-adolescents-teens-biking-and-independent-mobility/

Sam founded Bike Bus World to help you start a bike bus at your school! Check out https://bikebus.world/ for more info.

Find Bike Bus World on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube... you get it:

@coachbalto and @bikebusworld

Follow All Bodies on Bikes:

@allbodiesonbikes

https://www.allbodiesonbikes.com

Mentioned in this episode:

This episode is supported by BikeTiresDirect.com. Use code ALLBODS for 10% off your order, and for 6% to go toward supporting future episodes of the All Bodies on Bikes podcast. Thanks!

We wouldn't be asking permission to organize a carpool.

2

It's the same but on bikes.

3

Sam: Ever since that first

walking school bus, I was like,

4

this is the best thing ever.

5

This is what we need to be doing.

6

It's like gonna solve all of our problems.

7

Marley: Welcome to All Bodies on

Bikes, the podcast where all bodies

8

are good bodies, all bikes are good

bikes, and all rides are celebrated.

9

Ellen: All Bodies on Bikes is a

movement to create and foster a

10

radically inclusive bike community.

11

So join your hosts: I'm Ellen,

and I'm Marley, as we explore the

12

complexities of the biking world.

13

Help us break down barriers and

create the world that we want to see.

14

Marley: Come along for the ride.

15

Ellen: Hi.

16

Marley: Hello.

17

How's it going?

18

Ellen: Okay, how are you?

19

Marley: Oh, I'm okay.

20

Do you like my, uh, non-existent voice?

21

Ellen: Um, I wasn't sure if that was your

non-existent voice or just being chill.

22

Marley: No, this is, I talked

way too much at Sea Otter and I

23

got sick and, uh, this is better

than it was the last couple days.

24

Ellen: That's incredible.

25

It doesn't sound wonderful, but

26

Marley: it doesn't feel wonderful.

27

But that's okay.

28

We're still here.

29

We're we're talking.

30

We're doing the thing.

31

I'm excited for today's call.

32

Call talk.

33

What, what are we doing today?

34

Conversation.

35

We're gonna,

36

Ellen: we're gonna talk to Sam Balto from

Bike Bus, who I'm very excited to chat to.

37

Marley: Me too.

38

I'm gonna try not to clear my throat

too many times on the podcast.

39

Ellen: That's what the mute button is for.

40

Marley: So I just got back

from Sea Otter where I released

41

my book and it was so good.

42

Oh my gosh.

43

I got to do three readings and I

really didn't have high expectations

44

because I was like, these kids

are gonna be so distracted.

45

Like there's a million things happening.

46

And for each of the readings

they were like so rapt.

47

Like I had their attention.

48

And granted the book's only like

five-ish minutes long when you

49

read it like five to seven minutes.

50

But I was like blown away by

how engaged these kids were.

51

And I feel like that's like a good

sign that like it's a good book.

52

Ellen: Yeah.

53

I told you, well, I told the world

in my last podcast without you that

54

my kid was just like, what is this?

55

And he picked it up right away and then we

56

Marley: did

57

Ellen: it.

58

Oh yeah, he was, I came downstairs

and he was just like eating his

59

breakfast and reading your book.

60

It was awesome.

61

Marley: Oh my God, that makes me so happy.

62

Ellen: Yeah, it makes me happy too.

63

Congratulations.

64

Marley: My hope is to like connect

with libraries and, schools and

65

bookstores to like come and do

readings and have them sell the book.

66

So if you own a bookstore or run

a classroom I can get you a link

67

where you can bulk buy them and

we can make some magic happen.

68

Ellen: Nice.

69

Marley: And then when we come

and do the film tour, um, I will

70

have many copies of the book.

71

I will also have, so do you remember

the last couple years with Shredly?

72

I've had like the manatee themed outfits.

73

Well, this year, uh, we released a

new kit and we really leaned into

74

the book, with ice cream cones on the

sleeves, like ice cream cones from

75

the book and then like this purple or

yellow to purple ombre down the side.

76

Okay.

77

That blends perfectly into

the purple bib shorts.

78

And so I'll be doing a

pre-order with Shredly.

79

So folks want to bring it to the

film tour, they can order and I

80

will bring them clothing there.

81

Um, but I'll also have like

samples there so people can

82

try on and then order online.

83

Ellen: Oh, that would be good.

84

That's always my hesitation with anything.

85

Marley: But we also have really

cute gloves that have little ice

86

creams on them and socks and like,

I'm just a capitalism machine

87

Ellen: With the good brand.

88

We've had Ashley on

the founder of Shredly.

89

Oh yeah.

90

Like she's talked through all

the ways that they try to be

91

sustainable and responsible.

92

Like there are certainly worse

brands you could choose and I

93

think instead you chose a good one.

94

Marley: A hundred percent.

95

Yeah.

96

Which was just validated

at Sea Otter this weekend.

97

Like I talked to so many brands

who were like new on the scene and

98

like, oh, what size do you go up to?

99

And like, oh, XL or oh two x.

100

And I was like, oh, cool.

101

Can I try the two x?

102

And like none of it fit and

103

Ellen: no,

104

Marley: it's just like I feel

like we're starting fresh.

105

Because there was so much effort

towards inclusion over the last couple

106

years and then it's kind of died off.

107

Mm-hmm.

108

And now it's time to do the work again.

109

Ellen: Yeah.

110

Yes.

111

That is where I feel like, um, I took

a confidence in cycling course from,

112

yeah, from BikeWalkKC, which I took

probably for the first time like 15

113

years ago when I first got into cycling.

114

Anyway, it was a good refresher on all

of the ways to handle your bike and

115

I forgot that there was this way that

you can do a really fast turn where

116

you actually turn your handlebars the

wrong direction so that you start to

117

lean and then you like quickly whip it

back around so that you do like a super

118

tight turn like a 90 degree turn in

like maybe three feet of like distance.

119

I know I didn't get great at it, but

it reminded me that it existed, and

120

now that is like the metaphor that I'm

using for society, where it's like, if

121

maybe it's the current moment is the

turn the wrong way, and then we're gonna

122

super overcorrect to the right way.

123

Marley: I can only hope.

124

Ellen: That's my hope.

125

That's my, I'm really

hanging onto that right now.

126

Let me,

127

Marley: uh, I, I, I like this hope

because I don't, I'm not sure that I have

128

that hope, but I think it'll be good.

129

Yeah.

130

Ellen: You know, it has

tons of hope though.

131

Coach Balto's bike bus.

132

It's just very joy filled.

133

He has a huge bike bus.

134

I think we'll have to ask him.

135

It's like 200 people on

it, but it's full of joy.

136

So let's bring him on.

137

Can you give us a little

overview as to how you became

138

Coach Balto of Bike Bus world?

139

Sam: Yeah, absolutely.

140

We're gonna start from the beginning.

141

Um, I was a camp counselor and then I

worked for a nonprofit called Playworks,

142

which I really loved organizing

recess in Washington, DC And what

143

Ellen: do you mean organizing recess?

144

Because I think of chaos at recess.

145

Sam: Great question.

146

So you said chaos, recess, like

teaching 'em, respecting boundaries

147

of games, what the, you know,

what the rules to the games are.

148

Making sure that the rules are set up in

a way that like everybody feels included.

149

I loved it.

150

It was like, I described it as being a

camp counselor in an inner city school.

151

You know, being a positive

person in the kid's day.

152

Uh, but then I realized

that does not pay the bills.

153

then I moved to Boston, got my master's

in physical education and coaching.

154

I taught at a Boston,

public Schools in Roxbury.

155

And my first year they had a Safe

Routes to School coordinator,

156

like champion at the school.

157

And so there's 20 of 'em

and I was one of them.

158

And ever since that first

walking school bus, I was like,

159

this is the best thing ever.

160

This is what we need to be doing.

161

It's like gonna solve all of our problems.

162

And tell

163

Ellen: me more.

164

I completely agree, but outline how it's

gonna solve all our problems for us.

165

Sam: Well, so like, Boston is real,

maybe not unique, but like bus busing

166

is like a huge thing in Boston and

I'd have kids being bused in from

167

all around, but like, you know, two

neighbor kids, you know, like me and

168

Marley could live on the same block.

169

I live on the one mile side of the

block and she lives on the 0.99

170

mile side of the block.

171

And like my family gets a bus for me and

a tracking app, roaming security, a phone

172

number to call like all of this service.

173

Ellen: Mm-hmm.

174

Sam: And like Marley's family gets like,

call 9 1 1 or report something with 3 1 1.

175

Ellen: Wow.

176

Sam: And I always felt like

that was just like not cool.

177

And you know, kids who live within

a mile, like also deserve support.

178

And a lot of parents were driving

their kids and not every kid

179

had a parent who would drive.

180

I had this one student, Lorenzo whose

mom worked the morning shift and she

181

would order him a cab every morning

'cause it wasn't safe 'cause he didn't

182

qualify for the bus and he didn't

have somebody that could walk him.

183

And I just, saw walking school buses as

a way to like address a lot of issues

184

and get kids more physically active.

185

'cause I always saw my students.

186

Once a week for PE and they only had

recess, uh, daily for 15 minutes.

187

Marley: Hmm.

188

That is not enough time for recess.

189

Sam: Legit.

190

Absolutely.

191

And these aren't like, you know,

the students I was working with

192

don't go home and like play all

these extracurriculars, right?

193

And so trying to build in more

physical activity was something

194

I was really passionate about.

195

Ellen: I like that a lot.

196

And this is a hundred percent where my

passion for bike buses comes into to

197

where it's like there's a community aspect

that's lost right now because it's not

198

safe for kids to just bike and walk and

be autonomous to get themselves to school.

199

And so how are we building back these

parental relationships or caregiver

200

relationships so that you can do more

of it and then also get more kids.

201

Like it's not unheard of for a kid to

bike two miles like the bus could be.

202

That could relieve some

buses that could do more So.

203

That's, it's all so interrelated, so

204

Sam: completely.

205

Ellen: Um,

206

Sam: yeah,

207

Marley: that, Hey, can I,

can we back up a little bit?

208

Sorry.

209

Um, for people who haven't

heard of a walking bus or a

210

biking bus, uh, what is it?

211

What does it look like?

212

How does it work?

213

Sam: Yeah, so a walking school bus is a,

like a group of people walking together

214

on a designated route with meeting times.

215

And it could be, you know, mile and

a half distance from the school.

216

It could be three blocks from the school.

217

You do it consistently.

218

You make a flyer and you share it.

219

And it's a really wonderful

way to get to school.

220

A bike bus is the exact

same idea, just biking.

221

And, organizing a bike bus has I,

I believe like just more logistical

222

things you need to work through.

223

Mm-hmm.

224

But bikes are really fun and they go

viral and you know, people just love

225

seeing videos and seeing the good

energy of kids riding bikes to school.

226

And we blast good music and that's

kind of the general difference.

227

But I always say until four years ago

I thought I was gonna die being Coach

228

Balto, the walking school bus guy.

229

And then I saw a bike bus video and

then I was like, I gotta try this.

230

And now I'm the bike bus guy.

231

Ellen: You're like the bike bus guy.

232

Like the national bike bus guy.

233

As far as I

234

Sam: know, I'm getting some good names.

235

Somebody called me Bike

bus Santa because Okay.

236

When I travel to other bike bus cities,

I'm like bringing all these gifts.

237

Ellen: Oh, I love that.

238

Sam: Yeah.

239

So bike bus, Santa.

240

I got bike Bus Boss is another one.

241

Bike bus president a kid called me.

242

Ellen: I like that too

243

Sam: But there's no boss of the bike bus.

244

This is an important rule.

245

You don't need permission to start

a bike bus in your community.

246

Ellen: I like that a lot.

247

I hosted an info night in Kansas City

and you came and your advice to us was

248

ask for participation, not permission.

249

Like, we wouldn't be asking

permission to organize a carpool.

250

It's the same but on bikes.

251

Sam: Yeah.

252

Ellen: So let's go.

253

Um, 'cause I think people

do get discouraged thinking

254

through the logistics.

255

Oh, I have to have a bike.

256

Oh, I have to have this.

257

Oh, like what happens if a kid

falls off and I'm responsible?

258

How does this all play together?

259

Like, these are all very

legitimate questions.

260

Um, and we can get into a lot of them, but

it was very, like my experience has been.

261

Okay.

262

Talk you through it.

263

It's okay.

264

And it can be simple.

265

It can be you are riding

your bike with Yes.

266

Your kid and two more kids.

267

That's what it is.

268

And start it up.

269

Sam: I think the best story that I saw

was in Miami Springs in Florida and

270

there was these two moms, Noelle and

Monique friends and their two daughters.

271

And they'd ride bikes to school and

then they saw a video of a bike bus.

272

And we were like, oh, we wanna

like try that in our community.

273

So they just start sort of started their

route like two blocks a little bit farther

274

from where they live at a rec center.

275

They meet at the parking lot on Fridays.

276

Sometimes they get five other kids

and sometimes they get 40 other kids.

277

Wow.

278

And they just are there every Friday.

279

Rinse and repeat.

280

And I think if there's anything,

somebody listening to this can take

281

away, it's like it's consistency.

282

Mm-hmm.

283

We're not going for perfection.

284

You're picking a pace that

like, you can do this.

285

For as long as you can do this.

286

Yeah.

287

You know, like as long as your kid is

there, you're not here to solve all

288

of societal's ills through the VI bus.

289

You know, you're not here to create

problems that nobody has raised

290

their hand asking for help with.

291

But you know, you are always inclusive

and welcome, you know, welcoming people.

292

But this is not a, we're

a boundaries movement.

293

We are not here when somebody's like, oh,

you should do this with your bike bus.

294

It's like, no, you should

do that and come join us.

295

'cause what I'm doing is right

here and that's a great idea.

296

But this is where I am.

297

Ellen: Oh boy.

298

I need to take that with me.

299

I was covering my face because I felt

personally called out at the fact that

300

you're telling me that I cannot solve

all of the world's problems with a bike.

301

Sam: You know, people find that

very liberating once they hear that

302

Ellen: it's true.

303

Yeah.

304

Marley: It's like we're just

getting the kids to school in a

305

way that's fun and safe and joyful.

306

Sam: I mean, it's like, it

totally boggles my mind.

307

Like somebody said something, it

was like, oh, the bike bus parents

308

don't x, Y, or Z and you're like, the

parents who are driving their kids

309

in their rivian, SUV tax subsidized

vehicles, they're not doing shit.

310

But like, we don't criticize them.

311

No, we're not gonna, like, we're

right to ignore those people.

312

But like someone who's like inviting

people to come ride bikes or to do

313

something with the community, those

are the people that we need to, uh,

314

say they're not doing enough, gimme

315

Ellen: not doing enough.

316

They're not doing it right, not

doing the way you wanted them to.

317

Um, yeah, I agree with that a lot.

318

Marley: I have what

might be a dumb question.

319

No

320

Marley: dumb,

321

Ellen: no dumb questions.

322

Marley: Okay.

323

So bike, bus happens in the morning.

324

All the kids get there.

325

What happens after school?

326

Is it just like they have

to fend for themselves?

327

Sam: I mean, there's a nicer

way of saying that, but Yeah.

328

You know, it goes in the same spirit

of kind of what I just said before.

329

Like, if you wanna organize

a bike bus home, great.

330

Go do it.

331

If you only want to do it

to school, that's fine.

332

And they kind of have to figure it out.

333

You know, it's kind of like you

can bring a horse to the trough to

334

drink, but you can't make 'em drink.

335

Like, you can bring the community

together and get them to school.

336

But like, if the community isn't,

like, if people aren't like, Hey,

337

I need help getting my kid back,

why are we making our lives harder?

338

Because realistically, if you

are volunteering in the morning

339

and the afternoon, that is going

to eat against your consistency.

340

Hundred percent.

341

Eventually you're gonna be like, dude,

I just want to do this in the morning.

342

I don't wanna do this in the afternoon.

343

Then don't do it in the afternoon.

344

Mm-hmm.

345

Like, if you're gonna

get annoyed, don't do it.

346

Somebody else can do it.

347

Ellen: That's what I was gonna say.

348

It kind of, it can create a good

vacuum for someone else to fill.

349

Yeah.

350

If you go in saying, I'd love

to do this in the morning, who

351

can step up for the afternoon?

352

Sam: Yeah.

353

Or like, you know, person in the WhatsApp

group is like, oh, my kid wants to do

354

it, but there isn't an option home.

355

Then it's like, oh, where do you live?

356

Let's connect your kid with

another family that's biking home.

357

Marley: 'Cause it's like kind of

building some independent skills there

358

too, of like, Hey, we're gonna go in

the morning, you know the way to go.

359

You're learning the skills of like how

to safely ride a bike in the street

360

and then in the afternoon it's a chance

to, to try it out and to test it.

361

Like I rode bikes to and from

school starting in like first grade.

362

Like I don't think we give kids enough

credit for what they can actually achieve.

363

Ellen: There was a whole bike

league webinar about this yesterday

364

actually, that exact thing.

365

So we'll link to that.

366

But I was gonna say, since I was

gonna ride to school with my kid

367

every day and back every day anyway.

368

So I was able to say like, if

you are going near my house,

369

yeah, come back with us.

370

Like, we're gonna be there anyway.

371

That's fine.

372

And we've actually had one kid do the

inverse of what's being described.

373

So his mom will drop him off at

school with his bike in the morning,

374

but then he goes to a friend's

house that's close to me afterwards.

375

So he is like on the bike, bus home.

376

So it's.

377

It opens up just different options to

get people out of their cars for one.

378

But it's also just like creating the

inter-community maybe within my school,

379

which is part, like, that's one of my

foundational things about doing this.

380

It's like my school has a similar bus

radius situation and it's like, why are

381

we not all doing something together?

382

Why are we all in our cars?

383

And also, everybody hates the car line.

384

Even if you're in it.

385

Everybody is so annoyed by the car line.

386

Sam: Everything versus

the school car line.

387

For sure.

388

Yeah.

389

It's like the easiest, like if anybody

listening has a lot of money, we could

390

create an entire like national campaign

about how bad school car lines are.

391

Like, no mayor.

392

No superintendent, you know, no governor's

like, come to our city, our state,

393

we have the best school car lines.

394

Like, no, nobody wants that.

395

It's like, uh.

396

Like a ton of failed policies

all toppled on top of each other.

397

And parents now have to take

the burden of this hidden tax.

398

Mm-hmm.

399

But back to more joyful things

like social infrastructure.

400

I think one thing I really love

is like how it's scaffolds,

401

children's independence.

402

And so just like one example is, um,

student Alden on our bike bus, second

403

grader, he rides and then a couple weeks

ago his mom puts in the WhatsApp group.

404

It's like so cute.

405

He's like eating cereal.

406

It's, and it's like, Hey, I'm Alden, I'm

a great rider and I'm gonna ride today

407

like in the bike bus without my parents.

408

Look out for me.

409

Thanks.

410

You know, and the mom just like

put it in just to let us know.

411

And it was like, that's

what it's all about, right?

412

Like, we just keep extra eye on him.

413

I like messaged the mom that he got to

school, you know, eased the mama bear.

414

And that sounded like beautiful

scaffolding of independence.

415

Marley: Exactly.

416

So you've mentioned this

WhatsApp group a couple times.

417

Um, can we just talk about like

the logistics of the bike bus,

418

like, um, so you get organized

and then parents can join into the

419

WhatsApp group to get communication.

420

Is there insurance?

421

Do you have to work through the principal?

422

I know you said you don't ask

for permission, but like what

423

does that side of it look like?

424

Sam: it really depends.

425

And you're definitely approaching

bureaucracy in a, you know,

426

inviting way, not a permission way.

427

Like you're not asking the

principal like, Hey, can we do this?

428

It's like, Hey, we're doing this.

429

We would love for you to ride with us.

430

We would love for you to share our flyer

in the newsletter, stuff like that.

431

But you're not going to the principal

being like, is it okay if we do this?

432

It's like, no, because parents who

carpool would never go to the principal

433

and say, Hey, is it okay if we carpool?

434

That's absurd.

435

And then, you know, what we usually say

is like, make a flyer, print it out, have

436

the route on it, have the times, um, the

day of the week, and then you pass it

437

out and you invite people and I through

a couple different trial and errors.

438

I did like texting.

439

But then you're like, group gets

too big, so then you have to go, I

440

went to Google, like Google groups.

441

That was terrible.

442

Like nobody checks their email.

443

Nobody.

444

It's not like, 'cause you're

trying to create that sort of

445

like natural communication.

446

Like Alden's mom's not gonna send an

email about this, but like a WhatsApp

447

group thing like, you know, 20 minutes

before the bike bus is kind of perfect,

448

you know, if people are selling their bike

or going on a kid focused petal palooza

449

ride that goes in the WhatsApp group.

450

'cause you're creating

that community space.

451

Marley: Do you worry about insurance?

452

How do you, like what happens

if something goes wrong?

453

Sam: Yeah, I mean, they get up and you

give 'em a bandaid and you keep going.

454

But I think I generally am like.

455

This doesn't work for everybody.

456

So, but like me personally,

it's like I want to do this.

457

I believe in the good, in people

that, like if you're showing up, you

458

understand the world is a dynamic

environment and shit happens.

459

And you know, we are doing the best

we can to create a safe environment.

460

But like your kid's not less safe riding

in the bike bus versus riding alone.

461

Ellen: Oh my God, yes.

462

Sam: So again to the school buses.

463

I think it's totally absurd that school

districts will say, based on this

464

arbitrary line, we now take responsibility

for these kids, but kids who we know

465

have issues getting to school and that

it's not safe and we have massive issues

466

with absenteeism and sorry, we can't

support them because of insurance.

467

Like gimme a fucking break.

468

Marley: Right.

469

That makes so much sense.

470

Ellen: I did a similar thing to what

Coach Balto described for my, both the

471

Kansas City family bike ride and for the

bike buses that I run to where it's like,

472

there's just a line on there that's like.

473

I am a parent, just like you don't sue me.

474

Like basically like, you're

coming here, you get it.

475

Please don't be a dick.

476

Speaker 4: Yeah.

477

Like,

478

Ellen: you know what you're here for.

479

You know, like I, it is me

and an Instagram account.

480

Please, please, please, please let me

trust you and let me trust the world.

481

My husband is the opposite

brain what if, what if, what if?

482

I'm like, first of all, it's a pretty

low situation that this is gonna happen.

483

And second of all, it sucks.

484

And we go when we move forward, like, I

don't think anybody who's gonna do this

485

with us is gonna be of that mindset.

486

Speaker 4: Yeah.

487

Ellen: So I added it on there

to give him some peace of mind.

488

But otherwise I'm, I'm of the

same, same mindset of that.

489

What were you gonna ask Marley?

490

Marley: Oh, I just wanna talk about

social media and some of the, oh.

491

Wild success that you've had with that.

492

So, um, you started uploading these

videos, they go viral and suddenly

493

you've got, like Benson Boone

and Justin Timberlake what, like,

494

Sam: You try to stay on the good side of

social media and use it to the advantage.

495

And I think people are always wanting

something positive and joyful.

496

And music's a big part of the bike

bus and incorporating the artists

497

that are coming to town and inviting

them to ride just felt very natural.

498

And I just kind of like make the video.

499

I just like approach the camera

and I'm like, Justin Timberlake,

500

come join the bike bus.

501

We'd love to have you.

502

And then it's like a quick cut to.

503

One of the best parts of our ride playing

his music and then the internet just

504

starts tagging the hell out of him.

505

Ellen: sometimes you do ask the

internet to like, hey, boost it.

506

And I think that's an important piece.

507

Some people will sit there and be

like, oh yeah, that's so funny.

508

He's trying to get Justin Timberlake.

509

And then when you're like, all

you have to do is drop the name in

510

the comments so that he sees it.

511

Sam: You know when you incorporate music

artists, people who've never known about

512

bike bus but love Justin Timberlake, well

now they got this video about the bike bus

513

and just how I was inspired by a video.

514

They're like, oh my

God, this looks amazing.

515

We should do this here.

516

Ellen: Yeah, and you just

had a round of grants, right?

517

Like are you going to,

518

Sam: we're giving out

519

Ellen: grants.

520

Yeah.

521

Tell us, tell us more why and what

522

Sam: course.

523

Yeah, so, um, I think for me personally

doing this type of work, you feel

524

like you're a salmon swimming upstream

and nobody's noticing you and you're

525

not doing it for the attention.

526

But I think everybody

does like the recognition.

527

And I think that's been a big part

of like bike Bus world is just the

528

show love and appreciation to people

starting bike buses to build a community.

529

We're all salmon swimming upstream, but

like if you know there's salmon to the

530

left and the right of you also trying

to break the current, you're going

531

to like have more resilience and just

feel better about what you're doing.

532

It's just something that's

like a token of appreciation.

533

This is pennies to the dollar

of the value you're creating.

534

But we see you, we appreciate you.

535

Like you don't need to report to us.

536

Take the volunteers out

for tacos and margaritas.

537

Build community and

show them appreciation.

538

Get yourself the bigger speaker on us.

539

You know, stuff like that.

540

It's been really cool to

see just the excitement that

541

people have and wanna support.

542

We have new, we have DIY merch, so

yeah, you can request if you lead a

543

bike bus, you can request stencils.

544

We also have like stuff you can purchase

now, which I am very excited about.

545

And, um, yeah, no, it's

been, uh, it's been cool.

546

Ellen: I got some stencils from

you, and I think what I'm gonna

547

do this summer is do a kickoff

where it's like, bring a T-shirt.

548

We're just gonna stencil up your bike

bus and like have it be a a thank you

549

and like a rally to our, to the various

bike bus leaders I'm working with too.

550

But it's like, it's another way to

just get the word out for their kid.

551

Like everybody, every kid wants

to handle a can of spray paint.

552

Marley: I have one last question.

553

There's all this research that shows,

you know, people that bike commute to

554

work or have better happiness outcomes.

555

With the kids that you're working with

and the schools that you're working with,

556

have you seen any tangible differences in

behaviors or engagement, um, that teachers

557

or principals are telling you about?

558

Sam: Yeah, I mean, our principals said

that kids on bike bus days arrive to

559

school, like enter the building calmer.

560

I think just like one that I hear a ton

is around like confidence and pride.

561

Like the kids just are very,

you know, it's built their

562

confidence participating in it.

563

They take like real

ownership and pride in it.

564

Two things that are just really cool

is look at your bike rack before

565

starting a bike bus and then after

starting it, and you will see more

566

people biking on non bike bus days.

567

Ellen: Oh, so just a general uptick.

568

Sam: Yeah.

569

You know, it's like the kid, the

bikes are out, they're pumped

570

up, the kids know how to do it.

571

It's more like culturally normed and at

the start of every school year, a handful

572

of parents or kids come up to me and

say I learned how to ride a bike this

573

summer to participate in the bike bus.

574

And I shared that.

575

And then like all these other bike bus

leaders were like, that happens to me too.

576

That happens to me too.

577

And like you think about, its

like my bike bus is five kids.

578

That bike bus is five kids.

579

All of these bike buses, there's over

600 bike bus routes in the world right

580

now and we're doubling every year.

581

And you're like, that is just so

many children learning how to ride

582

bikes to participate in the bike bus.

583

And like you think about

it, you're like, holy shit.

584

Like that is a lot of kids.

585

Like that is impact, like that's power.

586

And that's, um, honestly, it kind

of stresses me out a little bit, you

587

know, I'm like, oh my God, this is

like, so much bigger than we realize.

588

And uh, I started to say

like, our goal is longevity.

589

It's like, how do we

keep bike bus relevant?

590

For as long as possible because

it just takes people a while to

591

put the pieces together, you know?

592

Mm-hmm.

593

For our leaders, superintendent,

you know, just like decision makers

594

who can make the changes that will

improve, the infrastructure and

595

lifestyle for kids and families.

596

It just takes them a while to put

those pieces together and sure, I'd

597

love for it to happen overnight,

but that's just not how it works.

598

Ellen: Yeah, that's where your

consistency is key phrase comes in

599

is because that's what will start.

600

Like the more people know where to

find you and where to look for you

601

and how to, how to get involved and

how to like jump on the bike bus.

602

Yeah.

603

Speaker 4: The

604

Ellen: more they will basically.

605

Yeah.

606

And even like the more you're just

showing up in that community and in

607

that space, the more like it starts

to see, even this morning I started,

608

there was a bike bus in the Kansas City

area as today was their first ride.

609

And it was two, two siblings and

another kid and like a set of parents.

610

But when they got to the

school, they were like, yeah,

611

I heard like two or three kids.

612

It's like, you can ride

your bike to school.

613

It's like you, they just didn't know.

614

It would never occur to them.

615

That is what it is though.

616

It's the consistency and it's the posting

and it's showing that you're gonna show

617

up again and again and that you can do it

and that it's something that you can own.

618

This is making me think of like,

how do you advise people to bring

619

in the next bike bus leader?

620

Like, my kid's gonna be there

K through five for sure.

621

Like, yeah.

622

I'm hoping it'll grow and grow, but

like if I were here and he was in fifth

623

grade and I'm not there next year.

624

Sam: Yeah.

625

Ellen: What advice would you give me?

626

Sam: People are very like fixated

on this point, and it's like if

627

nobody picks it up, that's okay.

628

What you did still mattered.

629

Mm-hmm.

630

And you know.

631

Sure.

632

Yeah.

633

You wanna try to be mindful and keep

it going, but you can't control these

634

things like you're not paying people and

if people just don't feel like they have

635

the capacity to do it, that's not on you.

636

You didn't do anything wrong.

637

Ellen: It's a good reminder that, if

it's worth doing, it's worth doing.

638

Sam: two, three kids that

rode on that bike bus

639

That felt like the world to them.

640

That made a huge difference to

those kids and like that's amazing.

641

Like that is so important.

642

Ellen: And I even think with my own

kid a lot, just the idea that riding

643

your bike is a form of transportation

and you can do it, the seed's planted?

644

Speaker 4: Totally.

645

Ellen: It might not grow right

away, but at some point it'll, it

646

can give them that autonomy back.

647

Sam: I never thought of bikes

as a kid for transportation.

648

Right.

649

You know, I, I was like, yeah, we ride

on the sidewalk and stuff like that.

650

And now it's like this whole

new generation of kids that are

651

like, no, the streets are for me.

652

Like I, this is my space.

653

Ellen: I know.

654

I love that.

655

Oh my gosh, what a great

way to end on this.

656

Is there anything you would love to say

that you didn't say on this podcast?

657

Sam: It's not bike or bust.

658

Like there's so many different ways to

incorporate physical activity and movement

659

and joy into kids' lives, you know?

660

So if a bike bus isn't distinct, feasible,

start with a walking school bus and then

661

go to a scooter bus and then a bike bus

if that's what your community wants.

662

Or like a traffic garden or a school

streets or a kidical mass ride.

663

Like there's so many different ways to,

uh, activate the public space for kids.

664

And I think the bike bus is

the one that just goes viral

665

and gets the most attention.

666

But there's so many ways to, you

know, incorporate this for kids.

667

Ellen: Love that.

668

Thank you for joining us.

669

Thank you.

670

And we hope that it's inspired more and

more people to start their own bike buses.

671

Sam: Better

672

Marley: Or else?

673

Sam: Else.

674

Or else?

675

Ellen: We have a double.

676

Double exponential to hit.

677

Let's go.

678

Sam: Yeah