Skip to main content
NewsRide & StrideTravel

Ride to school on a Bike Bus!

By January 22, 2025February 4th, 2025No Comments
A school bike bus at Lathlain Primary in Western Australia.

Merri-bek’s Ride & Stride program is now supporting Bike Busses!

We’ve got two new Bike Bus routes to kick us off, one to Coburg North Primary School & one to Merri-bek Primary School – scroll down see map and details to join.

If your school would like to get a bike bus going, read on!

What is a Bike Bus?

A bike bus is a group of families who ride to school in a group. It’s called a “bus” because there is a set route and timetable so it can pick up more “passengers” along the way.

Bike Busses have been growing in popularity around the world, and have recently started popping up around Australia – in PerthCanberra, and now Melbourne!

Bike busses are a fun, social, and safe way to travel to school actively, reducing parent’s dependence on driving and building community and connection before the school day!

How do I start a bike bus at my school?

The Town of Victoria Park in Western Australia, along with a dedicated local parent, have published this fantastic new Australian toolkit to help you get started – Bike Bus Toolkit.

From initial planning to long-term success, the toolkit outlines everything you need to know to create a safe and enjoyable bike bus at your school.

Once you have some parents to help and have identified a route, Merri-bek Council can help to:

  • Design & publish a flyer of the route for you to promote with the school community
  • Install footpath decals at your bike bus stops
  • Provide high-vis vests for parent ride leaders & stickers for students
  • Advise on route safety and work together to identify potential improvements along your route
  • Publish your Bike Bus on our website to encourage more families to join

Join one of the Ride & Stride Bike Busses

Every Friday these schools run their Bike Bus. See map below to see starting points, stops and times.

To join the parent group of each school’s bike bus, connect here:

  1. Coburg North Primary School – WhatsApp group
  2. Merri-bek Primary School – WhatsApp group

FAQs:

Is it free? Yes!

What if I have young children who can’t ride yet? Many parents have bikes with trailers or cargo bikes – you could consider test riding one at one of our many bike shops in Merri-bek! Learn more about e-cargo bikes in Merri-bek here.

I would like to join, but I don’t live close enough to the route. If you join your school’s bike bus route coordinators group, you can discuss options to alter, expand or create a new route. 

Who is responsible for supervising the Bike Bus? Parents are responsible for their children. Parents should make sure children have a bike in working condition and they are able to ride safely. Every child should be riding with at least one parent/guardian, unless previous arrangements have been made with other parents.

Ok, I want to get one started at my school!

Read the Toolkit, get a few parents onboard and identify a route, and then reach out to zerocarbon@merri-bek.vic.gov.au and we can help you get it going!