Sponsor
This project was funded by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC; grant number 1597), a U.S. DOT University Transportation Center. The research could not have been possible without the support of Portland Public Schools and the bike bus coordinators who worked with us and connected us with families.
Published In
Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
Document Type
Post-Print
Publication Date
11-22-2024
Subjects
Bicycles, Transportation -- Research
Abstract
Bike buses are a relatively new form of active transportation to school (ATS) that have primarily emerged in Europe and the United States. A form of coordinated, group bike riding along a defined route to school, bike buses are an outgrowth of Safe Routes to School interventions in North America that seek to reverse the declining rates of walking and biking to school among children. Our initial phase of research included a literature review of social and environmental factors affecting ATS in the contemporary North American context, and two convenience surveys of bike bus coordinators and parent participants. This initial phase informed the development and implementation of schoolwide surveys of the parents of four elementary schools with bike buses in Portland, OR. We identifed recurring themes in what benefits bike buses introduce for participants, as well as the barriers to growth and wider adoption. We conclude with recommendations for further study of this emerging trend.
Related work:
Bike Buses: An Evaluation of An Emerging Active Transportation to School Intervention (Video/Slides)
Rights
This is the author's accepted manuscript (post-print) version. The final version, Copyright © 2025 by National Academy of Sciences, is available from the publisher: https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981251322459
DOI
10.1177/03611981251322459
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43575
Citation Details
Howington, Evan, McNeil, Nathan and MacArthur, John. (2025). [Post-print]. Bike Buses: An Evaluation of An Emerging Active Transportation to School Intervention. Transportation Research Record. Accepted Manuscript