All aboard the Bike Bus: Students ride to school together

Bike bus. (CTV News)

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - Backpacks strapped on and helmets buckled, students in Charlottetown are cycling to and from school together on weekly group rides.

It’s called a Bike Bus. Children follow set routes to school with adult volunteers, while more students join along the way. Similar programs have started in communities across Canada, from Edmonton to the Greater Toronto Area.

“It’s good exercise,” said Isaac Doyle, a Grade 2 student at Sherwood School.

Jessica Kelly, also in Grade 2, likes the social side of the ride.

“I bike with my friends,” she said.

Some students see other upsides. Axton Thompson, 7, said he would rather bike than take the bus “because it helps the environment.”

“There’s not as much gas in the air,” added Thomas Constable, a Grade 4 student.

Anna Keenan, Charlottetown’s active transportation officer, said she first heard about the Bike Bus movement online and wanted to bring the idea to the Island.

So far, she said three schools have signed up, with a fourth expected to join in the fall.

“Parents feel much more confident sending their kids off,” Keenan said. “It’s very empowering for the students. They discover that their bodies can do strong and fast things.”

She added that older Islanders often tell her biking to school was once more common. But as cars have become more dominant, streets can feel less safe for children cycling on their own.

Safety is top of mind for volunteers like Jennifer MacPhail, who helps guide students along the route.

“Usually, I’m in charge of my own kid and she’s very close to me on the road,” MacPhail said. “But all of a sudden, when you have a train of kids, it’s longer and you have to recognize it’s going to take longer to cross the street.”

MacPhail said the program helps include children who live farther away, while showing them cars don’t always have to be the first choice.

Sherwood Teacher Bethany Norris says students also learn the rules of the road, helping them build confidence moving through their community.

“There’s a lot of energy. The kids are really positive. They’re eager,” Norris said. “I’ve had parents email me saying their kids were ready an hour before school.”

InjuryFreePEI and the City of Charlottetown also donated specialized helmets for Sikh students who need them.

Charlottetown recently approved a 10-year active transportation plan, which the city says will guide future cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.

Keenan said one of the first projects is expected to be on the way to Sherwood School, with bollards and concrete curbing added to the painted bike lane along Maple Avenue.