[Lewis Elementary School.]

On Thursday, April 20, kids throughout Portland will begin walking and biking to and from school in Walk + Bike “School Buses”. Demonstration ‘buses’ will be walking and biking from Lewis Elementary on Thursday, April 20, and walking from Forest Park Elementary on Friday, April 21.

The Walk+ Bike School Bus is being launched in 11 Portland schools in a partnership between the City of Portland’s comprehensive Safe Routes to School program, Portland Public Schools’ Student Transportation, and Oregon Walk + Bike to School, a project of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition.

A Walk+ Bike School Bus works like a carpool, but without the car! Parents and other adult volunteer ‘drivers’ and ‘conductors’ lead a group of students to and from school on foot or bike. The “Bus” travels along a predetermined route, picking up participants along the way at designated “bus stops”.

To assist School Bus coordinators, the Oregon Walk + Bike to School program has created a Walk + Bike to School Bus Guidebook. The Guidebook will be made available at no cost to coordinators statewide.

Oregon Walk + Bike to School will be offering technical advice and assistance to Oregon schools, agencies, groups, kids and parents who would like to begin a Walk + Bike School Bus at their school(s). On April 25, from 6-9pm, the Oregon Walk + Bike to School Committee is sponsoring a coordinator training at videoconference locations statewide.

Learn more about the Walk + Bike School Bus online at WalknBike.org, by email at walknbike@bta4bikes.org, or by phone at (866) 452-8300.