News Center
Posted on: December 08, 2025
Ever wonder why, on some mornings, the loudest sound on a neighborhood street isn’t car horns—but kids and parents laughing as they pedal their way to school? You just might be passing a “bike bus,” a caravan that provides a joyful alternative to the daily drive. These organized, community-led bike rides are helping families bypass the carpool line, reduce traffic, and reconnect with their neighborhoods—one pedal stroke at a time.
Weekday traffic congestion is a familiar beast in metro Atlanta – and it’s especially noticeable near schools. As families queue up for drop-off and pick-up, traffic spills from major corridors and onto neighborhood streets. While these may be short trips, the impact adds up affecting surrounding communities.
The National Household Travel Survey reports that school related travel accounts for 10% of vehicle trips and 5% of vehicle miles traveled during the morning peak hours of 7 to 9 a.m. during the school year. Metro Atlanta mirrors this pattern, and residents are increasingly frustrated with the effects of growing gridlock.
As reported by the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Metro Atlanta Speaks public opinion survey this year, a full quarter of all respondents from Cobb County and whopping third of respondents from Forsyth County listed traffic as the biggest problem facing metro Atlanta. Closer to Atlanta, 17% of DeKalb County residents reported that traffic was their main concern.
Congestion has downsides other than inconveniences including localized air pollution and unsafe conditions for children walking or biking to school. Additionally, traffic, along with limited sidewalk infrastructure, can isolate neighbors from one another and leave communities feeling disconnected from the very schools they’re built around.
However, at one Atlanta area school, a group of families decided to reimagine their morning commute, by hopping on bicycles and pedaling to campus every Friday as part of their “bike bus” program.
Drew Charter Elementary, located in Atlanta’s East Lake neighborhood in DeKalb County, first launched its weekly “bike bus” in fall 2025 with startup support from Georgia Commute Schools. It started simply with a small group of students, parents, and neighbors who coordinated a group bike ride along a safe, pre-planned route. Results were seen immediately. Parents reported that Friday morning drop-off traffic eased, and students arrived alert and energized. Beyond congestion improvement on “bike-bus” days, students and parents said they experienced a renewed sense of connection to their neighborhoods.
“Together, our community is creating change in a short time simply by choosing to take collective action. Our “bike-bus” has united the community in ways we never imagined,” says Jaida Holbrooke, founding member of Drew’s “bike bus” initiative.
The first rides required careful planning—mapping streets with lower traffic, testing routes, and ensuring helmets and visibility gear were available for all participants. With support from Atlanta Regional Commission’s Georgia Commute Schools program, organizers received safety materials, route guidance, and encouragement to grow the effort.
“In communities with weekly “bike buses,” additional benefits became clear,” shared Jenny Guadalupe, ARC’s Senior Program/Project Analyst. “The presence of a large, visible group of riders raises awareness and reminds drivers to be cautious as they drive through a living, breathing, and connected community.”
It’s been discovered that even parents and community members who are unable to directly participate have been supportive of “bike-bus” initiatives. They post supporter signs in their yards, advocate for traffic safety and improved infrastructure to local officials and school board members, and appeal to schools directly to support their neighborhood “bike-bus” program.
Parent-Teacher organizations and associations take the lead, researching grants for new bike racks and safety signage. They also strengthen relationships with local law enforcement for increased presence during single-day bike or walk promotional events, such as national Walk to School Day (celebrated annually on November 14).
Parents and neighbors play a role in the shaping healthier outcomes and safer rides for students.
“This change was inspired by the vision of engaging more families in discovering healthier, community-driven alternative transportation routes to school,” says Holbrooke. “Families have shared stories about their children’s newfound confidence in riding, their motivation to attend school, and the stronger connections they are forming within their families. Kids wish to do this every day, so why can’t we?”
Georgia Commute Schools offers free resources to help schools start bike buses, walking school buses, and air quality campaigns tailored to each community’s needs. From free startup items, assistance mapping routes, and rewards for starting and growing your “bus,” the program provides materials and foundational networking opportunities for new “bike bus” programs.
This article was written by: GCO Staff Jenny Guadalupe and Tamika Brown with assistance from OEA’s Sheryl Merritt
Sources: Drew Charter Elementary School (ATL Bike Bus), ARC, AJC, SRTS/GDOT
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