Bike bus
Encyclopedia
A bike bus is a group of people who cycle
together on a set route following a set timetable
. Cyclists may join or leave the bike bus at various points along the route. Most bike buses are a form of collective bicycle commuting
.
A Bike bus is often seen as a cyclist's version of a walking bus
, although walking buses tend to be seen as exclusively for children travelling to school.
A cycling version of a Walking bus
has been called a bike train
or a cycle train
Bike buses may have social, environmental, or political aims. One of the founders of the Aire Valley Bike Bus said "The Aire Valley Bike Bus was set up ... to encourage people to take up cycling and make the journey to work a more interesting and sociable experience.". The stated aim of the Central Florida Bike Bus is to "bringing together cyclists who want to commute by bike using the same roads as every other vehicle"
It runs once a week, on a Wednesday, between Keighley
and Bradford
in West Yorkshire
, UK. In November 2009 it was featured as Cycling England
's Scheme of the Month.
on a voluntary basis
and has received funding from The Department of Environment and Water Resources, through the Low Emissions Technology and Abatement – Strategic Abatement program. It is a "community-led service to introduce groups of people to ride a set route together, to introduce beginners to a route, or enjoy each others company".
, with the aim of having a bike train running at every single school.
.
. This bike bus has a real time Bike Bus Tracker, so that riders, with appropriate technology, can see where the bike bus is at any time.
, UK, a total distance of roughly 7.5miles. They claimed they would "complete the journey in about an hour - that's less time than the 213 bus takes during peak times!"
The service was led by cycle instructors and was provided by Sutton Council and Kingston Council
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
together on a set route following a set timetable
Public transport timetable
A public transport timetable is a representation of public transport information to assist a passenger with planning a trip using public transport. A timetable details when vehicle will arrive and depart specified locations and may be organised for by route or for a particular stop...
. Cyclists may join or leave the bike bus at various points along the route. Most bike buses are a form of collective bicycle commuting
Bicycle commuting
Bicycle commuting is the use of a bicycle to travel from home to a place of work or study — in contrast to the use of a bicycle for sport, recreation or touring....
.
A Bike bus is often seen as a cyclist's version of a walking bus
Walking bus
A walking bus is a form of student transport for schoolchildren who, chaperoned by two adults walk to school, in much the same way a school bus would drive them to school...
, although walking buses tend to be seen as exclusively for children travelling to school.
A cycling version of a Walking bus
Walking bus
A walking bus is a form of student transport for schoolchildren who, chaperoned by two adults walk to school, in much the same way a school bus would drive them to school...
has been called a bike train
or a cycle train
Bike buses may have social, environmental, or political aims. One of the founders of the Aire Valley Bike Bus said "The Aire Valley Bike Bus was set up ... to encourage people to take up cycling and make the journey to work a more interesting and sociable experience.". The stated aim of the Central Florida Bike Bus is to "bringing together cyclists who want to commute by bike using the same roads as every other vehicle"
Aire Valley Bike Bus
The Aire Valley Bike Bus first started in August 2008.It runs once a week, on a Wednesday, between Keighley
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
and Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, UK. In November 2009 it was featured as Cycling England
Cycling England
Cycling England was an independent body funded by the Department for Transport to promote cycling in England. It was founded in 2005 to replace the National Cycling Strategy Board. Following the 2010 Comprehensive Spending review it was earmarked for abolition, to be replaced by Local...
's Scheme of the Month.
Bike Bus (AU)
Bike Bus is run by members of Bicycle New South Wales, AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on a voluntary basis
and has received funding from The Department of Environment and Water Resources, through the Low Emissions Technology and Abatement – Strategic Abatement program. It is a "community-led service to introduce groups of people to ride a set route together, to introduce beginners to a route, or enjoy each others company".
Biketrain PDX
Biketrain PDX was started by Kiel Johnson in 2010. It co-ordinates bike trains, a form of bike bus, for school children in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, with the aim of having a bike train running at every single school.
Bus Cyclistes
Perhaps the first bike bus initiative, based in Toulouse, France it now shows bike buses across FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Central Florida Bike Bus
First run on August 23, 2010 this bike bus runs to and from the University of Central FloridaUniversity of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
. This bike bus has a real time Bike Bus Tracker, so that riders, with appropriate technology, can see where the bike bus is at any time.
Kingston upon Thames
This bike bus ran every Monday in March 2011 from Sutton to Kingston upon ThamesKingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
, UK, a total distance of roughly 7.5miles. They claimed they would "complete the journey in about an hour - that's less time than the 213 bus takes during peak times!"
The service was led by cycle instructors and was provided by Sutton Council and Kingston Council
External links
- Aire Valley Bike Bus (UK)
- Bike Bus (AU)
- Bicycle New South Wales
- Biketrain PDX
- BusCyclistes (FR)
- Central Florida Bike Bus (US)
- Bike Bus Tracker
- Kingston upon Thames bike bus (UK)