At 7:35 a.m., kids and parents meet at the first stop on one of two bike routes to Abernethy Elementary School in Portland for a group ride known as a “bike bus.”

At least 21 Portland schools have bike buses, which are convoys of kids — sometimes dozens — pedaling to school together, flanked by parents, volunteers, and a soundtrack blasting from a speaker mounted on a cargo bike.

The school run can be a slog for some people, but the bike bus is a way to turn that into a little moment of joy and community.

Lauren McCune is one of several bike bus captains, who are parents and other interested adult volunteers that work hard to make sure this joyful and fun way to get to school is possible.

For the latest installment in OPB’s “At Work With” series, we rode along with McCune and the Abernethy Bike Bus.

How did you become a bike bus captain?

McCune says she was interested in being a part of the bike bus before her daughter even started kindergarten.

“Last year, my daughter and I and my partner, we would ride past the Abernethy bike bus on our way to preschool. And as a longtime cyclist and Pedalpalooza fan, I saw it and I was like, ‘I want that. I want that so bad.’

“And so one day after drop-off, I followed the bike bus back to Abernethy and I talked to the parents, and we have a WhatsApp group and I got on it, and the rest is history.”

How does the bike bus work?

Bike buses like Abernethy’s operate like a regular school bus, except on bikes. There’s a route, a schedule, and safety rules.

“We have two routes at a set time,” McCune explained. “I am one of the leaders for the Lincoln-Harrison route ... We meet at a starting point, and then there are set routes that we try to hit, just like a yellow school bus where we pick folks up along the route though, anyone can just join us.”

How do you keep everyone safe?

Parents stop cars at intersections so the kids can pass safely. They call out when they see other vehicles on the road. Everyone rides together, learning traffic awareness and group biking skills along the way.

“We stop at stop signs, we yell ‘Car up!’ when traffic comes by. We have kindergartners out here, so we take it seriously — but it’s also fun," says McCune.

Safety is top of mind and there’s a lot to manage, from kids wanting to do tricks to navigating traffic with five-year-olds.

McCune and her fellow captains have created junior leadership roles for older kids and invested in safety gear, signage and first-aid kits.

According to McCune, they’ve had remarkably few bumps and bruises.

“We ride every Wednesday rain or shine, and every day from Earth Day to the end of school,” she said. “And knock on wood — we’ve never been late. Never missed second bell."

What should car drivers know about bike buses?

According to McCune, the bike bus has had to contend with some unhappy drivers.

“We did have some run-ins off and on throughout the school year — cars trying to pass us and doing so rather aggressively. Sometimes people are yelling at us. It doesn’t happen too often, but some people get really impatient and angry about it," she said.

McCune has a message for drivers: “If you see a bike bus, pull over and wait. Don’t pass us. It takes under a minute, and it makes all the difference in safety — and in showing these kids that they belong on the road."

What does it take to keep the bike bus going?

Behind the scenes, it’s a lot of work.

McCune estimates she spends a few hours a week organizing riders, confirming volunteers and troubleshooting logistics. And she doesn’t get paid for her bike bus work.

“We’re trying to get grant funding to turn some of these roles into paid positions — cluster bike bus coordinators," she said.

“Because this takes real time, energy and safety know-how. We’d love to see bike buses at every school, not just the ones lucky enough to have a parent with capacity to lead it.”

The bike bus captains do find the work rewarding and, for now, that’s enough to keep them going.

“This isn’t just transportation,” says McCune.

“It’s confidence. It’s independence. And honestly? It’s the best part of my day.”

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2025/06/14/at-work-with-bike-bus-captain-school-kids/