From City Streets to Classroom Seats: How Manhattan Country School Is Leading the Bike Bus Revolution
As part of National Bike and Roll to School Day on Wednesday, May 7, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) is rallying students and families across the five boroughs to participate in the annual celebration of biking as a safe, healthy, and environmentally conscious way to get to school. The day serves as a key moment in Bike Month, with NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez urging New Yorkers to support and engage in cycling as both a daily habit and a community-building tool.
To make biking safer and more accessible for students, NYC DOT has partnered with schools, nonprofits, and parent volunteers to support the growing bike bus movement, organized group rides where students bike to school together, often guided by adults. These efforts are gaining momentum across the city, with active bike buses in both Brooklyn and Manhattan.
One of the most inspiring examples comes from Manhattan Country School (MCS), withg our parent-led Bike Bus embodies the school’s strong emphasis on social justice, equity, and community empowerment. Once a month, students, families, and staff ride to school together, promoting safer streets, physical activity, and public space equity. To ensure accessibility and inclusion, the MCS Cycling Group offers free CitiBike day passes, bike rehoming, and learn-to-ride workshops through partnerships with Bike New York all at no cost to participants.
These community-based initiatives align with NYC DOT’s citywide Get Kids Biking program, which since 2017 has provided bikes, helmets, and safety education to public and charter schools. Currently active in 18 schools and reaching 5,000 students annually, the program fosters biking skills, confidence, and safety for New York City’s youth.
Commissioner Rodriguez emphasized that cycling is more than just a form of transportation, it’s a fun, empowering way for children to start their day. “We've been thrilled to see so many bike buses launch across the city and their advocacy inspires us every day to continue building safe street infrastructure for New Yorkers of all ages,” he said.
Through events like Bike and Roll to School Day and programs like Get Kids Biking, the NYC DOT is working to create a culture of biking that starts with the youngest riders and builds toward a more resilient, sustainable, and connected city. The efforts of schools like Manhattan Country School highlight the impact of local leadership and community engagement in advancing this mission.
Read more about NYC DOT’s official announcement and citywide Bike and Roll to School Day efforts here.
