Frequently Asked Questions

Below are the most commonly-asked questions and answers about Bike & Walk to School Days. If your question isn't answered here, please contact BikeTexas via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

How do I get my school involved?

Become a team leader! The Team Leader Invitation describes the role of the lead volunteer. The Team Leader Checklist explains how to make the event a success in your community. Both are available on the Resources page.

What are Staging Areas, Bike Trains and Walking School Buses?

Parents are often more willing to allow their children to participate in biking and walking to school if they know there are other responsible adults accompanying their children, or if their child is part of a group. Help parents find others in their neighborhood by:

* Setting up a neighborhood staging area where children can meet and walk together to school
* Finding neighborhood leaders who are willing to organize and/or supervise groups of students biking (Bike Trains) or walking together (Walking School Buses)

How do I set up Staging Areas, Bike Trains and Walking School Buses?

Neighborhood Staging Areas

Neighborhood staging areas are important for getting groups together to emphasize kids are safer biking and walking together. This is an excellent opportunity to discuss safety and distribute safety information such as the Six Simple Steps to Staying Safe, the Texas Bicycle Laws & IMBA Rules of the Trail and the Helmet Sizing & Adjustment flyers available on our Resources page.

Staging areas are also helpful to students who live too far from school to walk all the way from home. Use a park, church parking lot or a shopping center that is approximately ¼ mile from the school. Obtain permission to use the space, and position yourself to be easy to find and away from traffic. Signs or banners can help make you more visible.

Recruit parent volunteers to accompany the children. Identify your volunteers as soon as possible. There should be at least two adults, one at the front of the group and one at the rear. With a large number of children, more adults are needed because the kids can get spread out and there could be more instruction needed depending upon the children’s ages. Locations of staging areas, names of group leaders and the time of departure must be included in your announcements for Bike & Walk to School Days.

Bike Trains

A Bike Train is a group of students supervised by at least two adults, the “engineer” and the “caboose”. Bike Trains are better suited for older students who are more experienced. Bike Trains may not need to be supervised, depending on the route and the level of training and ability of the children.

Parents should help students identify the safest route and practice that route in advance. Parents must know that children are aware of and practicing the Six Simple Steps to Staying Safe and following the Texas Bicycle Laws & IMBA Rules of the Trail. Parents should model traffic safety and proper helmet use. Parents and children must always wear a helmet which is correctly fitted: snug, level and secure.

Walking School Bus

A Walking School Bus is a group of children led by adult volunteers who walk to school together. Parents must model traffic safety and must know that children are aware of and practicing the Six Simple Steps to Staying Safe. The adults should wear reflective vests or other items with high visibility. The adult could also pull a wagon carrying the students’ backpacks and projects.

How can I promote the event?

There are promotional materials available through the Resources page. Bike & Walk to School Day promotional materials include: Flyers, Posters, School Loudspeaker Announcements, and School Newsletter Announcement.

How can I obtain healthy treats and prizes?

You could contact local businesses and organizations to help sponsor or support your efforts. Restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops might be willing to donate healthy snacks and drinks for kids and parents to enjoy when they arrive at school. Stores that sell school supplies or sporting goods might help by donating items that can be used for prizes for the students. Local community service groups, such as the Lion's Club or Rotary Club could volunteer to walk with groups of children, be volunteer crossing guards or help host the welcome table at school.

You can thank the businesses and organizations for their sponsorship and support by creating signage at the event recognizing them and by listing them in the press release or on your school website. Be sure to send them a thank-you note after the event.

How do I make the event fun and help our children learn the value of biking and walking?

Bike & Walk to School Month and BikeTexas Safe Routes to School are all about our kids! We need to help them realize how important taking responsibility of their own health and safety is. By making it fun for kids to prepare for and participate in Bike & Walk to School Days, you will help them begin to realize the importance of their own health and safety.

Check out the FUNdamental Activities for Kids information and other educational materials on the Resources page.

Thank you for your interest and participation in Bike & Walk to School Month!

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