On a sunny fall morning, students on bikes — wearing helmets and backpacks — gathered with their parents near Watchung Plaza in Montclair, New Jersey, for their ride to elementary schools.

Volunteers in bright orange safety vests made sure everyone was ready before the group set off on their five-mile “bike bus” route.

Every few blocks, more students and parents joined in. The group grew to over three hundred and fifty riders that morning. Older students chatted with friends, while younger ones focused on pedaling. Cars along the route stopped to let the riders pass before the group ended at Nishuane Elementary School.

It’s a familiar Friday morning scene in Montclair. For the past three years, what began as a small group of parents hoping to encourage their kids to bike to school has grown into a weekly ritual — and a regular commute option for many families.

The movement isn’t new. There are now hundreds of bike buses around the world — from Spain and England to Australia and Brazil — according to Sam Balto, who launched a successful bike bus in Portland, Oregon, more than three years ago.

Organizers hope the bike bus movement will not only get more children on their bikes but also push elected officials in the United States and abroad to invest in safer biking infrastructure.

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AP Video by Tassanee Vejpongsa