What is a bike bus and why are parents loving them so much?

For years, the school drop-off line has been one of the defining rituals of suburban life: a long queue of idling SUVs inching toward the curb while stressed parents try to make it to work on time and kids stare at their phones in the back seat.

But in a growing number of communities around the world, another option is starting to catch on: the bike bus.

And parents are absolutely loving it.

Despite the name, a bike bus doesn’t involve an actual bus at all. Instead, it’s a group ride where children bike to school together along a planned route, usually accompanied by parents or volunteer adults.