From cars to bikes: Montclair's Bike Bus gains momentum

MONTCLAIR, N.J. - There wasn’t much traffic on the streets of Montclair, NJ on Friday morning before school. No cars or school buses. However, there were many bikes.

This is the Montclair Bike Bus. A movement that has hundreds of two-wheelers hitting the pavement in this New Jersey suburb once a week. 

This new bike club was the brainchild of Montclair mom Jessica Tillyer who always bikes her way around town but found herself becoming a little uneasy doing it alone.

Tillyer got some moms together and told them to dust off their bicycles and get ready for the trek uphill. 

"Talking about the health of body and mind while doing this. Health of the environment," said mom Drury Thorpe.

Every Friday morning, the different bike bus groups have their own starting point where they kick off at different times picking up fellow bikers along the way. The cheerful group stops and waves at just about everyone as they make their way to their respective school. Some bike more than a mile to get there. Even members of the community volunteer to help with traffic. They call themselves the grey riders.

"I go ahead of them and stop at the intersections and I stop the cars and let the kids go through," said volunteer Phil Cantor.

The children who ride say they now feel like pros.

"You get to ride with your friends, and it’s better to use than a gas-powered vehicle."

"I really like that a lot of friends can join, and you can talk and ride to school. You don’t have to be sitting, and you get to be outside."

"It’s more nature friendly, and it’s just more fun."

The Montclair bike bus has completed its sixth week. This was the last Friday of the school year, but riders are starting back up in September, and hope that more people join.