Back to School with Coach Balto: Youth Empowerment and the Bike Bus Movement

In the latest episode of Conversations with Erica, I had an inspiring chat with my longtime friend and fellow advocate, Coach Sam Balto. Sam is a physical education teacher, the co-founder and executive director of Bike Bus World, and the driving force behind a global movement that’s transforming the way kids get to school.

What started as an experiment with walking school buses in Boston has grown into a worldwide phenomenon. Today, bike buses—organized group rides that bring kids to school together—are sparking joy, independence, and healthier habits for students while inspiring entire communities to rethink daily transportation.

Bike Bus Movement: From Boston Roots to Global Impact

Sam’s journey began while teaching in Roxbury, MA, where he saw firsthand how limited opportunities for physical activity were affecting his students. Determined to create a healthier start to the school day, he launched a walking school bus. The immediate response from kids and families showed him that something simple could have profound ripple effects.

Fast forward to today, and Sam has toured the world, riding with bike buses in multiple countries and supporting leaders who are creating their own versions of the movement. With more than 180 bike buses now active globally, the impact continues to spread.

Reflection Question

• Does your school have a walking or biking school bus?
• If not, who in your community might be interested in working with you to start one?

Benefits of Bike Buses: Building Confidence and Independence

One of the most powerful outcomes Sam highlights is the confidence kids gain when they participate. Riding with friends in a structured but playful setting gives them a sense of independence that many parents struggle to provide in today’s cautious culture. The bike bus offers a safe, joyful alternative that strengthens resilience and self-belief.

Sam describes bike buses as the “Swiss Army knife” of school solutions—addressing issues from absenteeism to student focus in class. Research shows that kids who are physically active before school perform better academically and socially, and the bike bus makes that activity both fun and community-building.

Reflection Question

What opportunities could you create in your community—whether at school, in your neighborhood, or through a local group—that combine fun, connection, and health the way a bike bus does?

You Don’t Need Permission to Create Change

A big part of Sam’s story is that he didn’t wait for someone else to authorize his ideas. He didn’t need a supervisor’s sign-off to start a walking school bus, and he didn’t need a city official to grant him permission to organize a bike bus. Instead, he trusted that building community and giving kids healthier, more joyful ways to get to school was a worthy investment—and he acted on it.

His message is clear: you don’t need permission to make your neighborhood better. When you focus on joy, community, and small steps that are doable, others will join in. What starts as a single idea can quickly grow into something bigger than you imagined.

Reflection Question

• Where in your own life have you been waiting for permission—at work, in your neighborhood, or in your community?
• What could you start doing now, even in a small way, to create positive change?

How Taking Initiative Changed Sam’s Career and Life

Starting a walking school bus wasn’t in Sam’s job description. Yet following his instincts—and later, launching bike buses—has energized his career in ways he couldn’t have anticipated. What began as a creative solution for his students’ health has grown into a fulfilling, mission-driven movement that is now shaping communities across the globe. "Start with what you can do," he advises.

Sam has turned his passion for biking, teaching, and community into a career that feels aligned with his values and strengths. It has made his work more rewarding, helped him connect with people worldwide, and expanded his influence far beyond the classroom. By taking initiative, experimenting, and learning along the way, he built a path that is both deeply impactful and personally meaningful.

Reflection Question

Where in your own career or life could you take initiative on something that excites you—something that might make your work more energizing, fulfilling, and aligned?

Listen to the Full Conversation with Coach Balto

Coach Balto’s work is about much more than bikes—it’s about empowerment, joy, and building communities where kids and adults alike can thrive.

🎧 Tune in to the full conversation here: Conversations with Erica

Explore More About Sam Balto and the Bike Bus Movement

Sam Balto has taught Physical Education for over a decade in Washington, DC, Boston, and Portland, Oregon. Since 2015, he has championed active transportation to school as a powerful way to boost student physical activity and strengthen school communities. After leading walking school buses for six years, Sam launched his first bike bus at Alameda Elementary in Spring 2022—and the rest is history.

His weekly bike bus has gained international attention, even bringing the conversation about children’s active transportation to The White House. The ride has drawn notable guests, including Justin Timberlake, who joined in and told Sam, “You’re bringing joy to a lot of people out here.”

Building on this momentum, Sam founded Bike Bus World, a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring and supporting communities everywhere to start their own bike buses. In 2025, Sam was also honored on the Grist 50 list as one of the top climate leaders to watch in policy and advocacy.

• Learn more at bikebus.world

• Follow Bike Bus World on Instagram: @bikebusworld

• Follow Coach Balto on Instagram: @coachbalto