Biddeford students roll into school on the Bike Bus

It’s a Wednesday in Biddeford, and Biddeford Middle School teachers may notice that some students are a little more energized than others.

A possible explanation? Could it be that the bright and bouncy ones just rolled onto school grounds from a “bike bus,” a way for children to get themselves to school on two wheels, accompanied by adult staff and volunteers, while their classmates settled for a drop-off by parents or a ride on the school bus?

Welcome to the Bike Bus, a program offered Wednesdays by APEX Youth Connection, a Biddeford institution that’s been offering support via bicycling for young people since 2001.

Ensconced in their Granite Street headquarters, the organization is all about providing support to children and young adults ages 10-18, “…through hands-on activities and outdoor adventure, while fostering meaningful mentorships…” according to the APEX website.

Judging by the response of the middle school-aged students who participated May 6 -- also recognized state- and nation-wide as Bike to School Day, held annually during National Bike Month -- riding a bike to school with several APEX staff members and adult volunteers was a best way to start the day.

The 2025 decision by the City of Biddeford to create the community’s first bicycle lanes on Hill Street was an added inducement for the group. Departing from the facility on Granite Street, they made their way via a side street to Hill Street. With volunteers stopping traffic, they turned south and immediately steered to the right side of the road with its painted bike lane. While there is no physical separation between cyclists and motor vehicles, Hill Street has a wide paved area and the addition of painted bike lanes last year provides a somewhat safer feel for those who travel on two wheels.

Arriving at Biddeford Middle School, the students parked their bikes at bike racks and headed off to homeroom. Staff and volunteers responded to some familiar faces, snapped a couple of photos and mounted up for the pedal back to Apex.

“Throughout the past two years, I’ve seen a lot of positive growth in the students who participate in Bike Bus,” said Sarah Hoover, a program director at Apex. “(The buses) build community, help get kids safely to school, and are just plain fun!”

And, Hoover notes, upon becoming licensed drivers, these young people “…will be more likely to respect pedestrians and cyclists using the road.”

According to the APEX website, the benefits of biking to school in the morning and back to the APEX building or home in the afternoon are many:

- Health and Fitness: Studies show that students who are healthy, awake, and alert perform better at school. It also improves health by increasing daily physical activity and creating lifelong healthy habits, enabling kids to build strong bones, muscles and joints.

- Safety: Riding in a group increases visibility and safety. With trained leaders and experienced cyclists guiding the way, the Bike Bus provides a secure environment for children to navigate their route. It also increases traffic safety skills and confidence for students, through opportunities to learn about road safety and a safer environment to practice and improve abilities.

- Promotes Independence and Confidence: Biking to school encourages children to take responsibility for their daily commute, promoting independence and self-reliance! It also helps relieve parents from pick up/drop off responsibilities.

- Solves transportation issues: Such as reduced school bus service, dangerous traffic congestion at pick up/ drop off times, and student absences and tardiness due to transportation challenges.

APEX was established in 2001 as the Community Bike Center by Andy Grief in his home garage in west Kennebunk. Co-founder Al Zullo showed up at about the same time; he’d been working on an alternative education program at a local school. The two moved forward with the CBC, which gained 501c3 non-profit status in 2006.

In 2014 the CBC took a giant step, moving from the city-owned Hill Street storage shed it had occupied for several years into a renovated commercial building on Granite Street. The property includes acreage adjacent to Clifford Park, a young person’s outdoor paradise with rock climbing and mountain bike trails.

Currently the APEX program has four full-time and eight part-time employees. They offer a variety of programs, including the Open Ride exploratory bike ride program, Junior Bike Mechanics, Lego Robotics Club, and Teen Science Caf.

Five high school students, a volunteer/board member and two staff members are doing Saturday morning training rides in preparation for the Trek Across America, a three day, 180-mile bike trek on Father’s Day weekend held annually to raise money for the American Lung Society.

Examples of Apex successes abound. One youngster who spent several years in the CBC program took a job at a local bike shop in Saco while he pursued a degree at USM. Another pursued employment after graduating from Biddeford High School, but eventually came back to APEX as a volunteer, then as a part-time, and now a full-time employee. He is quick to credit APEX and the support it offered him for his steady progress as a young 20-something and is leaving later this month to hike the Appalachian Trail.

Wherever these young adults travel, bet that they take the APEX experience with them as they chart their course.

Bob Hamblen is a freelance writer from Saco. He can be reached at rhh0918@gmail.com.