Podcast: Bike Bus World Leader Sam “Coach” Balto

Portlander Sam Balto, known as “Coach Balto” by millions of adoring fans on the Internet, is riding a wave of enthusiasm for bike buses that is transforming transportation policy across America.

But before his viral videos, national media attention, and meet-and-greets with bigwigs like US Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and members of First Lady Jill Biden’s staff; Balto was just a summer camp counselor who just loved to work with kids. When he moved to Portland, I noticed his tactical urbanism projects and watched him evolve as an advocate. On Earth Day 2022 when I showed up to his first-ever bike bus at Alameda Elementary School, he told a crowd of kids and their families, “I think this is the start of something special.”

I don’t think any of us realized how prescient that statement would be.

Two years later, Balto has gotten so busy being a bike bus advocate and influencer that he’s taken a year off teaching duties to focus on growing the movement full-time. He’s a co-founder of Bike Bus World, a new organization that just received official nonprofit status (which gives him the fun title of Bike Bus World Leader).

In this episode, you’ll hear Balto share how he thinks bike buses (and walking school buses, traffic gardens, and other things that get kids doing active transportation) can help restitch our country’s social fabric. He also talks about how he wants to help build bike buses into something that has a greater impact than just the ride to school. When I asked if he wants bike buses to be funded on par with yellow school buses, he scoffed and said he’s shooting even higher: “I think we should put this on par with federal highway funding… anything is possible with money and political will.

“We demolished entire communities to make it easier for people to drive. The amazing thing about making it easier for children to walk and bike to school is that nobody’s gonna lose their houses. What are we waiting for?”

We also talked about how barriers to staring bike buses and a critique from some that they are only possible in wealthy areas. Balto said equity-based critiques might just be trolling from people who don’t like the idea of bike buses. And if they aren’t, he says the solution is more funding. “If that’s an issue that want you want see a bike bus in a less affluent communities, it’s going to require more resources, and our government has those resources, so let’s go to them to get those funds and resources.”

When it comes to the future of how bike buses interact with schools, Balto is very excited about recent grants from federal and local sources and says the vision of Bike Bus World is where every school has an active transportation specialist.

Yes his plans are grand. But Balto and his crew at Bike Bus World have momentum and they aren’t afraid of the moment. Next week Balto heads to Washington DC to visit a local school and join their bike bus. Through his connections with Sec. Buttigieg, Balto has connected with First Lady Jill Biden’s staff.

“You don’t get what you don’t ask for. So I reached back out and I was like, ‘Hey, can we do a bike bus to the White House? We’ll see what happens.”

Whether you want to lead a bike bus, already lead one, or are just excited at how this movement has potential to change neighborhoods across this country for the better, you don’t want to miss this conversation. Watch the video or listen in the players above or on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.