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Our French schoolbus is a big bike!
Free “buses” in which children pedal to school under the supervision of a driver are proving popular.
Around 500 children in Louviers and nearby Normandy towns now go to school with a “coolducteur” (bus driver) instead of being driven in by their parents.
Ten buses, taking up to eight children each, pick up the children at home. They pedal between 1km and 5km, up to a maximum journey time of 45 minutes.
The driver controls the bus with a wheel and a brake.
Co-founder of S’cool Bus Amaury Piquiot said: “Some parents told us that the first day their child was so exhausted he went to sleep at six. It makes their lives easier and they save time – and the children are always ready and happy to go to school.”
It is also a way to teach children safety rules on the road, such as waving the hand when turning right or left.
The service is free and is paid for by the agglomeration Seine-Eure since 2016. Parents subscribe via the school or online.
