SchoolPool

When students and families walk, bike, bus or carpool to class, everyone wins. Kids learn healthy habits early, plus fewer cars at drop-off and pickup locations alleviate roadway congestion for all travelers. Keep reading to learn how easy it is to adopt a safe and sustainable school commute.

About Bellevue SchoolPool

Bellevue SchoolPool, a collaboration between City of Bellevue, King County Metro and Bellevue School District, encourages families and students to explore sustainable transportation options for their commute to and from school in order to alleviate congestion at drop-off and pickup times and zones around schools.

 

SchoolPool Updated Logo

 

Sign up for our fun and informative SchoolPool newsletter by clicking on the emoji!

How SchoolPool Works

The SchoolPool team assists Partner schools with running two SchoolPool campaigns during the school year – one in the fall, during the Walk & Roll to School Week, and one in the spring, during the Bike & Roll to School Week.

Marketing and promotional materials, stock communications, event assistance and more are available to support Partner schools’ efforts.

The SchoolPool team also assists all schools, including non-partner and private schools, interested in helping parents find carpools, walk pools ("walking school buses"), bike pools ("bike trains"), and bus buddies for school buses or public transit.

 

Check out this King County Metro video for youth aged 19 and under!

 

About Becoming a SchoolPool Partner School

Partnering with Bellevue SchoolPool is open to all elementary, middle and middle/high choice schools in the Bellevue School District, and in Bellevue. To participate in a given campaign, a school official, or a PTSA member needs to fill out a short participation questionnaire to sign up the school for the campaign that is sent to all schools prior to each campaign.

Participating involves implementing fall and spring week-long campaigns through signage, communications to students and families and distributing student encouragement items provided by SchoolPool. A list of past participating schools is here.

For promoting the campaigns, schools receive incentives - either a $1,200 monetary incentive or up to $2,500 for a mini-grant project for small capital or safety equipment/items related to program goals. For more mini-grant information, click here.

Extra Offerings for Schools

Pedbee mascot with principal

      

Pedbee costume "loan to own"

Kids love Pedbee, the city's pedestrian safety mascot! Now the city is offering to provide public schools in the Bellevue School District or in Bellevue with a free costume to call their own. If the costume is used at least six times over three years (with a year of grace); if not, the school can return the costume to the city. Costumes must be used for purposes that support traffic safety and trip reduction, including spring or fall SchoolPool campaigns and events that include a traffic safety theme. Promote pedestrian safety and create magical moments for your students at the same time! Contact us to learn more.

RideshareOnline Ridematching Networks

Schools are invited to set up ridematch networks for students and families through the regional RideshareOnline network managed by King County Metro. City and county staff can provide guidance and assistance with setting up and operating these networks each school year so that families at your school interested in carpooling can easily find each other. The RideshareOnline tool has functionality for school networks that are open only to families of students at your school. Families can use the RideshareOnline mapping and ridematch school to find other families nearby for coordinating carpooling to and from school and other activities. Management of the network is streamlined, with assistance offered to your school representatives every step of the way. We can potentially provide incentives as part of the program. Contact us to learn more!

Spring 2025 SchoolPool Campaign

The spring 2025 SchoolPool campaign (May 5-9) encouraged students and their families to bike, walk, roll, bus or carpool to school. The city provided students with a fun scavenger hunt and small encouragement items for all students. Participating schools received these items to distribute to students, plus marketing materials, sample messaging to families and a $1,200 direct monetary incentive. Click here to see a list of participating schools in spring 2025.

 

Reporting and Measurement

SchoolPool reporting

Read our narrative reports describing program activities, themes for each campaign, numbers of participating schools and more!

 

Annual Districtwide Travel Survey 2024

The voluntary Annual Districtwide Travel Survey provides data on how students travel to and from school, and helps evaluate the strategies for the Bellevue SchoolPool program, which aims to reduce drop-off and pick-up congestion at schools.

In spring 2024, 424 families provided answers for 620 students. The 2024 results (shown in bold) indicate that 38% of children are driven alone to and from school, and 62% (in total) use a different mode of transportation. The percentage of children being driven alone has decreased steadily since 2022!

School Attendance Area Pedestrian and Bicycle Maps

This is a great time to test out your walk or bike route to school! Go to our Interactive Routes to School Map and click on your school to find printable maps of pedestrian and bicycle facilities in your school’s attendance area.

Email us at BellevueSchoolPool@bellevuewa.gov to receive a hard copy of a map.

Spring 2023 Student Art Projects

In spring of 2023, over 200 students from participating schools submitted art projects to reflect their trips to school. Check out all of the art projects, including those that were selected to be featured on the fall 2023 campaign signage! Great work!

Resources for Schools and Families

Additional Resources