The origins of Santa Monica’s “Bike It! / Walk It!” initiative trace back to a student-led effort at Santa Monica High School in 2007. At that time, the Samohi Solar Alliance—a student environmental club—launched a “Bike It Day” to encourage students and families to choose bicycling instead of driving to school.
Over the years, the program expanded — first to include walking (hence “Walk It!”), then to include transit (hence “Bus It!”) — and was eventually formalized as a weeklong event across multiple schools in the district.
By its second or third year, middle and elementary schools joined, and participation grew from hundreds to thousands of students walking, biking, or using the bus. The initiative also became integrated into the city’s Safe Routes to School framework, supported by partnerships among the school district, the City of Santa Monica, parent–teacher organizations, and local advocacy groups.
Over time, the one-day “Bike It Day” evolved into Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! week, with complementary programming such as bike “trains,” walking school buses, safety workshops, route planning, and competitions among schools.
One high point in the program’s recognition came in June 2011, when President Barack Obama awarded a Presidential Commendation to the leadership of the Samohi “Bike It! Day” movement. santamonica.gov The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency described the students’ work as “inspiring” and cited their example as motivating others to adopt active transportation. santamonica.gov
Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! Week is back next week: Monday, October 6, through Friday, October 10, with another week of FREE RIDES for Santa Monica K-12 students. During Bike It! Bus It! Walk It! Week students are encouraged to try eco-friendly modes of transportation like walking, biking, or taking transit to school.
There are two easy ways K-12 students attending school in Santa Monica can ride Big Blue Bus for free during Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! Week:
1. Use Your GoPass TAP Card
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) participates in Metro’s GoPass Program. With GoPass, students can ride free on Metro, Big Blue Bus, and 11 other participating transit agencies in LA County at any time and for any purpose, including during Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! Week.
2. Show Your Valid School ID to the Operator
Show your valid school ID to the Big Blue Bus Operator when boarding, and your ride is free during Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! Week. Don’t have a school ID? We’ll also accept a current report card, class schedule, or an official letter from your school verifying enrollment.
Plan a trip with your friends and classmates from October 6, 2025, to October 10, 2025!
