I found these fantastic photos of the new “school buses” on Toronto Island at Sarah Rosensweet’s blog, sweet thing(s). Here’s the story behind them:

Many of you know that the Island we live on is a car-free community (about 700 people in 250 houses on one end of Toronto Island- a skinny 6 km piece of mostly parkland, a 10 minute ferry ride from downtown Toronto)

Service vehicles are allowed, including schoolbuses, but Asa’s school recently gave up their little bus.  Last year the one teacher who had a bus license left the school, and instead of getting another licensed teacher, the whole school walked everyday to and from school.  it is a 20+ minute walk from the ferry docks to the school- great exercise for the older kids but a bit hard for little 2 year old legs twice a day- and sometimes in heavy rain, wind, or snow.

through grants, donations, and fundraisers- like selling t-shirts and lemonade and bike-a-thons the school raised enough money to buy the cargo bike and bicycle cart (built by an Islander with a custom bike cart company)

these bikes and the commitment of the school to car-free living make me so happy!

For more photos visit sweet thing(s) here.

Cargo bikes are going to be big in Toronto this summer. BikingToronto contributor cFletch has also introduced one to her family’s life, check it out on her blog Fletcher Five.