S'Cool Bus: School Bus Collection Stopped

Brought from the Netherlands, the vélobus school bus concept arrived in France via Normandy in 2014. The latest modifications made by S'Cool Bus are awaiting homologation. Will the senator's appeal to resolve the situation be heard?

Basically, S'Cool Bus was born with a group of friends willing to encourage parents and students to relocate. Installed in the Rouen sector (76), they felt driven by strong values. Ecology, respect for others and solidarity. After 2 years of testing, crowdfunding raised 12 euros. The original association was replaced by a company. In 000, the Seine-Er agglomeration, which brings together about sixty municipalities, also wanted to try this experience. It was then that Anatole France's elementary school in Louviers (2016) was able to experiment with the S'Cool bus. And this morning and evening for about two and a half years. Since then, other municipalities have joined the movement.

8 students + Coolducer

The Dutch company Tolkamp Metaalspecials stood behind the vehicle that supported the S'Cool bus. The structure can accommodate eight children: 3 for the responsible adult and 5 next to them. Everyone recovers before putting their helmet and fluorescent yellow vest in the trunk of their backpacks. Thanks to the mesh under the passengers, nothing or almost nothing can fall onto the road during the trip.

The base machine, dubbed BCO, weighs 130 kg with batteries. Students and their guide engage in traction by pedaling. Without it, a bike bus would not have gotten far with one package. Initially installed, the size of a regular electric bicycle, it allowed to travel about twenty kilometers, only occasionally exceeding 15 km / h. The S'Cool Bus is equipped with electric indicators. But also 4 speeds, reverse gear and reverse pedal braking system. In collaboration with the Dutch car inventor, the French company hopes to open its own assembly plant. 

Feedback from students and parents

In a video of just under 30 minutes, S'Cool Bus received very positive reviews. Let the children speak first. 55% of them feel in their best shape thanks to the bike bus. The device is an additional source of motivation for studying at school for 94% of students. This is a real opportunity to develop knowledge of the rules of the road code.

For the most part, parents attribute the greatest autonomy to the vehicle they see in their kids. 82% of adults notice positive changes in their children from CP to CP2. Waking them up seems easier with the prospect of being picked up on the S'Cool bus. Overall, 86% of parents admit that they have changed the way they get around because of this experience. Shorter trips are easier on foot or with small, padded mobility aids.

Stopped network due to lack of approval

Over time, S'Cool Bus has developed into a service provider for communities and employers of refrigeration companies. With an increasing number of requests, the company from Primorskaya Seine decided to increase the capacity of the bike.

Thus, the power of its electric motor has increased from 250 to 1 W. Except that the car is no longer compliant with the regulations for an electric bike. Therefore, from the beginning of the September 000 school year, the service was stopped due to a lack of authorization. At the same time, Jacques Fernik, who was elected Senator from Lower Rhine, defended the S'Cool Bus idea in front of the Minister of the Environment, Barbara Pompili. The request for an exception, published December 2020 in the Official Senate Gazette, remains unanswered.

These are 12 jobs, 450 registered children and six municipalities of the Seine-Ayr agglomeration, which are suspended by a decision concerning 15 copies of the Normandy velobus. However, this type of public transport poses an economic, social and environmental problem. Counting on changes in legislation is like waiting for months, if not years. That's why goodwill is sometimes lacking when we're going in the right direction.

S'Cool Bus: the mobility of the future