By Lookout Staff

May 1, 2026 -- Santa Monica will celebrate the perks of life without a car during National Bike Month with two annual initiatives that offer free bus rides to students and bicyclists.

Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! Week -- which takes place next Monday through Friday -- "encourages students and their families to choose sustainable transportation options, such as biking, walking, or using public transit," transportation officials said.

For free BBB rides, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) students only need to show the driver a valid school ID.

Students who don’t have one can use a current report card, class schedule or an official letter from their school verifying enrollment, officials said.

On Thursday, May 14, during Bike Anywhere Day, the Big Blue Bus will offer free rides to bicyclists who bring their bike, folding bike or helmet on board a bus.

The City and partner organizations will host “pit stops” at various locations around the city and provide giveaways, resources and promotions to riders who participate. Click here for a map of stops.

To help protect pedestrians and bicyclists, the Santa Monica Police Department has been boosting its traffic safety operations, with the latest taking place today from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The operations focus "on the most dangerous driver behaviors that put the safety of people biking or walking at risk," police officials said.

The violations include "speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield or provide right of way to bicyclists or pedestrians, or failing to stop for signs and signals."

Today's operation marks the eighth Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Operation during the past 30 days.

Also today, the City is launching its automated bike lane enforcement program using cameras mounted on seven City parking enforcement vehicles "to capture videos of illegal parking events in bike-only zones."

Citations, however, will not be issued until July 1 following a mandatory 60-day warning period, City officials said ("Council Approves Funding for Automated Bike Lane Enforcement," April 21, 2026).

The stepped up enforcement comes as the number of Fatal and Severe Injury (FSI) crashes in Santa Monica has reached record levels.

There were 52 FSI crashes in the city last year, the second-highest number recorded over the past 15 years after soaring to a record high 62 crashes in 2024 ("Fatal, Severe Injury Crashes Fall," March 6, 2026).