Attendees at this year’s national political conventions might think they’ve accidentally landed in Bedrock. And no, I’m not talking about Nancy Pelosi’s penchant for Wilma-like necklaces or some polititians’ prehistoric attitudes toward women. I’m talking about the newest way to get around host cities Tampa and Charlotte: eight-passenger buses that are powered by passengers’ feet.

Freewheelin, the people-powered transportation system, has built mini-buses equipped with a set of bicycle pedals for each passenger. Convenient “bus-cycle” stops located around the convention center make using the buses an easy, emission-free way to grab lunch or a quick nap between speeches. All a passenger needs to do is sign in with a Freewheelin ambassador, get a card with a personalized code, and head to the nearest stop.

Despite the general Republican aversion to anything that even hints at clean energy, the Republicans are said to have enjoyed this innovative, environmentally friendly mode of transportation as much as anyone on the other side of the aisle. According to Freewheelin, RNC delegates took more than 1,250 rides, burning over 18,000 calories and saving nearly 600 tons of carbon emissions during their convention last week. I am guessing they didn’t complain about the buses’ ability to navigate through narrow spaces, drive across plazas and avoid the kind of traffic that normally sets in when tens of thousands of visitors descend on a city.

The buses were created by Humana insurance company as an expansion of its employee bike-sharing program, which also provided a thousand free bikes at the 2008 conventions. The fleet now includes 20 buses, each of which holds eight passengers and one driver. The ones wheeling around the convention centers were made specifically for this use, with fiberglass bodywork and hard roofs – a different look than the canopy-topped types often seen at beaches and resorts.

And the buses will see use past the conventions as well. Humana will donate five of the cycle buses to the Tampa Downtown Partnership, and five more to Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation in Charlotte. Both cities will also receive a fruit and water cart.

Main image credit: Freewheelin