Active Transportation News

Take the Bicycle Transportation Alliance's Bike Commute Challenge - September 2010

Bike (Walk-Transit-Carpool) to Work Ideas

Gather a group of interested volunteers to share the work and fun.
Determine if you have a bidget for prizes or muffins or ...

Decide on the details:

• Date(s).
• Get the boss to participate.
• Check out DriveLessSaveMore.com for resources and ideas.
• Check out the WTA website.
• Layout the benefits: get some exercise, save some money (examples), end the fight for a parking space, more...
• Decide on prizes or awards (gift cards or silly prizes from The Dollar Store).
• Decide on how to award the prizes: drawing; most days using sustainable transportation; reaching their pledged goal; being a champion/bike buddy to convince others to try going another way.
• Do you want to have people record their trips for prizes or awards: WTA offers a tally sheet you can edit; or individuals can register on DriveLessSaveMore.com and print off the calendar (It's not very elegant a printout. Savings will also be computed.
• Plan a kick-off event and a closing celebration/awards event.
• Think up crazy elements: decorate your helmet to reflect your future; decorate the nearest bike stop shelter or pole (Go ahead, waht's TriMet gonna do!); print signs for people to post at their cube: 'Ibiked today; I saved #3.50 today; I read (or slept) on the way to work, etc'
• Will you calculate the carbon saved, gas saved, money saved, calories expended?

• Create a poster for the break room and other well-populated areas: how the event works and benefits of participating.
• Create a series of email messages; how it works and benefits.
• Create a pledge card for personal goal setting.
• Publicize location of showers, lockers, bike parking.
• Communicate to employees how it all works.
• At the end, announce the cumulative data you decided to count (carbon, gas, money, calories).
  

Employee Activities

• Attend the kick-off event.
• Sign a pledge card to try x days by bike, etc.
• Tally their trips.
• Sign up for categories of prizes.
• Participate in the crazy elements.
• Get gift cards or muffins or certificates or silly prizes from The Dollar Store.
• Attend the closing/awards presentations.
• Have fun!

United States Department of Transportation Policy on Bicycle & Pedestrians - shifting in a positive direction

Signed on March 11, 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) annouced its policy statement to reflect the Department's support for "the development of fully integrated transportation networks". Recognizing the importance of bicycle and pedestrian networks, the department stated that bike/ped design should be part of Federal-aid project developments. Through this policy change, the USDOT encouraged state and local transportation officials to strive for more bike/ped inclusion in transportation development plans for numerous reasons including, more livable, physical activity & health, reduced emissions and fuel use.

The WTA is extremely excited by this new federal outlook and looks forward to a more integrated transportation policy to take effect across the nation.

To read more, access the U.S. Department of Transportation website.