Bike to Work Week: Planning Guide

Guidance

Advocacy:

1. Set Up a Window Display

It's a great way to create a sense of excitement around BTWW events. It can also help you organize BTWW. Include a map of suggested routes. The display could offer safety tips or encourage people to sign up for rides, or attend your - or our - events. Or simply hang a banner welcoming bike commuters.

2. Host a Commuter Breakfast or PM refreshments

There are many benefits to holding a breakfast station for Bike to Work Week. A private company breakfast encourages your employees -- especially new cycle commuters -- to ride and boost morale. A public breakfast is also a great way to demonstrate corporate concern for the environment and for the community.

Breakfast events usually run about two hours -- from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. to allow for flex time schedules. If the early hours don't work for you, consider an after-work open house with refreshments. What you serve is up to you, but remember that bicycling to and from work builds an appetite. It's rarely a problem, but check with us if you would like to ensure that your event does not conflict with other events in your area.

3. Register or Tally Bike Commuters

Documenting participation in BTWW can serve as an incentive to make your workplace more bicycle- friendly. These numbers will help us convince government to improve bicycling conditions. Make it fun by creating and displaying a graphic of a bicycle wheel - people can sign their names on the spokes. Or take a group photo for all the commuters to sign. We've included a sample registration form (Appendix C) in this guide, which requests information needed for matching bike commuters with each other. Check with us about a free BTWW raffle - any forms we receive by Thursday of BTWW from anywhere in Massachusetts will be entered into a drawing held on Friday afternoon!

4. Invite Speakers

Invite environmental heroes or seasoned commuters to speak about the wonders of cycling. Call us for suggestions.

5. Have a Bicycle Commuting Fair

Distribute information about bicycle commuting and about the economic, health, and environmental benefits of bicycling. Environmental groups, bicycle clubs and shops, and health foundations can be great exhibitors or sources of information. See the order form at the back of this planning guide!

6. Hold a Bike Maintenance or Commuting Seminar

Maybe it's a brown bag lunch or after-hours get-together to discuss the best routes to specific locations and other commuting questions.- all you need is a conference room. Or arrange for free tune-ups or advice on mechanical problems and equipment. We may be able to send someone free of charge.

7. Offer Prizes

Award T-shirts, bicycle equipment, books, videos, gift certificates, etc. to bicycling employees or customers who register during BTWW. Contact local businesses in your area to participate. Many businesses donate prizes to our raffle - contact us!

8. Lead Group Rides

Invite employees, customers and friends to join lunch-time or morning rides during Bike to Work Week. Need pointers on setting up group rides in your workplace, or info on routes or other rides in your area? Give us a call.

9. Include BTWW in your newsletter, on bulletin boards, or have a Special Phone line

Provide a way for bike commuters to obtain information about best routes to the work place, or facilities such as bike parking and showers.

10. Take the Plunge - Install Bicycle Parking, Showers, Lockers, Changing Facilities; offer financial incentives

Make your workplace or store more bicycle friendly and bicycle commuting is sure to grow! We can answer questions about racks and placement (ask for our Bicycle Parking brochure). Showers benefit lunchtime joggers and people who move heavy loads, too! We would like to showcase new bicycle- friendly businesses.

Business Associations

Schools and Community Groups

Environmental Groups

Retail Businesses - Bike Shops, Book, Video Stores, Cafes, etc.

Bike Clubs

Fitness Clubs

Find a Coordinator to Develop a BTWW Organizing Team:

Find "Spokespeople" -- a BTWW Rep From Each Department:

The idea behind BTWW is to make cycling to work less threatening. Spokespeople could leave a bicycle fact sheet or two on someone's desk, hold "trial run" or "warm-up" group rides or safety seminars. BTWW reps should let everyone know what Bike to Work Week is, and that during Bike to Work Week at least, cycling is being encouraged and celebrated by management and co-workers.

One of the best ways that department representatives can convince people that cycling is not only a viable, but a pleasurable option, is to cycle in to work and not hide the fact. Sharing your positive cycling experiences, or just making it obvious that you're cycling to work and loving it makes the thought of trying it -- just once -- intriguing. And chances are that "just once" will mark the beginning of one of the most constuctive habits around...

What's more, when the boss or a coworker is riding her bike to work, or when someone you've been meaning to get to know comes in and plops his helmet on his desk, the motivation factor increases tenfold, especially when your route just "happens" to coincide with theirs. Of course there are many variations on this theme, like making yourself indispensable to the budding bicycle culture in your department by reading up on the commuting literature and being a wealth of information on the safest and most scenic routes from point A to point B (see bibliography at the back of this guide).

Set a Date, a Time, a Timeline and an Organizational Strategy

Bike to Work reps should meet only as often as needed to keep their activities coordinated. Begin informing your co-workers in March. In April or one month before your event, begin an intensive publicity campaign. But don't worry if you're short on time - just do whatever you can to get the word out, and consider a bigger event next year. Still not sure what type of event to host? Give us a call!

Choose a Location

Consider Giveaways and Incentives

Promote Safety

Encourage people to test-ride their intended route during quiet hours on a weekend day so that they can learn about potential trouble spots, such as pot holes and storm drains, without having to be as concerned about the traffic.

And encourage people to use good judgement. Information and safety materials cannot replace individual responsibility when it comes to rider safety.

Arrange for Facilities

The best parking is in a well-lit, sheltered, public area. Temporary parking can be made available by using barricades or by clearing out a room for bike storage (all employees should bring their own locks). Contact us if you need a list of bike rack manufacturers, or to brainstorm about extra bike parking.

Shower and changing facilities are essential in many work environments. If your company has a fitness center with changing rooms and shower facilities, make them available to bicycle commuters. No fitness center? How about making arrangements with an office nearby that does, or contact a local fitness center about using their changing facility. During BTWW, a number of Boston area fitness centers will be providing free showers for bicyclists.

Is your company remodeling or trying to become more bicycle-friendly by adding permanent facilities? Let us know - we would like to showcase your efforts during and after BTWW.

Make It Last

Spread the Word from the Start:

Promote Your Event

Keep Us Posted

For Individuals and Corporations

Energy and Time Efficiency -- Personal and Corporate

Economics

The Physical and Cycle-Logical Benefits

Bike Commuting is Eco-Logical

Cycling Builds Community

Bicycles are great for neighborhood and business development because they are far more flexible and maneuverable than cars. Bikes do not pose nearly as big a hazard to pedestrians as do autos; imagine you and your kids being able to safely walk down the street.

It's Hip

I'm Not Fit Enough.

It just doesn't go with my wardrobe.

What about the weather?

I'd have to freshen up.

My bike is too old/I don't have a bike.

If you don't have a bike at all, you can get one inexpensively: Go to a police auction, watch for sales, check the classifieds in your newspaper or a classified AD magazine. You can even check your local transfer station, or keep your eyes open on trash day. People often throw away perfectly useful bicycles. When considering the price of a bicycle, think of how much you spend per year on other forms of transportation!

There's nowhere to park.

What about traffic?

If you are already a recreational cyclist or a racer, you should adapt fairly quickly to commuter cycling. If you're a little less experienced, try your commute in non-rush hour time on the weekend, or ride with a buddy. We will be providing safety information and riding tips for your transportation fairs or lunch time seminars, and with enough notice we could send a speaker free of charge. Boston's Bike Map indicates routes that are especially suited to safer commuting, and experienced commuters are often glad to lead novice cyclists. In fact, we're organizing group rides throughout greater Boston, and businesses and transportation management agencies are doing the same around the state. We'll also be talking to motorists about sharing the roads during Bike to Work Week.

It's really important, during Bike to Work Week and every week, that people go at their own pace. While we want to promote cycling, we also want to make sure people feel confident on two wheels, because confidence is the first pre-requisite for safe cycling.

Admittedly, if a colleague hasn't ridden a bike in years, they may be hesitant about attempting commuter cycling. Perhaps their role in Bike to Work Week should be to try recreational cycling as a first step to becoming a successful bike commuter...sometime down the road. It's never too late -- Leo Tolstoy didn't learn to ride a bicycle until he was 67 years old.

Appendix A -- Bike to Work Week Possibilities - a Checklist

Be an Example:

Offer encouragement:

Get the word out:

Eliminate barriers and make it last:

Many people in the U.S. are beginning to catch on to something Europeans have known for years: bicycle transportation is one of the sanest solutions to city traffic woes. In fact, thousands of Bostonians regularly cycle to work or school.

Bicycle commuting makes good sense -- here are six good reasons to consider oiling up your old faithful and getting out onto the street:

1. Bikes are Efficient

For short trips, bicycles are actually quicker than cars. People are sometimes surprised to find that, even riding slowly, they get to work earlier on a bike than they would driving or by subway. Once at work, bikes can be especially helpful for that quick trip to the post office, the lunch meeting, or the photocopy center. Even co-workers who are intimidated by the thought of a thirty mile bicycle commute might enjoy having a bike to use at work. Almost everyone makes short trips for which bikes are ideal.

2. Bikes are Healthy

If you're riding four miles three days a week, you're maintaining minimum fitness levels. Of course, you may feel apprehensive about the kind of health risk that goes along with cycling -- the kind with four wheels and fenders. Studies show that bicycling reduces risks of heart disease, cancer, and that experienced cyclists face no more risk of injury or death than do motorists. You can greatly reduce the possibilities of injury on a bike by taking a few precautions: Obey the Rules. Your bike is like any other vehicle; know and obey all the rules of the road. Running lights and stop signs may shorten both your ride and your life! Be seen. Don't surprise drivers with unexpected moves. Signal your intentions, and claim the safe space you need. At night, wear bright or reflective clothing and use headlights and tail lights. Tune your bike. Keep your bicycle in good working order. WEAR A HELMET! It's better to wear a helmet you don't need than to need a helmet you're not wearing.

3. Bikes are economical

No gas, free parking, negligible upkeep, how can you beat it? The cost of buying and maintaining a roadworthy bike in Boston is less than the cost of using public transit.

4. Bikes are environmentally friendly

What other vehicle emits no noxious fumes, uses up none of the earth's non-renewable resources and creates no loud, unpleasant noise? Well, yes, a rickshaw. But cyclists also deserve to feel good about themselves, environmentally speaking.

5. Bikes Are Good for the Region

Regional Planners all over North America are starting to regret that they didn't plan for bicycles earlier in the century. Nowadays, cities and suburbs are beginning to take the needs of cyclists into consideration. The more bike riders, the less parking problems, traffic snarl-ups and smog.

6. Bikes Are Fun

It needs little elaboration; there's nothing like the feeling of coasting down a gentle hill with a warm breeze on your face, watching the rest of the world from behind the handlebars of your bike.

Bike to Work Week Registration, Survey, Raffle Ticket

I hereby assume all the risks inherent in any bicycling activity and release and hold harmless any Bike to Work Week organizers, any of the cities or towns through which my route will pass, and any sponsors, fiscal agents or employees of any and all claims and liabilities arising from participation in BTWW events this week. I have full knowledge of the risks involved, and I am fit to participate.

__Please don't put me on your mailing list

Signature___________________________________________	Today's date______________
Name______________________________________________	Company/Org_________________________
Street______________________________________________	Address_____________________________
City_____________________ State___ Zip________________	Work hours___________________________
Nearest major street to home__________________Phone - Eve.:__________________      Day:_________________
Days I'm riding this week:  Su  M  T  W  Th  F  Sa		How many miles is your commute?______
How do you get to work when you're not biking?_____________How many days/wk do you normally bike in? ______
What keeps you from riding (circle all that apply):
Rain		Snow		Cold		Distance	Childcare	Need Car	Presentability
__ I'd like to see these bicycling improvements:____________________________________(continue on other side)
__ I'd like to be a Bike Buddy (__help a new commuter get started   __have a companion to ride with)   
__ I'd like to get involved in a local bicycle committee
__ I'd like to help pass pro-bicycle legislation

I hereby assume all the risks inherent in any bicycling activity and release and hold harmless any Bike to Work Week organizers, any of the cities or towns through which my route will pass, and any sponsors, fiscal agents or employees of any and all claims and liabilities arising from participation in BTWW events this week. I have full knowledge of the risks involved, and I am fit to participate.

__ Please don't put me on your mailing list
Signature___________________________________________	Today's date______________
Name______________________________________________	Company/Org_________________________
Street______________________________________________	Address_____________________________
City_____________________ State___ Zip________________	Work hours___________________________
Nearest major street to home__________________Phone - Eve.:__________________      Day:_________________
Days I'm riding this week:  Su  M  T  W  Th  F  Sa		How many miles is your commute?______
How do you get to work when you're not biking?_____________How many days/wk do you normally bike in? ______
What keeps you from riding (circle all that apply):
Rain		Snow		Cold		Distance	Childcare	Need Car	Presentability
__ I'd like to see these bicycling improvements:____________________________________(continue on other side)
__ I'd like to be a Bike Buddy (__help a new commuter get started   __have a companion to ride with)   
__ I'd like to get involved in a local bicycle committee
__ I'd like to help pass pro-bicycle legislation

Play detective. Discover what you're up against by talking to building personnel. Are bikes allowed in the building? In the elevator? If not, why? Can cyclists use the freight elevator? Who sets policy? Was there an incident involving a bicycle? What are the objections to bikes? This will prepare you to meet resistance with logic. Opposition to bike access is often based on misperception, not a reasonable weighing of problems and benefits. As for incentives, what incentives does your company offer motorists (e.g., free parking)? Transit users (free transit passes?)

Set Up A Bicycle Users Group (BUG), a network of cyclists who work together to improve bicycle facilities.

Start by talking to all potentially interested people in your workplace: cyclists, runners, skaters, athletes, and health- and environment- conscious people. Talk to people who work on other floors or for other companies nearby; approach anyone locking a bike in front of your workplace. If you're not sure who your allies are, post flyers, circulate a memo or electronic mail.

Next, hold a meeting to discuss your needs. Is it secure bike storage? Showers and changing facilities? Financial incentives similar to those transit users and/or drivers get (a transportation allowance to be used for car parking, transit, or bicycle maintenance)? Maybe a group of you simply want to ride or do other events together. If approaching others isn't your style, you can certianly wage a one-person campaign; there have been successful ones. But joining forces with others is usually most effective.

Make your case. Tom Fortmann of BBN advises bicyclists to go to building management (the person or people who set policy; forget the maintenance person). This may involve finding a high-ranking person from your company to negotiate access with management. Offer a reasonable plan that doesn't cost too much. Do some homework first; find someone who knows the physical set-up and rules. Locate where bikes could go without upsetting anyone. Then use the list of people who already ride, plus those who say they might do so if the facilities were better. Get them to write letters, cc the city or town Transportation or Public Works department, and follow up letters with phone calls.

Be prepared to explain the benefits of bicycling: bicyclists don't get caught in traffic so are more punctual, not to mention healthy and productive, that bicycling reduces employees' travel expenses, and that it's good community relations - cleaner air and less traffic in the neighboring area. Every bike ridden reduces the area needed for parking cars (although that argument is weak in this climate, a number of bicycle commuters - about a fifth - ride all year). Point out that the company gets brownie points from various state and federal agencies for encouraging environmentally friendly modes of transport. Increasingly, companies will be required to implement Clean Air Act requirements, which call for reduced car commuting. And remember, companies like BBN have been doing this for years; they even highlight bike parking and showers in their recruiting literature! Contact EarthWorks TransportAction for a copy of our pamphlet explaining the benefits of bike commuting to employers.

Once you've convinced them of the benefits of bicycle commuting, use reason and logic. For example, point out the faulty logic behind permitting hand trucks while prohibiting bikes in the freight elevator. If it's showers or changing areas you're after, here's where joggers, skaters, and even people who get sweaty lifting heavy loads during the day can help. At many companies, non-cyclists use the showers much more than cyclists! Cultivate these potential users as allies.

Be constructive: Make it clear that you don't want to create problems. If you can't get in the front door, offer to use a freight elevator. Tell them you'd be satisfied with a policy that requires cyclists to wait for an empty elevator -- or whatever it takes to get a program started. Tell them about the many companies that welcome bike commuters; see below.

Keep us posted: We want to report your success stories, and know about problems. This will help others gain access.

Ride anyway: A nearby garage or building may offer bike parking, even if yours doesn't respond positively (we have a list).

Appendix E -- Existing Bike to Work Programs

Boston Region Programs

Longwood Medical and Academic Area (LMAA), Boston:

MASCO (Medical, Academic, and Scientific Community Organization), established by the fifteen institutions in the LMAA, oversees the CommuteWorks program, which helps students and employees plan their commute by informing them on mass transit options, ride sharing, walking and bicycling. To promote bicycling as an alternative to driving, MASCO organized a bike fair in September, 1993, with several hundred participants. Numerous bike shops and cyclist organizations provided workshops on bike safety and information on bike maintenance. Employees new to the area are informed of the full range of transportation possibilities in orientations presented monthly by MASCO at their place of employment. As a result of this encouragement, 1,000 (5%) of the 20,000 LMA employees bike to work. Contact: Adrienne Hall, 617-623-2310

Mass. General Hospital:

South End Hospitals:

Bolt Beranek and Newman (BBN):

At that time the shower facilities were primitive, but a new building included lockers and exercise rooms. When BBN acquired the building at 70 Fawcett Street, Cambridge with some indoor parking, a wire cage was provided for bikes, as well as locker/excercise facilities. Currently BBN bicyclists are working to improve the bike parking at the 150 CambridgePark Drive building, right next to Alewife Station at the end of the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway. Because current bike racks and lockers have caused problems, the solution of choice is another shed arrangement.

BBN highlights bike parking and showers in its recruiting literature. For more info: Tom Fortmann, Vice President, BBN Systems and Technologies, 10 Moulton Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. Phone: (617)873-3521, Fax: (617)873-2794, Email: fortmann@bbn.com

Optical Vision: Economic Incentives:

Outside the Boston Area

Ride matching for bicyclists: Sacramento RideShare includes a Buddy Bicyclist matching service. Contact for more info is Jeff Roenspie, bicycle specialist, at 916-327-0733. Mass. General Hospital also started a service during BTWW 1994 (see above).

Appendix F -- A Few Resources on Bicycling

Electronic Resources

Bicycle Coalition of Massachusetts

Conservation Law Foundation

EarthWorks TransportAction

Third Edition: March, 1995

Written and Edited by: Bill Taylor, Bridget Chase, Toronto City Cycling Committee, Louise Bergeron, Jonathan Magaziner, Doug Mink, Alana Dudley, Jennifer Petzen, Terry O'Brien, Scott Banville, John Allen, Mark O'Sullivan, Annette Ramos, Liane Allen, Andrew Nicholson