Creating a Bike to Work Day National Bike Month: May By: Candice Rilling

Reasons for Biking Source: Bicycling/Moving America Forward Promotes healthier lifestyles Creates jobs and supports independent businesses Lowers healthcare costs Strengthens family bonds Provides a recreational outlet for youth Builds closer-knit communities Reduces polluting emissions Decreases road congestion Lessens our dependence on foreign oil Source: Bicycling/Moving America Forward

Promoting Biking at Work A bike ride a day... Just three hours of bicycling per week can reduce a person’s risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%. Source: LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS

Bike to Work Day Overview Planning Dates, location, incentives, market, evaluation, and etc. Day of Bike to Work Day Pictures, enter in raffle, and etc. Evaluate Changes for next year

How to start Start with a plan Pick a leader; have either your wellness committee leader or a person be responsible for the Bike to Work Day event Set date and time and get approval from manager Identify goals of the event Have a timeline as to when you would like to complete the assign tasks Create committees or assign specific tasks to employee (planning/publicize the event, create a budget) Goals: how many people, how many miles, and etc.

Where to Begin? Designated start area/assess bike trails. Organize and get approval for employees to park at another place. If time permits; pick a weekend or a day and test out the route Once there is a date and time set then we need to ask ourselves Are employees able to ride their bike from home to work? If it is too far or unsafe to bike from home then… Have a volunteers test out a route

Reel Them In Budget for resources or incentives What about incentives? Resources may include: Get to Know Your Bike workshop Biking awareness workshop Helmets Bikes What about incentives? Resources in case employees do not have a bike or helmet. Biking awareness: Have an experienced biker teach employees bike safety or bring someone in Hand signals Laws associated with biking

Incentives Free Breakfast or Lunch Raffle T-Shirts (either prior to event or the day of) Bike related gear Gift cards/certificate T-shirt- they can wear for the day of the event or receive one when they arrive to work Bike related gear: lights, helmet

Promote! Create: flyers, newsletters, sample email message, etc. Use social media for reminders Registration form (online or paper)

Evaluate Why Evaluate? Plan for next year To see if goals were met To see what changes need to be made How to make Bike to Work day more successful Plan for next year

Resources in the Community Bike Surgeon You’re so Vane

Resource Bike Surgeon: Tricia Work Workshops Bike Safety, Bike Trails, Getting to know your Bike, and etc. Schedule to organize Address: 404 S Illinois Ave Carbondale, IL 62901 Phone: 618.457.4521 Hours: 10 am-5:30 pm Monday-Saturday Website: http://www.thebikesurgeon.com/ A long-term rental agreement can be arranged if needed Email: bikesurgeon@gmail.com

Resource 2 You’re So Vane Bicycle and Gift Shop Contact: Randy Address: 5 East Poplar St, Harrisburg, IL 62946 Offer Bike rentals Phone number: 618-294-8263 Website: http://youresovane.webhop.biz/YoureSoVane /Mission_Statement.html

During Bike to Work Day event Have someone take pictures of the event! Once employees arrive take a picture with them next to their bike! Have them sign a sheet or fill out a raffle card to track employees who participated in Bike to Work Day. Hand out T-shirts (optional). Breakfast (optional).

After Bike to Work Day Event Post pictures on social media Create a poster/presentation highlighting the event Include pictures, names of who participated, flyer, newsletter Raffle/Breakfast or Lunch Talk about the event How many employees participated Accomplished goals Evaluation Survey Plan for next year Determine changes to be made for next year To post picture on social media or on poster permission maybe needed. Participate- can list them by department if you choose too. Evaluation can be completed either using hard copy or online

Example

Alternatives to Bike to Work Day Healthy challenges within the different departments, men versus women, under 40 vs over 40, etc. and even other businesses. Awards breakfast Race: same starting location, riding the fastest to work