Description
This measure provides financial incentives or subsidies to reduce the cost of active transportation. It includes gifting bikes and supplies such as helmets, lights, step counters, and other supplies to a community. When combined with educational and marketing campaigns give-aways are most effective.
Implementation Details
- Partner with nonprofits, school districts, and youth programs to identify eligible recipients in priority equity zones.
- Procure bicycles and accessories (e.g., locks, helmets, lights) through joint purchasing or sponsorships with bike shops and safety coalitions.
- Host annual distribution events in community centers or schools, paired with bike safety clinics and group rides led by SunLine or local bike clubs.
- Include a registration system to collect data on distribution, user demographics, and travel habits, and provide follow-up support or maintenance workshops.
- Evaluate the program’s impact on youth mobility and travel behavior using pre/post surveys and school travel tallies.
- Coordinate give-aways with employer TDM campaigns to maximize effectiveness of employer programs.
- Provide give-aways as part of larger regional campaigns such as bike to work day and clean air day.
Mitigation Potential
Providing free or discounted bicycles to the local community incentivizes bike mode shift and provides opportunities for people to bike that would otherwise have barriers. While there are not clear quantification strategies tied to this conducting surveys of those who have received this benefit can provide evidence of the efficiency of this strategy.
Linked Strategies
Equity Considerations
Prioritize funding for low-income households and communities with low vehicle ownership rates. Ensure incentives support access to affordable and reliable multimodal options such as transit, biking, and walking. Monitor equity outcomes using disaggregated data on program usage by income and geography.
Funding Sources
Developing a local program would require seed money as well as an ongoing revenue source, consider utilizing Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP), Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), or Clean Mobility Options funds. Specific funding sources include the Regional Active Transportation Program – Riverside Region (Southern California Council of Governments), the Statewide Active Transportation Program (California Transportation Commission), and the Clean Mobility Options Voucher Pilot Program (California Air Resources Board).
Examples/Case Studies
California E-Bike Incentive Program
The project, launched by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), offers up to $2,000 in voucher incentives for the purchase of new e-bikes. This program prioritizes low-income Californians and those living in disadvantaged and low-income communities.
CalHR Bicycle Commute Program
This program is designed to encourage state employees to commute by bicycle as a means of active transportation between their residences and workplaces. The program aims to promote healthier lifestyles and reduce traffic congestion.