LOS ANGELES – BikeLA and Bicycle Transit Systems, in partnership with Metro Bike Share, are thrilled to announce that they have been awarded funding through the Better Bike Share Partnership Mini-Grant Program in order to promote and increase bike share ridership in Los Angeles to underrepresented riders, specifically, women, seniors, Latinx/Hispanics, and students through four 90-minute, no-cost classes.
These classes will be held in collaboration with four community-based organizations in the Los Angeles County area and will invite those often left out of cycling to experience its joys. Attendees will receive bike safety education, a firsthand demonstration on how to use bike share, a meal from a local business, a helmet, a 30-Day Metro Bike Share pass, and the opportunity to participate in a group ride.
BikeLA – The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is a membership-based non-profit organization that works to make all communities in Los Angeles County healthy, safe, equitable, and fun places to ride a bike through advocacy, education, and outreach. BikeLA envisions healthy, vibrant communities signified by cleaner air and quieter streets where people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds can ride their bikes safely and conveniently. Special attention and efforts are placed on engaging underserved groups (women, seniors, families, and children) through access and education programs aiming to increase excitement and empowerment around biking.
Bicycle Transit Systems has paved the way for bike share in the United States, as leaders have launched bike share systems in almost every major American city. They currently have over 100 employees, operating three major systems: Los Angeles’ Metro Bike Share, Philadelphia’s Indego and Las Vegas’ RTC Bike Share. 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, their dedicated staff maintain bicycles to be safe and smooth, service customers and get more people riding bikes.
Metro Bike Share makes bikes available 24/7, 365 days a year in Downtown LA, Central LA, Hollywood, North Hollywood, Westwood, and on the Westside. Metro Bike Share offers convenient round-the-clock access to a fleet of bicycles for short trips. Metro Bike Share is one of LA Metro’s multiple public transportation options for Angelenos and visitors to get around. Metro Bike Share is a fast, easy, and fun way to ride, anytime.
Better Bike Share Partnership is a collaboration funded by The JPB Foundation to increase access to and use of shared micro-mobility systems in low-income and BIPOC communities. The partners include The City of Philadelphia, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and the PeopleForBikes Foundation. Initially funded in 2014 for a three-year period, The JPB Foundation renewed funding in 2017 for an additional two years and supported a bridge grant of one year in 2019 to move the program from Philadelphia to PeopleForBikes. In 2020, funding was renewed for an additional three years.
Please stay tuned for more information regarding these classes by following @heybikela, or visit https://www.bike-la.org, info@la-bike.org, 213-629.2142; @bikemetro, or https://bikeshare.metro.net; or @bicycletransitsystems, https://www.bicycletransit.com.