Local Organizations Promote Biking at Commuter Rally

CCB MEDIA PHOTO

BARNSTABLE – The Cape Cod Commission and the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority held the annual commuter rally yesterday at the Barnstable County Complex.

The event provides residents and visitors with information and maps for bicycle riders along with safety equipment to promote the alternative transportation method.

The commuter rally is part of Cape Cod Smart Transportation Week which is collaboration between the commission, the transit authority and transportation providers to promote other methods of travel other than cars in an attempt to reduce Cape congestion and help the environment.

“This is an opportunity here during the middle of transportation week to come out and hand out some literature and some goodies to folks and encourage people to use our bike and ped facilities,” said Tom Cahir, the administrator of the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority.

Cahir said the transit authority does spend a lot of its resources on bicycle and pedestrian programs.

“Our purpose is the maps that we have created here that everyone that rides bikes says are helpful and informative,” he said.

The CCRTA buses all have bike racks which can carry up to three bicycles each.

“People are generally pretty pleased and they know we are doing everything we can and we are investing our limited resources to this effort – the bike and ped effort,” Cahir said.

The bicycling advocacy group MassBike and the non-profit MassRides had representatives present to discuss biking on the Cape and to promote the nuride program which rewards bikers for commuting without cars.

Users who sign up with nuride get rewards when they walk, bike, telecommute, carpool, vanpool, take the train, subway, or bus. It also can connect users with other carpool or commuters who are taking the same route.

For more information visit www.nuride.com.

Smart Transportation Week continues Thursday with Bus Transportation Day. CapeFlyer day is Friday.