This NYC Bike Match Program Matches Unused Bikes to Those Who Need Them
The pro-bicycling nonprofit Transportation Alternatives in New York City has launched a program called Bike Match, with the goal of bringing unused bikes to people who need them for transportation.
Those who are willing to donate a bike, and those who need one, can fill out this form here.
New York City is seeing an unprecedented surge in bike commuters, as more and more people turn to riding instead of public transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bike shops are reporting significant increases in sales, people are dragging their old bikes out of storage, and Citi Bike use rose by a drastic 67 percent in early March over the same period last year.
If you’re a city resident and need a bike for commuting, you’re in luck: Transportation Alternatives (TransAlt), a NYC-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the use of bicycles and other non-automobile forms of transportation, just launched a new program called Bike Match, for those in need of a bike.
Bike Match was incidentally created two weeks ago, when the organization’s art director decided to give away his bike on social media to whoever was in need. Recognizing the potential of such a gesture, they decided to expand it into a city-wide program.
“We wanted to get bikes in the hands of frontline workers and those who need to get around,” Danny Harris, executive director of TransAlt, told Bicycling. “We’ve obviously seen a huge uptick in cycling in New York City since the crisis. We’re seeing more usage of Citi Bikes around hospitals and supermarkets.”
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But Citi Bike isn’t in every neighborhood, Harris noted. And there are likely many essential workers and others who just don’t have room in their budget right now for a new bike. That’s where Bike Match comes in.
“A big push for us initially was wanting to close this gap,” Harris said.
Bike Match was formally launched on March 25, first being advertised in the organization’s newsletter and then broadened to social media. The idea is simple: People with unused bikes that they’re willing to donate reach out and are put in contact with someone who will put that bike to good use.
The program works through the use of a Google Docs questionnaire, or by emailing TransAlt at info@transalt.org. Those who are interested in participating fill out some basic information—their name, email, zip code, borough, and neighborhood—and select whether they’re looking to give or receive a bike. TransAlt then parses that data to determine the best matches, largely by location.
“We’re really trying to be a bit of a matchmaker here,” Harris said.
Maria Salazar was one of the first to receive a bike through Bike Match. Salazar, who lives in Queens, says she was looking for a bike to use primarily as transportation during the pandemic.
“I was kind of anxious about getting a bike,” Salazar told Bicycling. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to have the money to get a bike.”
She found out about Bike Match online, through the NYCbike subreddit on reddit.com, and applied. Two days later, she heard back from her bike donor, who lived nearby, and she picked up the bike just five blocks from her home. Salazar volunteers for the Astoria Mutual Aid Network, and her donated bike now helps her pick up essentials like medicine and groceries for those who must adhere to a strict quarantine.
Extremely grateful both to Transportation Alternatives for setting up #bikematch and to the guy who selflessly donated this bike to me, Raymond. pic.twitter.com/lyP9KSu1yT
— Maria Victoria (@MVSCZAR) March 29, 2020
Those who do get matched must agree to follow certain health and safety guidelines, of course. If you’re experiencing Covid-19 symptoms, you’re kindly asked to not participate at the moment. Those meeting up to exchange the bike agree to do so in a public location, while keeping social distance. Lastly, the donor must properly sanitize the bike prior to the exchange.
Since the launch of Bike Match one week ago, they’ve received 140 submissions and have made 25 matches. Even local bike shops are starting to participate—most recently, one shop donated 60 of their old rental bikes. While the program is only currently up and running in New York City, Harris says other cities have shown interest.
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