Using The Bike Buddy Rideboard

What is the Bike Buddy Rideboard? Its a bike commuter matching service. You simply post your origin destination and arrival time or search the match list and look for riders going in the same general direction.

You can contact matching riders via email. If you do find a match please send an email to the Bicycle Coalition

Bike Station Day 1

A Beautiful Day in Philadelphia Sunny and 70°.

We expect more bikes as the word gets. Crews from Channels 3,10 and 29 as well as the Daily News visited the Bike Station.

Lights Lights Lights!

Sunset today is 5pm so lights are a must. Everyone should invest in a red blinking tail light, headlight (flashlight a with bungee cord is fine) and a reflective vest or ankle bands. You can get these items at any bike shop and most department stores that sell bikes.

The Bicycle Coalition will be giving away a limited number of tail lights and reflective stickers at the MSB Bike Station today.

Locking Your Bike

1. Use a flat key U-Lock to secure the frame and rear wheel to the rack or other fixed object.
2. Use a cable lock to secure the front wheel.
3. Alternatively you can use a U-Lock with a cable loop.
4. Two different types of locks require different tools to defeat and therefore make it a smaller target.

Bike Station Details

In the event of a septa strike the Bike Station will be located on the west side of the Plaza at the Municipal Services Building

Hours of operation will from from 8am - 6pm Monday to Friday. It works like a coat check, you roll your bike up to the attendant and pick up a claim check, no lock needed. The service will be free.

Staying Safe Out There

Did you know that in Pennsylvania cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicles and are subject to the same traffic laws? Find out how to ride safely in traffic in a 5 minute video at the Share-the-Road.org website.

"Wear Your Helmet" has become as ubiquitous as "Buckle Your Seatbelt" and with good reason, If everyone wore a helmet we could reduce head trauma injuries cyclist deaths by 75%. Refer to the PENNDOT Bicycle Safety page to learn how to properly fit a helmet.

And don't forget Eastern Standard Time means early darkness, make sure you have lights.

Planning Your Route and Checking Your Bike

There are several resources to plan your route and tips on making sure that you and your bicycle can safely make the trip on the strike page of the Bicycle Coalition website.

Its not too early to plan your route you should consult the Philadelphia Regional Bicycle Map. If you are web savvy your route runs along state roads you can view videologs (movies) of the roadway on the PENNDOT website (Use Internet Explorer to view the videologs).

TWU Sets Oct 31 Strike Deadline

The union representing 5,000 employees who operate the city's buses, subways and trolleys threatened Sunday to go on strike at the end of the month if a contract dispute cannot be resolved.

Here we go again

A special TWU Local 234 meeting will be held in early October to discuss possible labor action. The issue is at hand is health care. We already have three strikes another false alarm seems unlikely.

Contract Extension looks likely

Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - As a third contract deadline looms for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's largest union, both sides say they may consider an extension.

"It is something we are willing to discuss," Bob Bedard, a spokesman for the Transport Workers Union Local 234, said Monday. SEPTA also was willing to discuss an extension, spokesman Jim Whitaker said.

SEPTA's contract with the union had been extended for 30 days, from March 15 to April 15, and again for 60 days, until midnight Tuesday. A work stoppage would halt buses, subways and trolleys, while regional rail trains between the city and suburbs would continue to run.

Issues remaining unsettled Monday included how much the transit operators, mechanics and cashiers would contribute to their monthly health care premiums, union President Jeff Brooks said. Whitaker said talks would continue Tuesday.

One Month to Go

The buses are running and the talk of a strike no longer dominates the headlines since a two month delay was put in, however one month later there has been no movement between the TWU and SEPTA. And in fact an article in the Daily News suggests that we may be in for a showdown. SEPTA's filing an unfair-labor-practice complaint against the union

The BCGP and Neighborhood Bike Works will be setting up a guarded bike facility at the Municipal Services Building should a SEPTA strike happen. Simply check your bike in, the service will be free. 

Bicycle Coalition Bike the Strike Website

The BCGP has set up a Bike the Strike page on our website. We will also be posting information on the blog.