2020 Newsroom

Details: Last Updated: 26 March 2020

Newsroom Posts

2020 Bike to Work Day Cancelled due to Pandemic

In light of the extensive workplace and school disruptions caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Bike to Work Challenge and Bike to School Challenge are postponed. Instead, this spring we are holding a Pledge to Ride campaign. Participants are asked to ride their bikes as much as they can between May 1 and June 5. Riding a bicycle for work, errands or recreation is a practical and healthy option while practicing social distancing. We plan to reschedule both challenges for this September or October, depending on how the public health crisis develops.

Bike to Work Day is an annual event held each spring throughout the country that promotes bicycling as a fun and healthy way to commute to work. CDTC has organized the Capital Region's Bike to Work Challenge every year since 2014. In 2019, 678 people registered, a 30% increase over 2018. Participants rode 6,732 bicycle miles, conserved 270 gallons of fuel, prevented 2.7 tons of CO₂ from being released, and burned about 310,700 calories. Every workplace in the Capital Region is eligible to form a team and compete for one of several county trophies. Trophy categories include Largest Team, Highest Participation – Large Employer (11+ employees) and Highest Participation – Small Employer (1-10 employees). A Municipal Challenge is also offered that encourages local governments to compete to see which can achieve the highest participation rate among its employees. The chief executive, such as the mayor or supervisor, must participate in order to win the Municipal Challenge.

The Bike to School Challenge has been held for several years and often coincides with Bike to Work Week. Its purpose is to encourage children to safely commute to school by bike. A trophy in each county is offered to the school with the largest team.

CDTC is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization carrying out Federal requirements for cooperative transportation planning and programming in the four county Capital District area. As part of these efforts we encourage regional commuting by transit, carpool, vanpool, and bicycle.

Winners of the Bike to Work Day 2019 Challenge

The Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) announces the winners of the Bike to Work Day Workplace Challenge (#b2w518) for employers in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties. Bike to Work Day is an annual event held each spring throughout the country that promotes bicycling as a fun and healthy way to commute to work. This year 678 people registered, a 30% increase over last year. Participants rode 6,732 bicycle miles, conserved 270 gallons of fuel, prevented 2.7 tons of CO₂ from being released, and burned about 310,700 calories. Pictures are posted at www.cdtcmpo.org/biketowork.

In Albany County: The trophies for Largest Team and Highest Participation Rate (Large Employer) go to Honest Weight Food Co-op, with 43 riders and 22% participation. The trophy for Highest Participation Rate (Small Employer) goes to Parks and Trails New York with percent (38%) participation. BERP’s Mike Soucie won for Longest Commute, at 82 miles. Hamagrael Elementary continues to hold onto the school trophy for Largest School Team, with about 350 kids riding.

In Rensselaer County: New York Independent System Operator won the trophy for Largest Team with 13 participants and Capital Roots won in the Highest Participation Rate (Large Employer) category with 28% of its staff participating. For the first time since the Workplace Challenge began in 2014, a trophy was awarded to a team in the Highest Participation Rate (Small Employer) category. That prize goes to Alta Planning + Design with 57% participation. New York Independent System Operator’s David Hooper won the trophy for Longest Commute, at 66 miles.

In Saratoga County: The Saratoga Springs Public Library won for Largest Team and for Highest Participation Rate (Large Employer) with 24 riders and 24% participation. The trophy for Highest Participation Rate (Small Employer) goes to Bean Sprouts Daycare with 33% employee participation. Ken Williams at the Waterford-Halfmoon Central School District won the trophy for Longest Commute, at 52 miles. Lake Avenue Elementary continues to hold onto the school trophy for Largest School Team, with about 150 kids riding.

In Schenectady County: The trophy for Largest Team goes to Union College, with 35 riders. The trophy for Highest Participation Rate (Large Employer) goes to NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Region 4 Office with 11% employee participation. The trophy for Highest Participation Rate (Small Employer) goes to LAndArt Studio NY, with 100% employee participation. Donald Guest, of the NY DEC Region 4 Office, won the trophy for Longest Commute, at 59 miles.

This year’s Municipal Challenge winner is the City of Watervliet, with 20% of its staff participating. When hearing the news, Watervliet Mayor Mike Manning stated, “I’m proud that our team competed in this worthy event, but winning makes it even more special. Thanks to our team captain Amanda Austin for the inspiration and the whole team for participating.”

Mike Franchini, CDTC Executive Director, said, “It’s great that every year our registration and attendance increases. More and more people now realize how fun, and sometimes how difficult, biking to work can be.”

CDTC would like to thank all participants for bicycling to work, and everyone who helped make this event possible. Congratulations, winners!

Trophies were donated by Bikeatoga, Albany Bicycle Coalition, Troy Bike Rescue, Steven Rolf Kroeger, and the Albany Public Library. Trophies will remain with this year’s winners until Bike to Work Day 2020.