Tag: alternative transportation

Are you ready for Bay State Bike Week?

Bay State Bike Week

From May 9th-17th, Massachusetts will be celebrating Bay State Bike Week. Every May, residents across Massachusetts come together in celebration of human-powered, two-wheeled transportation. This is Bay State Bike Week. From Cape Cod to the Berkshires and everywhere in between, participants organize events like film screenings, bike breakfasts, festivals, and more, to have fun while encouraging new riders and raising awareness about bicycle transportation. Bay State Bike Week is a partnership between MassBike, MassDOT, and MassRIDES, in collaboration with local advocacy leaders, bike shop owners, and anyone else who likes seeing others go by bike. Massachusetts is currently the only state that hosts a statewide bike week. Each year, Bay State Bike Week raises awareness about cycling as an alternative form of transportation, a sustainable commuting option, and a fun form of exercise.

Safety Information

  • Smart Cycling Tips from the League of American Bicyclists
  • Go by Bike: A Guide to Bicycling in Massachusetts (English) (Spanish)
  • What Every Parent Should Know (English)
  • Child Safety Flyer (English)
  • Same Roads Same Rules Spoke Cards: These contain handy safety tips and can be handed out to both cyclists and motorists. (English) (Spanish)

There are many ways you can get involved with Bay State Bike Week:

mcbc2015MassCommute Bicycle Challenge:  Sign up to ride for the Tufts Team and log your miles daily (simply select Tufts University as your team when you register)! Awards and Prizes will be given to the team that logs the longest commutes, highest number of cyclists, and largest total mileage among others. Participate in daily raffles for registering, and compete for individual accolades as well. Registration is completely free. If you’re using social media, be sure to post using the hashtag #MCBC2015. The Office of Sustainability will be providing updates throughout the week on Facebook and Twitter.

You can also log your miles on NuRide for the chance to win these great prizes including: Dunkin Donuts Gift Cards, The North Face Backpack, Smith Optics Helmet, Zipp Bike Wheels, Sram Bike Accessories, and a Park Tool Bike Workstand.

Bike Fridays (Boston Metro Area): On Bike Fridays, you can join a bike commuter convoy from one of dozens of locations throughout the Boston metro area. Safe guided convoys with experienced ride leaders will follow a fixed schedule and route and finish together at City Hall Plaza in Boston. Because you rode your bike, you’ll get a free breakfast and coffee courtesy of Boloco, set to music amid an expo at City Hall Plaza. Join a convoy, or just show up for the fun at City Hall Plaza. Registration is free.

  • April 24th
  • May 15th – Boston Bike Week Festival!
  • June 26th
  • July 24th
  • August 28th

Bike Bash (Wednesday, May 27th): The Bike Bash is the event wrap up party which celebrates the conclusion of the MassCommute Bicycle Challenge! All Challenge participants are invited to join in on the celebration. The Bash is an opportunity to acknowledge and award our winning teams and all of our wonderful riders! It’s also a chance to raffle off all of the drawing prizes that have been donated by sponsors.

Visit the Bay State Bike Week event calendar for a list of statewide events and check out the Somerville Beat Guide to Cycling in the City.

Hubway at Tufts - Packard Avenue

Hubway at Tufts – Packard Avenue

For more information regarding biking at Tufts, visit our biking at Tufts web page.

MassCommute Bicycle Challenge

The MassCommute Bicycle Challenge (MCBC) is a week-long, FREE and friendly competition amongst Massachusetts businesses, educational institutions, and municipalities. The 2015 MCBC will take place during Bay State Bike Week (May 9th – 17th).

This exciting corporate challenge has been hosted by MassCommute for Bay State bicyclists for over 20 years! Please join us this year for prizes, raffles, and our legendary “Bike Bash” celebration!

If you have questions about the Challenge or our registration process, please visit our FAQ Page

JOIN

Register for the MCBC here

When you register, make sure that your team receives proper credit on the Leader Board by entering your business/institution name AND the municipal location in which you work. E.g., if you work at Putnam Investments in Andover, register your company as Putnam Investments-Andover; if you work at Putnam Investments in Boston, register your company as Putnam Investments-Boston.

RIDE & LOG TRIPS

Ride as many times as you can and log your trips/total miles for all trips by bike during May 9-17. We especially encourage you to use your bicycle for transportation such as commuting, dining, going to a movie or soccer game, running errands, etc. Biking is a great way to get where you need to go!

WIN PRIZES & AWARDS

Win great prizes and awards by participating in the MCBC during Bay State Bike Week. We will be distributing daily raffle prizes throughout the week of May 9-17th, and we will also host our legendary raffle during the Bike Bash with prizes donated by some of our favorite bike-friendly businesses!

Bay State Bike Week

Every May Massachusetts residents come together to celebrate human-powered, two-wheeled transportation. From Cape Cod to the Berkshires participants organize events like film screenings, bike breakfasts, festivals and more to encourage new riders and raise awareness about bicycle transportation.

It is fitting that Massachusetts is the only state in the nation with a truly statewide bike week, given our long history of biking. From Worcester’s bike racing champion Major Taylor to the world-famous Springfield Bicycle Club Tournament, the love of biking has deep roots.

What’s New for 2015?

Win Raffle Prizes! – This year, we’re adding some exciting options for our event participants and event organizers. Every day, Bay State Bike Week participants will have the option to log their bicycling trip in NuRide – the nation’s largest ridematching and incentive program for individuals who take green trips- and be entered to win a daily raffle prize. Whether you’re starting your own event or joining an existing one, let’s PUMP up those events, log your bike trips in NuRide, and make this the biggest Bay State Bike week ever!

Sept 18 & 21: Mass. Car-Free Week Kick-Off & Celebration

Tufts Office of Sustainability is celebrating Massachusetts Car-Free Week September 17th-23rd by encouraging students and faculty members to make their commutes car-light!

Endorsing the environmental, financial, community, and health benefits of sustainable travel options, Mass. Car-Free Week promotes public transit, carpooling, bicycling, walking and teleworking as greener modes of transportation.

Track your progress on www.nuride.com, a travel rewards and ride-sharing program sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Win daily prizes for commuting car-free by signing into NuRide from September 17th-23rd!

Tufts Office of Sustainability will guide you through Mass. Car-Free Week with Kick-Off and Celebration events:

Kick-Off: Tuesday, September 18th, 11am – 2pm: Tufts Office of Sustainability (OOS) will host a kick-off event on the lower patio of Mayer Campus Center to promote the environmental and economic benefits of car-light commuting for Mass. Car-Free Week. The OOS will be signing up students and staff for Car-Free Week via NuRide. Come join the local biking and alternative transit community to register your bike, pick up bike maps and flyers, purchase bike locks and other transit merchandise, and learn about everything from folding bikes to car-sharing!

Celebration: Friday, September 21st, 11am – 2pm: There is such thing as a free lunch! Tufts Office of Sustainability will offer a free lunch for all registered participants in Mass. Car-Free Week. Enjoy a meal in the Pearson parking lot (across from Dewick dining hall), where Professor Cathy Stanton’s Anthropology 132 “Myth, Ritual, & Symbol” class  will demonstrate alternative uses for an open parking space. Please RSVP to the lunch either by sharing a picture of your car-light ride on our Twitter (@tuftsOOS) or Facebook, or by sending us an email of your NuRide account progress at tuftsoos@gmail.com.

To learn more about Mass. Car-Free Week and other events in the Boston area, visit the MassRIDES website.