There was a definite upswing in the number of UCOP bike commuters last Thursday, May 13—Annual Bike to Work Day. Event organizers were pleased with the turnout of more than 25 UCOP cyclists participating in the event.

Link staff was at the Franklin Building bike cage to talk with some of our UCOP cyclists as they arrived. We met up with Bill Tucker, executive director, Innovation Alliances and Services, who rode in from the Oakland Hills, and Chris Orr, information services project manager, Office of the General Counsel, who cycled in from Rockridge.

On her way in to work Orr stopped at two Energizer Stations, had free coffee and snacks, and got a free canvas tote bag. She has been an enthusiastic Bike to Work Day participant for the past 13 years. Orr also told us that Bike to Work Day has local roots, as the East Bay Bicycle Coalition started the event in 1994.

Claudia Escobar, senior analyst, Academic Planning, Programs and Coordination, was all smiles when she rode in, as was David Guarino, policy analyst, Health Sciences and Services. Guarino started his ride from the Inner Sunset area of San Francisco and followed a route known as “The Wiggle,” a mile-long, circuitous route through part of San Francisco, which minimizes hilly inclines. He took BART from the Embarcadero station and then rode in from West Oakland. He had been on a hiatus from bike commuting because of the cold, rainy weather, but decided to participate in Bike to Work Day.

Jesús Loo of HRB, information systems and support, who bikes to work rain or shine, noticed more cyclists on the road on his way to and from the office. In addition to the usual UCOP cyclists at the Kaiser Building, Jesús saw a surge in the number of occasional riders on Bike to Work Day.

“I started bicycling in 1993/1994 when David Olson (director, HRB, Financial Services and Plan Disbursement) mentioned it to me. It was like a light bulb turned on in my head. I told David it was a great idea. I immediately went out and bought a bicycle and have been using it ever since,” Loo said. “I get to work faster door-to-door than if I were to take the bus or BART. It is much cheaper. No need to worry about parking, or car insurance, or paying a mechanic. And a bicycle is easy to fix and maintain.”

UCOP Supports Bike Commuting
UCOP bike commuters who participated in Bike to Work Day got free bike tune-ups. Bike mechanics from Street Level Cycles, part of Waterside Workshops, were at the Franklin Building bike cage from 7:00-9:30 a.m. Common fixes included repairing worn brakes and tightening gear cables. Replacement parts were provided for purchase.

As part of its ongoing support for bike commuting, UCOP will also purchase a bicycle pump and tire-changing tools. The equipment will be housed in the Franklin Building and be available to cyclists who get a flat tire on their way to work.

Thank you to Nathan Brostrom, EVP, Business Operations, for sponsoring UCOP’s Bike to Work Day event, with support from Michael Reese, AVP, Business Operations. Thanks also go to Andy Coghlan, sustainability specialist, who recruited the bike mechanics and created a safety training presentation; Matthew Leet, chief engineer, Facilities Administration, who installed a light in the Franklin building bike cage for better visibility; and Charlotte Strem, interim director, Physical and Environmental Planning, who baked muffins and banana bread for the bike commuters.

Visit the UCOP Safety Meeting Topics page and click on “Bicycle Safety – May (pptx)” for a safety training presentation on bike safety.

Community Resources for Riders
•    511 SF Bay Area: Bicycling Resource Guide
•    511 SF Bay Area: Safe Riding
•    Commuting by Bicycle
•    BikeLink
•    East Bay Bicycle Coalition
•    San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
•    League of American Bicyclists
•    Bikes on BART
•    California Vehicle Code (VC): Section 21200-21212

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