This spring we received a $30,000 grant from Madison Community Foundation to help fund our Bike Mechanics youth education program and to help us purchase a Bike Bus.

Last fall we held our pilot Bike Mechanics program with Wright Middle School. It was a big success but we learned that the biggest barrier to the class was—you guessed it—transportation! We’ll be dedicating $20,000 of the grant towards the Bike Bus. 

We held the class in our bike center because all of the bikes, tools, parts, and bike stands made for an easy setup. Although Wright MS is only a couple miles from us, the school district doesn’t have a means to transport students to our bike center. In order for this program to be both successful and equitable, it means we need a Bike Bus to haul both bikes and people. 

We’ve shopped around and see that it will require about $50,000 to purchase a used bus that can help us do both so everyone has an opportunity to take the class, not just those who have parents who can pick them up after class. One requirement for the funding is that we wrap the bus so it also serves as a rolling billboard. The vehicle wrap, insurance, maintenance fund, the cost of the bus totals $75,000 in all. The bus will allow us to travel statewide to collect and distribute bikes. 

An anonymous donor has stepped up to match 100% of every donation of $500 or more for a total of a $15,000 match! Let’s goooooo! 

If you’re in a position to support our purchase of a Bike Bus so all kids have the opportunity to learn bike mechanics, furthering their career options and chances for success while also helping us meet our goals of transportation equity, this will be life changing! 

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP

If you are with a company that wants to show that they support Transportation Equity with your logo on the Bike Bus, please contact us today to discuss sponsor options. 

If you have connections at any local Sprinter dealer and want to help, please let us know! We’d love to share the impact we are providing with them.