Public transportation agencies understand the importance of other alternatives to the single-occupancy automobile, such as the bicycle. While bike racks are increasingly common on public transit buses, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) is taking the next step, inviting cyclists to ride free on specific occasions.

Most recently, GCRTA offered free rides on its buses and trains to bicyclists participating in Ride United, a one-day regional bike tour to benefit United Way of Greater Cleveland and United Way of Summit County, OH. Bicyclists collect donations and ride on one of five routes between Cleveland and Akron, ranging between 12 and 100 miles.

Mary Shaffer, media relations manager, GCRTA, noted that the authority has long worked with the local United Way. “This particular project,” she said, “started last year, when United Way contacted us about using the dedicated bike lanes on our HealthLine [Bus Rapid Transit route] as part of this event. We said of course, that’s why the lanes are there. We offered to help with the effort, notifying the public, assigning transit police to the route, and inviting participants to ride free.”

Shaffer emphasized the agency’s philosophy: “We told United Way that we’d really like to get these people on our buses and trains who may not be typical riders. This gives us the chance to form a partnership and introduce people to public transit.”

Although GCRTA had already offered free rides for bicyclists earlier in 2011—for Bike to Work Day in conjunction with the Northern Ohio Area Coordinating Agency—the United Way event was when “the wheels started rolling,” Shaffer said. The agency made the same offer for both events in 2012, reporting more than 150 bikes above the daily average for this year’s national Bike to Work Day.