People Power Hands Out Free Bikes to Metro Riders
Oct 13, 2005
In an effort to provide transportation to stranded bus riders due to the Santa Cruz Metro Transit strike, People Power gave out dozens of bicycles to transit patrons at the downtown Santa Cruz Metro Center on Monday, October 10.
The bicycles were donated by the City of Santa Cruz Police Department as part of their program to distribute unclaimed bicycles. On October 4, the Santa Cruz City Council released the bikes by emergency ordinance.
This project was coordinated by People Power, a bicycle advocacy group in Santa Cruz that is part of the Hub for Sustainable Transportation. Bike mechanics from the Hub volunteered their time and expertise to get the bikes fixed up.
In support of transit riders, Metro bus drivers donated $600 from their strike fund to pay for bicycle parts to get the bikes in good running condition. Metro drivers also worked to transport the bikes and hand them out.
Priority to receive bicycles was given to people with Metro passes.
The bikes were made ready for use at the Bike Church, a project of the Hub. The Bike Church is a community shop, available to help keep bicycles in good repair.
Local Newspaper Articles about the Event
