Program pairs donated bikes with essential workers to make commute easier - Newsradio KYW 1060 AM

Essential workers who are in need of transportation to and from work now have a chance to get some new wheels.

The Greater PHL Bike Match program pairs someone who has a bike with another who needs one. Those with a bike to spare and donate are connected with those in need, including health care workers, first responders and caregivers, who need a bike as a mode of transportation.

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is facilitating the program.

“A lot of people have expressed that they would like a bike right now,” said Betsy Mastaglio, manager of the DVRPC Office of Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning. “Either they don't have a car, they don't always have access to the car because other people need it. Maybe transit isn't an option for them right now, or they don't feel comfortable with it, so biking is a great means of getting around if you have to get into work or reporting to work in a different place or caring for someone right now.”

You can sign up to donate a bike or request one. After a request, DVRPC will try to find what that person is looking for in a bike — like type or size — and organize a potential match from a donor.

The bike owner and the recipient simply meet at an agreed-upon public place for the contactless exchange — keeping social distancing in mind, of course.

“We're really hopeful that people donate their bikes and consider a bike that is not being used, be used by somebody who can really use it right now,” Mastaglio added.