Bike to Work Day at Stanford by the numbers

Sprocket Man greets a bike commuter on Bike to Work Day (Photo credit: Alyssa Rudelis)

During this year’s Bike to Work Day, in mid-May, more than 2,000 members of the Stanford community commuted by bicycle, and 279 others came to campus and other Stanford locations on foot.

The 807 bicycle commuters who reported their mileage logged a total of 6,386 miles and averaged 8 miles per trip. Parking & Transportation Services estimates that by biking instead of driving, these participants eliminated 5,786 pounds of CO₂ emissions.

For more than 10 years, Stanford has participated in the Bay Area event. Over the past five years, participation in Bike to Work Day at Stanford has increased 39 percent.

This year, Stanford co-hosted 14 energizer stations in partnership with Stanford Health Care, (formerly Stanford Hospital), Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. More than 73 volunteers signed up to help staff energizer stations, where volunteers greeted riders with smiles, snacks and free Bike to Work tote bags. Sprocket Man, Stanford’s bike-safety hero, rewarded more than 200 riders for wearing helmets, giving each a free bike light for setting a good example.

Bike commuters reported riding from as far away as San Francisco and San Jose on a daily basis and combining bus and train with cycling from as far away as Santa Cruz.

BRIAN SHAW, director of Parking & Transportation Services, called biking “a great, active way to get to work.” He added that this year’s participation demonstrates how easy it is to commute to campus, especially if you live within three to five miles. Riders save time, money and other car-related expenses, he noted.  “And by biking to work you help Stanford continue to achieve our vehicle trip reduction goals while making yourself healthier. A win-win!” Shaw said.

For more information about Stanford’s bicycle and other alternative transportation programs, visit the Parking & Transportation Services website.