Summary
Rural communities in Oregon often face unique barriers to active transportation, including long travel distances, limited infrastructure and fewer local resources for bike education. ODOT’s project aimed to increase student safety during commutes, empower students to choose active transportation with confidence and improve community health by reducing traffic congestion around schools.
Building on Douglas County’s existing SRTS model, the program used a $25,000 grant to create a shared, countywide fleet of bicycles that could be deployed to high-need schools and community events. The investment strengthened both programming capacity and long-term sustainability through the purchase of durable equipment and coordination with local partners.
Bike Education Fleet
The grant funded a countywide bike fleet designed for repeat deployment across Douglas County. Purchases included bicycles, helmets, safety gear and an enclosed trailer, enabling hands-on bike safety instruction in multiple rural communities and supporting safe, consistent education across multiple school sites and events. The fleet was structured as a lasting community asset that could support future programming beyond the grant period.
Additionally, the program deployed the fleet at several large community events, including the Roseburg High School and South Umpqua High School Back to School Bash, reaching more than 2,000 people. More than 100 parents and kids stopped by for helmet fittings and shared their needs and obstacles to walking or biking more independently.
Project Impact
Douglas County is now equipped to bring bike safety education to students across rural communities, not just once, but year after year. With a countywide bike education fleet in place and strong local partnerships behind it, the program can deliver hands-on instruction wherever schools need it most.
Since February 2025, the program has brought hands-on bike safety education to 1,011 students across 10 school sites. At one school, pre- and post-surveys showed a 27% jump in bike safety knowledge. Teachers also saw the lessons resonate, with students reminding each other to ride safely, asking to bike to school and even forming mini bike buses (small, supervised groups riding together to school).
The program has created a foundation that will last beyond the grant cycle. The bike fleet is now a permanent fixture in Douglas County, supported through discounted and in-kind contributions from partners who help with equipment support, transport and secure storage.
