Need a Bike Route to Work, School, or the Store? Virtual Bike Route Scouts Can Help!

Ever been stuck in traffic while a bike commuter breezes past you with a big smile on her face? Or maybe you’ve seen someone merrily riding along, with groceries in his bike bags? You’d love to try commuting or shopping by bike, but aren’t sure how to find a bike-friendly route that will work for you. If only someone could help …

You’re in luck! SVBC will soon be launching Virtual Bike Route Scouts, our personalized route advice service! If you want to ride your bike from “point A to point B” but aren’t sure how to find a route, you’ll soon be able to get the help you need from the Route Scouts. You’ll tell the Route Scouts where you’re starting your ride and where you want to go.

Just answer a few queries about your riding preferences so that your Route Scout can craft a route you’ll enjoy. For instance, are you interested in the most direct route or would you prefer a route that might be longer but has many bike-friendly features (green lanes, light traffic, etc.)? Maybe you’re looking for a route that doesn’t involve lots of hills, or you need a route that will take the least amount of travel time. If there are specific roads that you don’t want to use, the Route Scouts will want to know that, too.

Based on your answers, you’ll receive a suggested route complete with turn-by-turn directions, total distance, estimated travel time, and descriptions of hills along the way (if any). All you have to do is enjoy your new route!

Want to Help Others Use Bikes for Transportation? Become a Volunteer Route Scout!

Maybe you’re “that friend” who people ask for advice on bike routes. Maybe you enjoy exploring by bike, and in the process you’ve gained solid knowledge of all the bike-friendly roads in your community. If this sounds like you, join our Route Scout team! Your expertise will help others use their bikes as a fun, healthy mode of transportation. We’re looking for volunteers to help with routes throughout San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, especially in San Jose, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and San Mateo.

All Route Scouts will attend a training meeting, where we’ll cover the process for receiving route requests and sending them out. We’ll discuss the most popular routing tools for bicyclists as well, so you’ll be comfortable using them. If you have a favorite method, website, or app that you use to find routes, we’d love for you to share it with the rest of the Route Scout team.

Virtual Bike Route Scouts will play an important role in realizing our goal to have 10% of trips taken by bike by the year 2025. By helping people find ways to get to work or run errands by bike, you’ll grow our bicycling community – and more bicyclists means more voices speaking up for bicycle-friendly roads!

We encourage you to become a Route Scout. Please contact SVBC’s Education Programs Coordinator Ann Jasper for more information.