Active Transit

Active transit is human-powered transportation, such as biking and walking. Active transportation eliminates vehicle miles traveled altogether, so this alternative transportation mode is an effective way to conserve fuel, reduce vehicle emissions, and improve human health.

Vehicle fleet managers, corporate decision makers, and public transportation planners can support active transit through infrastructure development, bike share programs, and reductions in parking spaces. Education programs have also been shown to improve ridership by teaching riders how to ride safely and how to repair and maintain their bicycles.

Infrastructure Development

Active transit requires adequate infrastructure that includes crosswalks, overpasses, sidewalks, and bike lanes or paths to help people travel safely. State and local laws protecting pedestrians and bicyclists help improve the safety of active transit, and efforts by bicycle advocacy groups including the League of American Bicyclists support safety and infrastructure development for active transportation. Employers can provide bike racks and locker rooms to help employees commute by active transit.

Bike Share Programs

Bike share programs provide bicycles for short-term use typically near busy locations conducive to one-way bicycle trips. Some travelers prefer shared bikes to bicycle only one segment of a trip or to avoid the costs of purchasing, maintaining, and storing a bike. Memberships and payment schedules usually encourage many short trips over fewer long trips to minimize bicycle downtime.

As one example, Capital Bikeshare partners with public and private organizations to make more than 3,000 bicycles available at more than 350 stations across the Washington, D.C., metro area.