FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2020

PSTA Named a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists
PSTA First Transportation Organization to Receive this Award

St. Petersburg, Fla - Today, the League of American Bicyclists recognized Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) with a Bronze level Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) award, earning it a place alongside over 1,400 businesses across the country contributing to the movement to build a more Bicycle Friendly America. PSTA is also the first transportation organization to receive this award.

“Since PSTA applied for the Bicycle Friendly Business award in February 2020, much has changed across the country,” said Bill Nesper, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists. “What hasn’t changed is the commitment of our Bicycle Friendly Business award winners to the health and well-being of their employees, customers, and community through the promotion and encouragement of bicycling as a means of transportation, fun, and fitness.”

PSTA joins 75 other new and renewing BFBs in the League’s Spring 2020 round of business awards, which includes government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, bike shops, and other employers across industries, all united in a commitment to transform American workplaces to be more welcoming to customers and employees who bike. The Bicycle Friendly Business award recognizes an organization’s contributions over months and years to the movement to build a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.

“As Americans look for ways to move around safely, it’s communities and businesses offering solutions that enable people to more easily go places by bike,” said Nesper. “We know more people are biking during the pandemic and we anticipate more Americans will rely on biking to work as a safe, socially distant method of transportation as employees go back to work. Thanks to the leadership of organizations like PSTA, more people will have the opportunity to choose to bike.”

In Pinellas County, many people are commuting to work by bike, and PSTA as a mobility provider connects bicyclists to a larger transportation network and improves access to jobs.

“Being the first public transportation service in the state to receive this award is a great honor and we will continue to research ways where we can be more beneficial to our bike-community,” said Brad Miller, Chief Executive Officer of PSTA.

As part of the BFB network, PSTA will have access to a variety of tools and technical assistance from the League to become even more welcoming to people who bike. When employees bike, great things happen: PSTA encourages bicycling as an easy option and provides 2 bike racks on all 210 buses.

We understand our county and the city of St. Petersburg loves bikes, so with our upcoming SunRunner spanning from the Beach to the ‘Burg, we will be adding several internal bike racks - to speed up the boarding process and offering more storage than our traditional front of bus bike rack.

To learn more about the BFB program, or to apply, visit the League online at www.bikeleague.org/business.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Stephanie Weaver

PSTA Communications & Public Relations Manager

O: (727) 540-1853 | C: (727) 249-6542

E: Sweaver@psta.net

PSTA: The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is the public transit provider for Pinellas County, providing more than 12.1 million rides per year. PSTA operates 40 bus and trolley routes with a fleet of 210 vehicles.