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May is Kansas Bike Month

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Salina, KS – The month of May is National Bike Month, and communities all across Kansas are celebrating, including those here in North Central Kansas.  Established in 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling and encourage more folks to give biking a try.

There are lots of ways to participate in Bike Month, locally, regionally and nationally.  Some dates to celebrate are:

  • May 3 – National Bike to School Day.  This day invites participants to celebrate the joy of active commuting while building a sense of community and school spirit.
  • May 7 – National Ride a Bike Day.  Everyone is encouraged to #bikethere on this day.  Whether you’re riding for fun, fitness or with family, or taking essential trips to work or shop, you are part of our movement for safer streets, connected communities, a healthier planet, and happier people.
  • May 19 – National Bike to Work Day – 40% of all trips in the U.S. are less than two miles, making bicycling a feasible and fun way to get around.  Residents all across the region are encouraged to ride their bike to work and to share photos on social media by using the hashtag #salinabikestowork2023 or #kansasbikestowork2023

Other local events with details can be found on www.ksrides.org and include:

  • Free rides on KANcycle for the entire month of May including locations in Salina, Minneapolis, Concordia, Belleville, Mankato, Beloit, Lincoln and Ellsworth.
  • Clyde Bike Rodeo happening on May 6th at 8:30 a.m. at the Clifton-Clyde High School parking lot.
  • Ellsworth Bike to Work Day Challenge where participants have a chance to win local prizes.
  • Jamestown Bike Rodeo happening on May 20th at 8:30 a.m. at 311 Walnut in Jamestown
  • Miltonvale Bike Rodeo happening on May 27th at 8:30 a.m. at 14 Spruce in Miltonvale
  • A Bike Month Proclamation will be read at the Salina City Commission meeting on May 1st.
  • Slow Saturday Social Rides are held in Salina each Saturday morning in May meeting at the City Lights Stage at 9:00 a.m.

“Bike Month is a great way to celebrate biking as a mobility choice that is available around our region and across the state,” said Michelle Griffin, Director of Mobility Management for North Central Kansas.  “By promoting these individual events, we hope to bring more awareness to the importance of having multi-modal options for all.”

KANcycle regional bike sharing provides North Central Kansas, including Salina, Minneapolis, Concordia, Belleville, Mankato, Beloit, Lincoln, and Ellsworth, with convenient, affordable access to bicycles as an easy, fun, healthy and eco-friendly means of transportation and recreation.  OCCK, through a collaborative funding partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, brings you KANcycle powered by Movatic.  Riders join the program by signing up for annual memberships or pay-as-you-go.  Annual memberships will be $30 with trips under 1 hour being free, student annual memberships will be $20 with trips under 1 hour being free, and pay-as-you-go will be $1.50 every 30 minutes.

OCCK, Inc. provides services in north central Kansas to anyone with any type of long or short-term disability, starting as early as birth and following people through their whole lives.  OCCK provides an array of supports for success at home and in the community, including independent living skills and supports, employment and career training, Alzheimer’s supports, autism services, assistive technology, children’s services, transportation, specialized therapies, and home health care.

OCCK is committed to providing transportation services to the general public, seniors, and persons with disabilities, through a variety of programs, including a fixed route service in Salina, CityGo, a regional paratransit service that serves fourteen counties, non emergency medical transportation for people with Medicaid, as well as non emergency medical transportation for clients of Salina Regional Health Center, a regional fixed route service, 81 Connection, KANcycle – the regional bike sharing program, GoAbilene public transportation, GoConcordia public transportation, and the newest program, KanConnect.

For more information about OCCK, Inc., visit www.occk.com.  For more information about CityGo and OCCK Transportation, visit www.salinacitygo.com. Or, contact the OCCK Transportation Center at 785-826-1583.

For more information about KANcycle, rural bike sharing, visit www.kancycle.org. 

For more information about Bike Month activities across the state of Kansas and Kansas Mobility Management, visit www.ksrides.org.

TSA Extends Face Mask Requirement Through January 18, 2022

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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is extending the face mask requirement for individuals across all transportation networks throughout the United States, including at airports, onboard commercial aircraft, on over-the-road buses and on commuter bus and rail systems through January 18, 2022.

Read more here:  https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases/2021/08/20/tsa-extends-face-mask-requirement-through-january-18-2022

Thrive Allen County Wins NADTC Accessible Mobility Grant

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The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center’s Innovations in Accessible Mobility Grants
Will Expand Transportation Opportunities in 10 Communities Across the Country
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
Carol Wright Kenderdine
NADTC Co-Director
Easterseals
Phone: (701) 490-1197
Virginia Dize
NADTC Co-Director
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
Phone: (202) 872-0888
October 22, 2020, WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC) has announced that it has awarded $284,898 in competitive grants to communities in 10 states—Alabama, California, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Virginia and Washington State—to implement innovative projects that will remove barriers to transportation and expand mobility options for older adults and people with disabilities.
The 10 Innovations in Mobility grantees will each receive grants of up to $30,000 to fully launch transportation programs that address the needs of older adults and people with disabilities living in their communities. Unique to this year’s grant recipients is the unprecedented opportunity they, with funding from NADTC, have to support the roll-out of new transportation approaches targeted to older adults and people with disabilities as their communities grapple with, and begin to emerge from, the COVID-19 pandemic. The end goal for these grantees is the creation of sustainable and replicable innovations that result in increased availability of accessible transportation.
“Accessible and affordable transportation is key to support the health and well-being of older adults and their ability to live at home and in the community. Yet ensuring the availability of adequate transportation in communities is a major challenge,” said Sandy Markwood, CEO of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. “The Aging Network has long recognized that older adults who have mobility limitations struggle to stay connected to their communities. Our members, and as a result our work, are at the forefront of efforts to expand transportation options for all.”
“As part of our mission to eliminate barriers to full inclusion and participation for people with disabilities, we’re committed to helping people get where they need and want to go via accessible transportation,” said Angela Williams, President and CEO, of Easterseals. “We are excited that the NADTC grants will increase accessible transportation options, making it easier for older adults and people with disabilities to maintain their health and nutrition, as well as social interaction and a sense of well-being in their communities.”
The Innovations in Mobility grantees are:
  • Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens in Cedar Bluff, VA seeks to increase the availability and accessibility of transportation for older adults receiving medical treatment for chronic conditions. The transportation program will provide individuals residing in the four-county service area with reliable transportation to medical appointments. Transportation will be provided to dialysis three days a week and cancer centers two to three days a week. Visit www.aasc.org to learn more about this grantee.
  • Capacity Builders in Farmington, NM will provide transportation information to empower older adults and individuals with disabilities living in rural and tribal areas of San Juan County to become self-reliant in accessing transportation services. Visit www.capacitybuilders.info to learn more about this grantee.
  • The City of Talladega, AL will extend the hours of operation during the week and add Saturday hours to better connect older adults and people with disabilities with transportation to shopping, dining and other leisure activities. The grant will also provide the community’s blind residents who work at the Industries for the Blind more options after work hours. Visit www.talladega.com to learn more about this grantee.
  • Community Action Program Belknap-Merrimack Counties, Inc. in Concord, NH will create a cohesive marketing and branding plan to attract attention, and promote professionalism and trust following the merger of Concord Area Transit and the Rural Transportation System into one transit system. Visit www.bm-cap.org to learn more about this grantee.
  • Horizon Health, Inc., in Pierz, MN will provide transportation services to adults with disabilities and those in need who struggle with transportation insecurities in the rural county, market the service, reimburse volunteers’ mileage, recruit new volunteers and offer a free to low-cost sliding fee scale for transportation. Visit www.horizonhealthservices.org to learn more about this grantee.
  • Laurens County Disabilities & Special Needs Board (LSDCN) in Laurens, SC will improve customer service, increase organizational cooperation and expand access to transportation for older adults, people with disabilities, special needs consumers, caregivers and families. Visit www.lcdsnb.org to learn more about this grantee.
  • Mountain Rides Transportation Authority in Ketchum, ID will establish a fixed-route Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) bus service that connects the rural communities in south-central Idaho to essential medical facilities in the City of Twin Falls. Visit www.mountainrides.org to learn more about this grantee.
  • Molly’s Angels in Napa, CA will provide free transportation to and from medical appointments for low-income older adults in rural areas of Napa County where public transportation is either not available or has limited availability, and the targeted population has difficulties accessing transportation because of frailty, dementia and physical or mental disabilities. Visit www.mollysangels.com to learn more about this grantee.
  • San Juan County Islands Shuttle in Friday Harbor, WA will expand daily availability of shuttle hours to the vulnerable population on San Juan Island, making earlier and later trips available daily to residents of rural San Juan County. Visit www.sanjuantransit.com to learn more about this grantee.
  • Thrive Allen County in Iola, KS will provide Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) services to Allen County residents to increase the availability and accessibility of transportation in the community, and expand current mobility options for older adults and people with disabilities. Visit www.thriveallencounty.org to learn more about this grantee.
The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center is funded through a cooperative agreement of Easterseals, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, with guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living. NADTC’s mission is to increase accessible transportation options for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers nationwide.
The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) is a 501(c)(3) membership association representing America’s national network of 622 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and providing a voice in the nation’s capital for the more than 250 Title VI Native American aging programs. The mission of n4a is to build the capacity of its members so they can better help older adults and people with disabilities live with dignity and choices in their homes and communities for as long as possible. Visit www.n4a.orgfor more information.
For more than 100 years, Easterseals has served as an indispensable resource for individuals with disabilities, veterans, seniors, their families and caregivers. Together, its Network of Affiliates in communities nationwide serve 1.5M people annually through high-quality programs including autism services, early intervention, workforce development, adult day care and more. In schools, workplaces, and communities, Easterseals is fostering environments where everyone is included and valued — with a real and positive impact on us all. Join us in ensuring that everyone – regardless of age or ability – is 100% included and 100% empowered. Visit www.easterseals.com.

KANcycle Bikes Open for Business

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Salina, KS – OCCK Transportation is pleased to announce KANcycle bikes, the regional bike sharing program that serves north central Kansas is back up and running and bikes are available to be rented.  KANcycle has been closed since the end of March because of COVID.  .

Riders can access the bikes through the use of the free Movatic app, which can be downloaded through the Apple or Google stores.  Movatic manages all aspects of the bike-share program — from bikes and technology, to maintenance and fleet rebalancing. Each bike has a unique number which riders enter into the app to unlock the bike.  After the rider returns the bike to a designated Movatic bike station, the rental ends and the bike is available for the next person to enjoy.

Riders join the program by signing up for annual memberships or pay-as-you-go.  Annual memberships are $30 with trips under 1 hour being free, student annual memberships are $20 with trips under 1 hour being free, and pay-as-you-go is $1.50 every 30 minutes.

KANcycle, a program of OCCK Transportation, was started in June of 2019 with 80 bikes spread across 16 stations in eight counties with the following locations:

  • 9th & Hamilton, Salina
  • 7th & Walnut, Salina
  • Sunset Plaza, Salina
  • Bill Burke Park, Salina
  • Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina
  • 2nd & Rock Street, Minneapolis
  • Cloud County Community College, Concordia
  • 7th & Washington, Concordia
  • 19th & M, Belleville
  • 28th & N, Belleville
  • City Building, Mankato
  • 8th & Hersey, Beloit
  • Thierolf Park, Beloit
  • Courthouse Square, Lincoln
  • Krizek Park, Ellsworth
  • Douglas & Main, Ellsworth

“We are so thankful for this new partnership with OCCK, Movatic and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas,” says Michelle Griffin, Director of Mobility Management for north central Kansas.  “Bike sharing through KANcycle is a unique program that allows a new form of mobility for rural Kansas.  We are committed to looking for programs that are innovative and beneficial to all residents.”

For additional information on the program, visit our Facebook page or website at www.kancycle.org or contact Michelle Griffin at (785) 826-1583.