University of California, Irvine
IN-27: Innovation D

BikeUCI Ambassadors is a multifaceted, tiered volunteer program established to align the components of UCI’s bicycle education programming and engage campus cyclists to encourage safe riding on a peer-to-peer level. The program is unique and the first of its kind for any university in California. Those who become a bike ambassador achieve differing levels, from Bronze to Platinum, based on the type and frequency of their program activity and participation in bicycle education programs. These levels motivate ambassadors to complete additional education goals and volunteer hours. Ambassadors are trained to be a recognized source for campus biking information. Training includes UCI Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety, League of American Bicyclists Smart Cycling, and the League Cycling Instructor (LCI) Seminar. Ambassadors volunteer at a variety of events including UCI’s benchmark bike festivals: WhimCycle and uciRIDEtoberfest. At the festivals, the Ambassadors demonstrate bike and helmet fitting, bike locking best practices, safe cycling and rules of the road, flat tire repair, and much more. As volunteers progress in their knowledge base, they can complete training to become LCIs to assist with our Smart Cycling classes. They also assist in identifying infrastructure enhancements through UCI’s bike-ability tours. BikeUCI Ambassadors are faculty, staff, and students celebrating the joys of riding, mentoring and supporting new bicyclists, sparking friendships, encouraging safe riding, and positively boosting campus bike culture.

Within the first two months of the launch of the program, more than 50 students, faculty, and staff applied to be BikeUCI Ambassadors and pledged to follow the program’s code of conduct to be exemplary role models for others in the UCI biking community, demonstrate a commitment to safety on and off campus, be respectful and eager to educate others, and comply with the bylaws, policies, rules, and regulations of the State of California and University of California. 73% of the BikeUCI Ambassadors commute by bike, almost 50% have completed Smart Cycling training and 25% plan to become League Cycling Instructors to help educate the UCI campus community.