NEW RIVER VALLEY, Va. (WDBJ) – A bike share program in the New River Valley wants to make is easy for you to get to the polls on Tuesday.
It’s all part of a national, industry-wide initiative to offer free or discounted transportation to voters on Nov. 3.
Roam NRV is a bike share program, joining the effort to make sure people have a ride to the polls on election day. The program is jointly run by Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Montgomery County and Virginia Tech.
Roam NRV and its parent company Gotcha Mobility is offering free rides are part of its participation in the “Rolls to the Polls” on election day.
“We’re trying to minimize those friction points that might pop up that might deter people you know from wanting — for feeling like it is more of a hassle to get to wherever their polling station is we want to eliminate that,” said Cat Woodson.
Cat Woodson is the operations manager for Roam NRV in Blacksburg and says they don’t want transportation to stop people from getting to the polls.
“Maybe cutting that time. Maybe instead of taking two bus trips it is one bus trip and a bike ride or maybe it is a little bit of a walk and a bike trip,” said Woodson.
According to the North American Bikeshare Association in 2016, 3% of Americans cited “transportation problems” as a barrier to voting. Three precent represents of 4.6 million registered voters.
“You know I think some folks it can be really tough, and you know it might be ‘well why bother?’. We don’t want that to happen,” said Woodson.
Roam NRV says to get you free ride, you’ll have to sign up online with your names, phone number, credit card and the ‘VOTE2020’ promo code. You will need a credit card to sign up online, but you will not be charged on election day.
Woodson says you will not be charged for a ride on election day. You can return the bike at anyone of their hubs in the NRV.
Gotcha Mobility, Roam NRV’s parent company, announced that the free rides are part of its participation in the “Rolls to the Polls.
The campaign is being done in partnership with the North American Bikeshare Association.
Roam NRV also encourages you to wear a helmet and a mask too.
There are cash options at some locations including Virginia Tech parking services and the Christiansburg recreation center.
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