Vail to distribute six electric bikes to essential workers
Applications are now available for the Town of Vail’s E-Bikes for Essentials program, which will provide six free electric bikes to Vail residents and town employees who meet specific criteria, including being employed as essential workers. The participant agreement and application can be found at and are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20.
Criteria to be considered include:
- Must be a Vail resident or Town of Vail employee
- Must be employed as a full-time essential worker (employed in critical businesses as defined on pages 6-12 in the )
- Must be income-qualified, making 80% or less of , which is currently $72,880 or less annually.
Selected participants will receive an Aventon Level 2 e-bike and accessories including a helmet, pump, lock, and pannier commuting bags at no cost.
Those selected will be required to commute to work, run errands, and attend social events via e-bike as often as possible, and at least two times per week, rather than driving a personal vehicle during non-snow months for a minimum of two years. In addition, participants must track all trips made and modes of travel using the OpenPATH app developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), as well as participate in the Sole Power Green Commuting Challenge. Participants may not sell the e-bike and must return the e-bike and equipment to the Town of Vail if they decide the program is not for them.
Final selection of program participants will take place no later than Friday, Oct. 4. A mandatory program orientation and bike distribution will be scheduled based on participant availability.
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The E-Bikes for Essentials program launched in 2021 with seven e-bikes and is a partnership between Town of Vail, NREL, and Aventon. Modeled off the Can Do Colorado E-Bike Pilot Program developed by the Colorado Energy Office in 2020, this program equips local workers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while demonstrating that e-bikes are a safe, healthy and convenient way to take essential trips around town. An additional six bikes were distributed in 2022 and eight in 2023.
Questions about the program, applications or timeline can be directed to Town of Vail Environmental Sustainability Manager Beth Markham at bmarkham@vail.gov or 970-479-2333.
