College Active Transportation Safety

Seven Texas colleges and universities will pilot BikeTexas new College Active Transportation Safety presentations at new student orientation sessions in the Summer and Fall 2012.

Funded by the Texas Department of Transportation, BikeTexas CATS addresses the need for information and education and for reducing motor vehicle-related pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities.

Here are 5 Easy Steps to Bring CATS to your campus.  Texas colleges and universities are promoting walking and cycling. They're solving parking problems, accommodating economic abilities, addressing sustainability and air quality concerns, and encouraging active, safe and healthy lifestyles for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

Texas has the third highest number of annual bicyclist fatalities in the U.S. The majority (70%) of those fatalities occurred in urban areas. College students moving into urban areas to begin post-secondary studies are more economically and socially inclined to walk or cycle – some for the first time and without knowledge of campus area roads or safe riding techniques. Education about pedestrian and bicycle safety is important for increasing awareness and safety.

BikeTexas CATS offers relevant content and imagery for college students in PowerPoint presentations: a 15-minute Overview of our main topics:

• Motivating active transportation lifestyles
• Texas bicycle and pedestrian law
• Bicycle and pedestrian safety
• Motorist sensitivity to cyclists and pedestrians
• Bicycle safety equipment
• Using mass transit
• Prevention of alcohol, drug-influenced, or distracted driving accidents.  

BikeTexas CATS also offers extended presentations on:  Walk & Roll, motivating active transportation lifestyles;  The Five O, Texas Bicycle & Pedestrian Law;  Mass Transit, Taking the Bus or Train; plus, a 3-minute Safety Bling! music video on bicycle safety equipment. 

BikeTexas recommends that college Orientation, Transportation, Education-Kinesiology or Recreational Sports departments select incoming Juniors or Seniors or graduating Seniors who are preparing to be teachers and who have trained in the BikeTexas SafeCyclist curriculum to present the CATS program to their younger peers. BikeTexas can assist college sponsoring departments to connect with SafeCyclist-trained students or other potential presenters on your campuses.

For more information or to register as a CATS presenter and access these materials, contact BikeTexas CATS.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you to everyone who provided input, reviewed, or otherwise collaborated in the creation of BIkeTexas new CATS curriculum.  We appreciate your insights, talents, and contributions!

CATS Advisory Team

BikeTexas Staff -- Executive Director Robin Stallings, Program Manager & Curriculum Developer Donna Hoffman, Communications Assistant/Student Coordinator Juliana Furioso, Photographer Ann Harkness, Jack Sanford, Emma Cravey, Mark Stine, Brenda Chuleewah, Fernando Martinez, Leslie Luciano, Susan Wilcox

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Safety Division Staff -- Program Manager Lydia Bryan-Valdez, Traffic Safety Director Terry Pence, Programs Director Jim Hollis

League Cycling Instructors-- Regina Garcia, Jerrel Wallace, Brian Hatt, Julie Doheny, Cliff Molloy, Justin Moore

SafeCyclist Faculty  -- Teresita Ramirez, University of Texas Austin, Susan Hart, Assistant Professor, University of Texas Brownsville, Charles Hart, Adjunct Lecturer, University of Texas Brownsville, Susan Wagner, Texas A&M College Station; Dr. Joel Bloom, Associate Professor, Health Education, University of Houston

University Faculty/Staff & Consultants -- Charles Riou, TxDOT Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator; Joan Hudson, Associate Research Engineer, Texas Transportation Insitute of Texas A&M;  Ron Steedly, Alternative Transportation Manager, Texas A&M College Station;  UT Austin Parking & Transportation Services -- Blanca Juarez, Alternative Transportation Manager & Samuel Cortez, Bicycle Coordinator; Officer Roberto Gonzalez, UT Austin Police Department;  UT Brownsville -- Dean of Students Dr. Mari Fuentes-Martin, Orientation Melissa de la Rosa;  UT Pan Am -- Marianella Franklin, Director of Sustainability Programs; Attorney Mark Peña, Ciclistas Urbanos; University of Texas Tyler -- Howard Patterson, Director Herrington Patriot Center, Bob Hepler, Head Coach;  George 'Butch' Willingham, BikeTexas Board of Directors;  Huston-Tillotson University -- Dr. Rozena McCabe, Kinesiology, LaGina Harris, First Year Experience Coordinator;  Texans Standing Tall, Nicole Holt, Executive Director & Alex Tapias, Strategy Specialist; Cynthia Schiebel, LPC, LCDC, AAC, ADC3, CPS;  Alyssa Simms, Capitol Metro

Students/Youth -- Texas A&M -- Tucker Cullum, Liz Carrera, Edward Matthews;  UT Austin -- Kate Bedford, Chandler Gandy, Beth Rosenbarger;  UT Brownsville -- Edgar Covarrubias;  UT Pan Am -- Alex Spishakoff;  UT Tyler -- Chauncey Deller;  Huston-Tillotson University -- Angela Gallimore, Peer Learning Counselor.

CATS Stars - Photography & Video Talent

CATS Presentation Photos -- April Aliermo, Adam Butler, Fidel Campbell, Laureen Connelly, Alfredo Fierro, Juliana Furioso, Jettie Koen, Daniel Lee, Melody Liao, Megan McDonald, Patrick Beyer, Liam Robarth-Laye, Jack Sanford, Kaya Sumer

Safety Bling!  The Rhymanese Twins -- Jon Steinmeier & Noah Tabakin.  TxDOT Travel Division video team -- Benard Stafford, John Clawson, Michael Amador, Chris Lewis, Debbie Snyder. Crew -- Donna Hoffman, Juliana Furioso, Purly Gates, Ron Beal, Alan Koda, Ed Fuentes, BikeTexas staff.  Actors-- Lee Arnold, Daniella Baird, Patrick Beyer, Jason Butler, Fidel Campbell, Shannon Crane, Andre Denais, Jennifer Denais, Jessica Duffy, Karen Gause, Landon Gillett, Bethany Hamilton, Derek Hansen, Laura Higgins, Sandy Hines, David Hudson, Heather Kouros, Paul Kim, Anna Kong, Maeve Kent, Pamela Larson, Rachel Laye, Tyler Mainz, Edward Matthews, Brandon McKinney, Marah Nomack, Andre Pelaez, P. Monroe Patterson, Tim Pipe, Hilda Ramos, John Randall, Mark Rausch, Jesse S., Cameron Schultz,Tyler Shaffer, Imani Shanklin, Gilbert Slade, Mark Sullivan, Sarah Swinney, Maegen Valdez, Daryl Wade, Jermaine Walker, David Westenbarger, James Woodring, Christine Yager

Thanks also goes to...

Farideh Dassi, Engineer;  Mark Peña, Irma & Ramon Hermida, Edinburg Ciclistas Urbanos;  Alfonso Vallejo, Transportation Planner, City of Brownsville;  City of College Station Parks & Recreation; City of Austin Parks & Recreation; Jeremy Phillips; Austin Bike Zoo; Brownsville City Commissioner Rose Gowen, MD and Jeffrey Gowen; University of Texas at Brownsville, School of Architecture -- Dr. Murad Abusalim & Erick Darbo-Diaz;  Brooks Goldsmith and the Hump Day Nooner Ride; Jim Walker, UT Austin Office of Sustainability