STEP 4
GO RIDE!
Your trishaws are here. Your first pilots are trained. Now it is time to hit the road. Plan your routes. Dial in your booking system. Remember to stop for donuts and smell the flowers.
Ride Structure

A successful trishaw ride involves a well planned route, and a willingness to stop and enjoy those little moments that so many older adults have lost touch with. Multi-use paths and rail trails are the ideal place for this. No cars and a high probability of interactions with cute puppies and families. Here is a breakdown of the typical trishaw ride:

1. Arrival
  1. Bring the trishaw to the ride location.
  2. Give the trishaw the pre-ride check.
  3. If applicable, check in with the activity director to see how many rides have been scheduled.
  4. Ensures that all riding partners have signed necessary waivers.
2. Ride
  1. Greets the riding partner and helps them into the trishaw. 

  2. Some will want a hand, others may want to get in on their own.

  3. Once the riding partner is comfortable, hit the road or trail.

3. Return
  1. Help the riding partner out of the trishaw, offering as much or as little assistance as requested.
  2. Return the trishaw to its storage location, checking the tires for any flats, and plugging in the battery.
Booking System

Booking rides is often the most time consuming part of running a chapter. Having a core volunteer to serve as a Ride Coordinator will allow you to delegate the task of pairing ride requests up with volunteer pilots. 

There are several ways for you to offer up rides to the older adults in your community: 

Direct Booking: older adults or their family members reach out to your ride coordinator directly to book.

Weekly/Monthly Scheduling: senior community activity director signs up residents for rides on a regular predetermined date

Partner Booking: your Parks and Recreation Department can set up and publicize ride days on a local multi-use trail.

Free Picnic: set up a free dinner in a park near a senior living community Offer rides to anyone who comes. This can be particularly effective at reaching seniors who might live in non-assisted housing.

Once you receive a ride request or set up a time slot, your Ride Coordinator can share this opportunity with your pilots. This can be done through CWA's Book2Go platform, or through a simple weekly or monthly Google group email. Pilots can then sign up via Book2Go or a Google form or spreadsheet.

Making Rides Special

As CWA Littleton phrases it, make these “experiences”, not just rides. Here are a few ways to take your rides to the next level:

Pause to smell the flowers, listen to the birds, etc. Sensory engagement like this is incredibly beneficial for many seniors.

Stop for coffee or a donut. Many of these local businesses might sponsor your chapter and offer free/discounted drinks and snacks to pilots and riding partners.

During the holidays, ride through neighborhoods with lots of lights and lawn displays. Make sure to bring hot chocolate.

Organize surprise birthday parties. Partner with a local coffee shop. Bring party hats. Have family waiting to surprise when the trishaw arrives

Participate in any and every local parade. 4th of July. Christmas. Decorate your trishaw and have older adult riding partners lead out the parade in style!

Chapters in Action

Cycling Without Age can manifest in all shapes and sizes. Single trishaw operators. Senior community networks that have a trishaw at each facility. Chapters with a dozen trishaws that have their very own birthday party planning committee. Here are a few examples to inspire you with the possibilities:
‍

created by Pedal Born Pictures
‍