Starting a BUG can be relatively easy:

• gather a group of interested cyclists
• hold a first BUG meeting
• plan and propose how to improve cycling facilities at your work or school or in your community
• plan special events like group rides, or host cycling seminars offered through the BUG Network
• continue to find other interested cyclists to join and support your BUG
• keep in touch with other BUGs by joining the City's Bug Network
• look at the information below on how to start a BUG at a workplace - it contains useful tips for all BUGs.

Five Steps for Starting a Workplace Bicycle User Group

• Step 1 - The survey
• Step 2 - Spread out
• Step 3A - The meeting
• Step 3B - The plan
• Step 4 - Find some sympathetic ears
• Step 4A - The Proposal to Management
• Step 4B - Spread the word
• Step 5 - Keep things rolling

You can modify these steps for non-workplace BUGs.

Step 1 - The survey
Find out how many staff are interested in starting a group. Try leaving notes on parked bicycles. You could also send e-mails or memos, or put a notice in the company newsletter. Does the company have any sports teams? Try contacting the organisers - some of them might be recreational cyclists. Remember that many non-cyclists might cycle if conditions were better, or might become interested as they see the group steadily growing. Find out what prevents people from cycling to work (some common concerns include lack of facilities, security, overestimating the physical demands of cycling, and fear of traffic).

Find out what kind of facilities are available in the building - sometimes there are showers or lockers lurking in places you least expect them.

Step 2 - Spread out
If you're not a senior manager, try to get the support of one - this will make it easier to move your ideas forward and help spread the word around the company. Look for senior staff who cycle, or recognize the benefits of cycling. Try to find a cyclist within each department.

Step 3A - The meeting
Hold your first meeting. Remember that people might be turned off if they think a BUG will eat up all of their free time, so don't prolong things. Here are some agenda items to consider:

• Get names, numbers, and e-mails of people attending (remember that not everyone will want to get involved with projects, but just having them in the loop is important).
• Decide if you want to charge members a small fee (this might only serve to discourage participation, so think carefully about whether you need the money before deciding - it might be better to ask for donations as the need arises).
• Consider how much formality you want to start with - it can be anything from an e-mail list and informal meetings to a group with appointed officers and constitutions, but all you really need is an organiser to keep things together and act as a contact person.
• Talk about the obstacles to cycling you found out about in Step 1 - removing some of these can help you set out your BUG's aims and draw up an action plan.
• Try to keep your goals simple and straightforward at first, then build on your success. Come up with a name for your BUG.

Step 3B - The plan
Now that you've got everyone's attention, you can decide what needs to get done first and what can wait for later. There are three basic areas where you can improve conditions: facilities, promotion, and incentives. Better facilities will make it easier for existing cyclists to commute, and might encourage others to try riding to work. Incentives and support work hand-in-hand with facilities to help convince people to cycle commute. Promotion will help increase your BUG membership. Although you've already sent e-mails or put a notice on the bulletin board, it's easy to overlook a one-time affair. As people see the group is still going strong after a couple months or a year, it will be a more attractive prospect. Try to mix in all three categories to aim for a well-rounded commuter program.

Facilities:

• safe, well-lit and secure cycle parking. (City Transportation provides post and ring stands by request)
• showers and changing facilities (including hair dryers, irons, and towels)
• lockers to store helmets, riding/work clothes and hang towels
• an equipment box (including puncture kit, tire pumps, lights and basic tools; maybe even night jackets, lights, and battery re-chargers) can be put together and made available to employees
• a fleet of company bikes for short business trips during the day, or for travel from one area to another on a large company site
• ask building security to make a regular trip past the bicycle storage area as part of their rounds.

Incentives:

• mileage for commuting and cycle journeys on work-related business
• policies that encourage cycling, such as casual dress Fridays, or the use of a company car for business-related trips during the day that can't be cycled
• Ride Home Insurance (ride arrangements if an employee can't ride home for some reason, or has an emergency and needs to get somewhere fast
• Bike Buddies Program - matches less experienced cyclists with veterans to help ease in new commuters - having an experienced guide can go a long way toward converting a recreational cyclist into a commuter cyclist
• "Flexible hours" to allow for off-peak travel
• time off to take CAN-BIKE safety courses (maybe the company will cover the cost, as well?)
• if showers aren't available, the company might subsidise a "shower pass" at a nearby health club.

Promotion:

• A newsletter, or contributions to your company newsletter
• mail outs with company newsletters or paycheques/pay stubs
• dedicated space on a bulletin board.

Discuss which of these fit your office best, then decide which tasks will be allotted to which volunteers. Remember not to take on too much at first, or your BUG might collapse under its own weight.

Step 4 - Find some sympathetic ears
Once you've held a meeting and decided on your goals, you may need to get management on board. There's a big difference between a company just tolerating a BUG, and a company that actively encourages cycling. Securing better conditions is a starting point, but forging a community of cyclists, both within and outside of management, will ensure a much healthier BUG in the long term by providing a stable base for growth and the undertaking of new projects.

Step 4A - The Proposal to Management
If you still need to get management on board, then it's best to plan things carefully. There are many benefits to a cycle-friendly business that might not be apparent at first glance. Here are some suggestions for getting official recognition of your BUG and a sympathetic ear for your plan:

• book an appointment
• type up a copy of your plan - the more professional and organised you look, the more serious your proposals will look
• be constructive and upbeat (try to infect management with your positive attitude)
• try to anticipate questions about problems like budgets and space
• stress the cost-effectiveness of your proposals - not all changes require investment and some improvements may actually save the organisation money
• you might want to mention the Bicycle Friendly Business Awards
• demonstrate support for cycling within the company - you can point to the number of people at the meeting, the number of existing cyclists, or the number of potential cyclists
• present information about how good cycling is for staff, the company and the community
• remember not to present a problem without proposing a solution (and perhaps a way to pay for it)
• set a date for another meeting to keep things moving along
• if you run into problems getting your ideas across, don't get discouraged - if the BUG keeps meeting and growing, sooner or later, management will take notice.

Step 4B - Spread the word
Once you have the ear of management, you need to promote the benefits of cycling to employees. A good way to launch a BUG is to publicise a new incentive or improved facilities. Here are some ideas to spread the word:

• distribute information at pay day, in employee paycheque envelopes or at payroll window
• set up a table in the employee lunchroom
• post a notice on company website, or via the company e-mail list
• hold a cycling or commuting fair - ask a local bicycle shop to come and demonstrate products
• place an article in the company newsletter.

Step 5 - Keep things rolling
BUGs, despite their appearance, can be fragile creatures. An otherwise healthy BUG can become extinct if key contacts move to other locations or leave the company. The best way to safeguard against this is simply to stay in touch. The Toronto BUG Network will provide external ties for the group, but internal communications and interest are just as important. A busy and social BUG is much more likely to be a successful one.

Here's a list of things that can keep your cycling commuter culture vital:

• continue to meet with your BUG on a regular basis
• post program updates on a regular basis in the company newsletter - interviews or commuter profiles could be an interesting way to draw attention to the program, and you can also recognise new ideas and dedicated commuters and announce new incentives and facilities
• conduct a follow-up survey at the conclusion of the bicycling season (fall) to measure the success of the program and obtain feedback for improvement
• promote Toronto's Bicycle Friendly Business Awards (and win one!)
• raise the profile of cycling by supporting events like Bike Month
• arrange social events and encourage new and potential cyclists to attend, like group rides during non-business hours
• Roll-in Breakfasts: all you need are a couple of tables, coffee, juice and muffins, and someone senior to pour coffee and have their picture taken for the newsletter. Maybe a local coffee shop will donate the food in exchange for publicity?
• promote your group in the local press
• get space on a bulletin board and provide cycling maps and information pamphlets available from the City of Toronto
• is your company holding an employee orientation? Make sure you have someone there to talk about the BUG!
• is there a company picnic coming up? Ride to the park and then set up a table where people can sign up and browse through information!
• set up monthly brown-bag lunch meetings. You can draw on your own internal skills for topics - choice of routes, proper clothing and equipment, or basic bike maintenance - maybe a local bike shop would send someone over to demonstrate some of their products? Beginning in the fall of 2002 you will be able to book cycling seminars through the BUG Network.