Travis County Commissioners Court
November 17, 2009,
Item 14
14.
consider and take appropriate action on a new program: Travis County wheels, accept donation of items for the program and add the bikes to the asset inventory.
>> good morning.
>> good morning.
i'm here to -- to encourage Commissioners court to approve a new program called Travis County wheels to encourage employees to reduce air emissions while improving their health at the same time.
this is a program where employees can use bicycles during their work hours to run errands during their lunch hours to exercise during their lunch hour or even use the bicycles to attend meetings downtown or travel back and forth between buildings.
the bicycles for the program have been donated by Austin yellow bike project and bike notes.
they have also trained one of our mechanics on bike repairs.
simple bike repairs, so we don't have to go outside to have the bicycles repaired.
the helmets, I have one right here, have been graciously donated by the Austin cycling association, they have donated six helmets.
we actually have an employee on hand who will be offering a bike safety course for employees on December the 16th where employees can sign up.
in order for this program to work, we are asking that all employees who participate in the program must sign a waiver form before they can participate in the program.
>> waiving?
>> waiving?
>> waiving any liability against the county.
in case of an accident.
in the case of a bicycle, any damage is done to a bicycle or a helm is lost or stolen or something of that matter, it will be replaced by the employee.
the bike barn is located in the granger building, it's a secure little area where the bicycles will be secured at all times.
we have four bicycles, one of them will be -- is available at any time.
three of them will be able to reserved by an online system the same way employees reserve vehicles.
i'm available to answer any questions that you may have about this program.
>> so my understanding is that if you want to use a bike over lunch to ride down to one of the restaurants in the lower part of congress avenue, you can either check it out at the same e-mail address that we check -- we reserve vehicles, or you can go to the front desk to the security of the granger building and request to check out with our security guard, correct?
>> that is correct.
if a bicycle is available.
>> now, in order to be able to check the bike out, though, you have to have already filled out your waiver form so that the security guard can check and make sure that -- waiver form is on file.
correct.
>> that is correct.
>> and you don't have to wear our helmets, you can bring your own helmet, but irrequired to use a helmet.
>> that is correct.
>> so those of us who feel a little odd about wearing a helmet that other people wear can just bring their own.
>> to make it more easier for employees, we are -- we will soon have on our website a list of the bicycle laws, rules, regulations for riding a bicycle, Austin area rules as well as the Texas rules and all questions about the program.
>> so if this program has already been implemented what are we approving today?
>> it has not been implemented yet.
these are plans that we plan on doing if approved.
>> now, didn't I see five or six bicycles parked in the -- on the street level of the garage in a little fenced in area yesterday.
>> that is correct, but no one has been able to use them yet.
i have actually had requests to use the bicycle, and I said no not until approved by Commissioners court.
>> judge?
>> go ahead.
>> [laughter]
>> go ahead.
>> my point --
>> when I saw the bicycles, I didn't know whether had stolen bicycles and deposited them here --
>> [laughter] or -- or if we were teasing somebody to see if they would be stolen.
i did stop and look over --
>> [laughter]
>> years ago, years ago, the city of Austin had -- at the location out on 8th and i-35, years ago they had an area with bicycles caged up, had been stolen, folks could come down and try to identify their bike.
this was a long time ago.
i can see what the judge means the caged bikes.
this is my question, you may have answered it, I had to step off the dais for a second.
but how will we identify Travis County, how will we hold us harmless as far as someone using a bike, let's say they collide with someone, they get injured, they cause injury to someone else.
how will Travis County -- it's Travis County property, how will Travis County identify itself with some type of license agreement or something that is how does it work?
i'm trying to protect the taxpayers -- the taxpayers, but at the same time support something that will benefit the employee of Travis County, but at the same time I need to be very cautious.
as far as how we protect Travis County from any unforeseen occurrence, accident, dah-dah-dah, on down the line.
how they work.
>> fortunately, we have really good county attorneys who have developed a very extensive waiver that will exclude Travis County from the liability should an accident occur.
>> where?
i mean --
>> I'm sorry.
>> where is it, I mean --
>> the waiver would have a copy of one right here if you would like to see it.
also attached in your packet.
>> attachment a.
>> I didn't see that.
>> okay.
but anyway that will -- that will suffice, I guess, I'm asking the county attorney this, will that particular document --
>> pass the muster?
i guess it's been reviewed by the --
>> it has been reviewed by the county attorney's office.
>> this waiver includes a lot more areas than what most companies have used to -- for their employees to mimic such a program.
>> okay.
i just want to make sure.
can anyone other than using the assigned helmets, the biker, as you said, there will be helmets, can they also maybe use their own instead of the county's or does everyone have to use the same helmet.
>> no, they may use their own helmet.
we would just like to have some on hand.
>> in case someone do not have a helmet.
>> that's correct.
>> all right.
you are breaking it down for me, all right.
thank you.
>> > how did we conclude that building security should be used to check the bicycles out?
>> because they are located in this building, for convenient's sake, they can wake up and they will have maintained a key to the bike barn at the same time and they are there during normal business hours.
for example, I couldn't do it because if I'm away at a meeting and someone needs to get into the bike barn or another employee.
>> okay.
>> so security will never have to actually leave the security desk.
they just are the keeper of the keys and the list of those who have already executed a waiver.
>> that is correct.
and we also consulted with roger, head of facilities.
>> so -- so if employees --
>> Commissioners court
>> [indiscernible]
>> yes.
>> so if employees were hearing this today and the court decide to approve it, when would this service be made available to them to ride bikes?
and then what time of day?
in other words, is this something that can be used from 8:00 to 5:00 or from -- from this time to that time?
some folks work on the weekend sometimes.
you know, we never have a true accounting of folks' schedule as far as the employees here within -- in Travis County.
that want to venture out on the bike doing whatever they are doing.
my -- hours of operation, I guess, is something that -- that if employees are hearing it, they said hey that sounds like a great idea, let's go forward with it.
then the question may come, what are the hours of operation?
you may have said it already.
like I said, I was off the dais.
>> the hours of operation, they only have access to the bike barn keys between 8:00 and 5:00 p.m.
as an employee -- if an employee chooses, if for some reason they have to go to a meeting late, return after that, they are responsible for keeping the bicycle locked up.
locks are provided for their use.
employees' use.
>> okay.
>> to keep the bikes locked up.
>> also, you have a very helpful fact sheet that's included.
where will that fact sheet be posted so that people can explore the idea of using this -- this amenity?
>> if it is approved by Commissioners court, it will be placed on our website.
>> okay.
>> how many parking spaces were -- were displaced?
>> I don't believe there was any parking spaces that were displaced.
>> I think -- I think our understanding was that the space that was utilized was -- it was not appropriate for a park space because of the poles, the structural poles, I believe.
we can double check that.
>> so if we approve this today, the -- these bikes belong to Travis County.
they would be put on the asset inventory.
with purchasing.
basically.
>> correct.
>> and thereafter the -- they become our responsibility but if something happens to them, we decide whether to replace them or not.
and what about the training for repairs?
>> that was donated by yellow bike and bike notes.
>> all right.
so if -- if a bike is damaged, then we think that we will be able to repair it and get it up and running again.
>> that is correct.
>> all right.
how long do we put this pilot program in place?
>> I think for six months we will revisit it and see fits successful.
and then if it is, we can continue it with the court's permission.
>> okay.
the security guard will keep some sort of flow chart and let us know what utilization has been.
>> correct.
it's one of the attachments, there's a sign-in, sign-out sheet that each employee that checks out a bicycle must sign, in and out for the bicycles.
and each bicycle has an individual name so we'll know which employee has which bike and which one was returned undamaged.
or responsible for each one.
>> I don't have any problem with trying it out on a pilot basis myself.
i do object to -- to not only starting the trip, but arriving at the destination, then -- then after the fact.
sort of coming and getting our approval.
you are using county property, you are using county personnel, committing the county to accept them, the bicycles are here.
so I just -- I wouldn't let a pilot program get that far down the road before testing the county's willingness to go along with it.
i'm not a backer.
however, if -- if county employees want to use one, as you described, then I say let's give them that opportunity.
but it's almost like now we have no choice but to approve the program.
normally we wouldn't conduct business that way.
tame, though, I don't have any fundamental disagreement with it.
>> I just have --
>> is there a motion to approve?
>> I just have a little concern.
i really do.
because we say on number 3 that the person needs to acknowledge that bicycling is by its nature inherently dangerous.
let's say the employee says okay, I accept the conditions that if something should happen to me, I will accept all risks of personal injury.
but what about the family?
what if the family says well now because he or she got injured, what happens to the rest of us?
whattings to the rest of the family -- what happens to the rest of the family?
i'm kind of stuck there.
whether -- what happens then?
i guess at that point, the dependents would fall under our insurance program anyway, wouldn't they?
>> well, you can -- you can conjure up many, many possibilities, all of which is against the background that unfortunately there is a sort of vehicle bike hostility in the community.
it amazes me how many accidents there are.
at the same time, I assume if you use one of our bikes, you are kind of familiar with biking in the community and these are relatively short trips.
so I mean there's always that risk.
it's --
>> I know that they have that -- that law passed now that you have to allow lots of room for people on bicycles.
yet driving out there, I don't see people doing that yet.
and that -- I think that we need ahead maybe a warning sign.
you ride a bike at your own risk.
be careful with -- with traffic out there.
i'm just really concerned.
i feel some concern.
>> do these bikes have Travis County on them, property of Travis County or some sort of serial number so we can know what's ours?
>> we can have that added.
>> okay.
>> because on the yellow bike program, some of those yellow bikes used to disappear, right?
but on those you could take them from points a to b and just leave it at b as long as b was in a downtown area.
i guess my first recommendations would be that we be able to identify Travis County bikes.
if we see one down in Williamson county, we know how that should be in Travis County, that's our bike.
but -- but employees to find out whether this was something that they would use?
>> yes, sir, we did.
>> and we got positive responses?
>> yes, we did.
since it's been on the agenda, I have received several e-mails and phone calls about when this program will be available for their use.
i have made it clear that not until the travis -- the court adopts it.
>> thank you, appreciate that move.
>> years ago, they used to, as far as serial number, used to go take your bike to the closest fire station and they would hammer the little serial numbers in on your bike on the frame.
that's the way you kind of kept up with little license plate, all of that kind of stuff.
i'm just wondering if that is the extents of it or if they are going to do the same deal there to show ownership, I think she said they would do that.
anything other than farther we have to go to really make sure that -- identification is registered, some kind of way that we will actually know.
>> Commissioner, I don't know if something maybe the purchasing office has been
>> [indiscernible]
>> pardon me.
>> perhaps the purchasing office or some other county department put an asset tax on the property like it does on other properties that the county owns.
>> yeah, yeah.
something -- yeah.
that's -- that's another good point.
to show ownership.
>> got to be some way to identify with ours.
>> yeah.
>> should be pretty easy to do, though, because we do it all of the time looks like on everything.
>> I believe that once we accept them, we have to accept them today before purchasing can put an asset tag on them, but I believe that all bicycles now come with serial numbers on them from the manufacturer that will they could also be added to our records.
>> okay.
>> I view this program as really alternative -- encouragement alternative transportation.
if there is a sense of risk and liability, perhaps requiring users to take riding training.
i am a biker, I have taken training.
there is a particular knowledge that you ought to have when you drive inside the city to -- to protect yourself.
and most -- most experienced riders have that training.
i'm not sure if you need to make it mandatory, but certainly advisory of anyone using these bikes before they get on the basics of urban riding.
i sense that there's a little caution here about -- about just allowing anyone to jump on a bike and go somewhere while they're on county business.
but at the same time the whole purpose of this program is to encourage people to try something different.
you can't do that and tell them on the other hand we don't trust you to ride safely.
but if that's a concern, maybe we ought to bridge that gap with some kind of bicycle training.
i know there's some very good instructors here in town that might even do this pro bono if we asked them to.
>> I totally agree with the purpose.
but I guess I'm just concerned about the safety and perhaps it would make me feel a lot better if we required people to kind of like having a driver's license for the car.
to say that you have been through the training and you know the rulings.
accidents can happen even if it's not your fault.
>> I'm glad you corrected that.
i hear what you are saying.
even down congress avenue you see bikers coming right between cars.
very visible.
between lanes.
where cars are, going the same direction.
then traffic -- running a red light I mean just keep going.
i mean there have to be some sense of -- of safety, also, in this.
and, of course, those bikers that don't want to obey the -- the -- the law as far as what vehicles have to obey and adhere, that's -- again, I think it need to be a common safety measure there, not running stop signs, running red lights and everything else, riding between vehicles and, you know, you just don't -- hard to see them.
they are not within the -- within the constraints of bike safety.
>> my understanding is russell hahyn is willing to teach bicycle safety, very experienced urban rider, I think that is much appreciated.
his very kind offer to provide these --
>> bike safety.
>> classes.
>> also, I don't want anyone to get in their minds that these bicycles, that we would condone the kind of bike messenger behavior that Commissioner Davis is describing.
>> you have noticed that, too, though, haven't you?
>> yeah.
i imagine that most of the --
>> [laughter] -- employees who take advantage of this would be -- would be along the lines of a skirt cyclists like myself.
you stop at the red lights, you stay on the right side of the road.
there's no hot dogging between delivery trucks.
>> right.
>> and through red lights.
o into oncoming traffic.
>> [one moment please for change in captioners]
>> but I would suggest at this point for the pilot that it would be voluntary, otherwise we won't get a true picture of how many people would avail themselves of the pilot.
>> it's kind of in the nature of the health clinics, there was skepticism it would work, but it's been very successful.
it just takes moving in that direction and see where it goes.
>> is the training five minutes or five hours?
>> probably more like a three-hour session.
and you go out in the field and it's a hands-ride.
the instructor will take you in an urban situation and show you how to become visible to motorists and what to do in different situations.
so it's a very good, practical know-how.
>> for those who have not been trained on bike riding, why don't we just encourage them to secure the training before using a county bicycle.
>> yeah.
>> unfortunately, I think that our potential liability picks up because this is a county program, right?
>> right.
and if you would like to discuss it further in executive session, I'd be happy to discuss it with you there if you like.
>> now, I seldom pass up the opportunity to get legal advice.
>> it would be very brief, judge.
>> very brief?
>> very brief.
>> our goal is to try to get this done if possible.
how many bikes are out there?
>> four bicycles so far.
>> mr.
reeferseed, are you --
>> yes, thank you.
i'm ronnie reeferseed, and I had a concern or comment or two about this issue because, one, it would be at virtually no cost to the county to make them all more visible and thus more safe, and that's a simple technology that nobody else thinks to use, it's called a bike safety flag.
and they can just be -- you can buy all four of them for less than $10 and put them on each one of the bikes and it would at least double the visibility and thus reduce the likelihood they would be involved in an accident.
but again, I was just going to speak about the -- to ms.
Gomez, ms.
Gomez's point, I think that sort of canceled on out by the waiver.
i mean it's good that we all have concern and we want people to, you know, lessen their dangerous riding, but if you sign a waiver, my golly, it would seem that that would -- that the nanny state -- I mean riding a bicycle, I think we should be glad that we don't have to get a license to ride a bicycle.
i mean, you know, it makes sense for cars and it makes sense for motorcycles, but for bicycles, it's something that we should hopefully be free to learn on our own speed as children, and by the time they get to the county job to borrow a bike, you would think how they would have learned how to ride a bike.
well, it just seems --
>> well, I would agree with you except some bikers I've seen out there, doesn't look like they've learned a whole lot.
you know, and --
>> speaking from experience, I was literally in a coma from a car that hit me, and it was not my fault and I --
>> exactly.
>> you can be the best rider in the world and you are still going to -- it's possible and very kind of likely you were saying with the crazy people.
and it's not the people ride in cars -- riding bikes, it's the cars and trucks.
but again --
>> we will get ms.
jones' legal advice before taking action today.
how is that?
is that all right?
so we'll take this item into executive session when we go.
all right.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
>> we had announced two items for 10:30.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 1:40 PM
