Applying for a California E-Bike Voucher Isn’t Easy—Here’s How Transform Is Helping
Transform is one of the community benefit organizations (CBOs) working on the California Air Resources Board (CARB) E-Bike Incentive Project. Our role is to identify people within the communities who could most benefit from adding an e-bike to their mobility options, work with them to determine their eligibility, and help them complete the application.
We started with outreach at several events over the summer. Here’s how it’s going.
Connecting people with e-bikes
During the pandemic, as more people got on bikes, e-bikes started a surge in popularity that continues today. The extra boost of an electric motor can help people carry cargo, transport kids to school, or navigate a long or uphill commute. E-bikes can also provide essential mobility for people with disabilities and seniors who might not be able to ride a standard bike. E-bikes have been shown to replace car trips and have become an essential tool for local mobility.
But e-bikes are more expensive than classic bikes, with price tags starting at around $1,000 and ranging up to over $10,000. There are many programs around the country and throughout California to help people afford e-bikes, including several in the Bay Area. Cities, counties, and utilities are among the organizations offering e-bike incentives.
CARB administers California’s first statewide incentive program. The program is wildly popular with more than 100,000 people logging on for a chance to apply for a voucher during each of the first two online application windows. This process disadvantages people who may struggle with the online portal, including those without a computer at home and those with language barriers.
To reach more of the population CARB wants to serve with its program, it has given approved CBOs vouchers to distribute to the populations they work among. These voucher recipients have less time pressure and can use the online portal or send in a paper voucher. CBOs serve as navigators, spreading the word about e-bike incentives to people who might not otherwise hear about them and helping them assemble the necessary paperwork to apply.
The challenges of applying for an e-bike voucher
Transform tabled at four events in two counties to get the word out: Richmond Juneteenth, a Safe Kids Event at the Oakland Coliseum, a Hayward backpack giveaway event, and Lion Creek Crossings National Night Out to raise awareness of the voucher program.
Continuing to build on our relationship with residents at Lion Creek Crossings, where we heard in our Mobility Hubs Focus groups last year that there was an interest in e-bikes, we hosted a bilingual voucher sign-up event, where we sat with residents and helped them fill out their applications, upload their verification documents, and answer questions. We helped residents aged 20 to 70 apply for the 24 e-bike vouchers we had to distribute.
Our ongoing relationship with the East Bay Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) made the Lion Creek Crossings event go smoothly, with staff helping us set up the event.
The E-Bike Incentive Project provides vouchers of $1,750 toward approved e-bike models, as well as gear such as locks and helmets. To qualify, applicants must be California residents, over 18, and earn no more than 300% of the federal poverty level. Applicants with income at 225% of the FPL or lower qualify for an additional $250, for a total of $2,000 in assistance. You can learn more about the program at ebikeincentives.org.
Assembling the right documents to prove income eligibility can be a challenge, especially for people with busy work or school schedules. Once an applicant has gathered and submitted the paperwork, the program administrator must verify it before approving the voucher.
We’re thrilled to have been able to assist Lion Creek Crossings residents in getting e-bikes — a flexible, inexpensive way to get around that also improves riders’ health and the environment. We look forward to sharing stories of the impact of having an e-bike on people’s lives.
