University FAQ & Resources

Read through these FAQs to learn more about the program and how to apply.
General BFU FAQs
FAQs from BFU Applicants
There is one application cycle per year for the BFU program.
The 2022 BFU Application is now open, and the next submission deadline is August 10, 2022. The 2022 BFU Awards will be announced in October 2022.
Yes, there is a $100 application fee for each application that is submitted.
Discounts are available for the following institutions:
- Existing Bicycle Friendly Universities that are scheduled to renew this year (their last application was 4 years ago).
- Previous BFU applicants that received No Award or Honorable Mention on their most recent application.
- Insititutions that are a current Affiliate/organizational Member of the League, and maintain their membership for the full 4 years of their BFU designation.
- HBCUs and other Minority Serving Institutions.
- All-Women's Colleges.
- Community Colleges.
Please contact bfa@bikeleague.org to learn more if your school is eligible for a discount.
Invoicing is available for schools with Purchase Order systems.
Once your online application is finalized, there will be an option to "add to cart." From there, you will be prompted for payment before you are able to submit the application. You will be able to select whether you want to pay by credit card or request an invoice to pay by check or purchase order. Payment is due within 30 days of the application submission deadline.
Any university, college, community college or other institution of higher education with a physical campus is eligible to apply for the BFU℠ program. Your bicycle, sustainability, or transportation program manager should review the application and resources. University administration should work alongside campus bicycling groups to complete the form. BFU staff are available to answer questions about eligibility, the application process and best practices.
Visit the Getting Started page to learn more about the application process.
To complete the most comprehensive application, the applicant should be aware of all aspects of the university’s bicycle-related activities and efforts. We encourage the applicant to consult bicycling students and staff to help advise on the campus’s true environment for cycling.
Please be certain that the leaders of the college or university are consulted before applying.
New and renewing applicants fill out the same application form. However, renewing/returning applicants whose most recent application was in 2016 or later can now simplify the application process by duplicating their previous submission answers into the current online form. Learn more here.
Applications that are not submitted by the application deadline will be automatically transferred to the next year's application. Please note that any questions that were changed or added may not transfer data correctly, so it is important to double check all of your answers before submitting an application that was started in a previous round.
Applicants that just fall short of a designation receive an Honorable Mention. Universities that receive an Honorable Mention are being promoted on the League website for one year. However, they do not receive a certificate, seal or award. The names of applicants that do not receive any recognition are not published. All applicants that do not achieve Bicycle Friendly status still receive a detailed feedback report that can be used to work towards a designation next time the campus applies.
The BFU designation is given on a four-year basis, after which time the university must reapply to maintain or improve their status. Universities that do not maintain their cycling environment over the years may also lose their BFU status.
Any university, college, community college or other institution of higher education with a physical campus is eligible to apply for the BFU program. Your bicycle, sustainability, or transportation program manager should review the application and resources. University administration should work alongside campus bicycling groups to complete the form. BFU staff are available to answer questions about eligibility, the application process and best practices.
An important part of the BFU designation is the official presentation of the award to the college or university. The following steps are usually involved in setting up an award ceremony:
- Choose a date and location.
- The League will identify a representative to present the award – the representative may be a League staff person or board member, the head of a local club, a member of the bike industry, or other appropriate person. If you have a preference, please let the League staff know. The League will provide talking points for the presentation.
- The League can assist you in developing a press release for your business announcing the award ceremony. Most universities use their communications department to distribute the press release.
FAQS from Residents and Advocates
The League has developed a promotional BFA toolkit specifically for bicycle advocates -- learn more on the Advocate Tools page.
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Resources for Building a Bicycle Friendly University
- Infographics about bicycling: How Bikes Can Save Us, Bicycling in the U.S., Bicycle Theft at US Universities and New American Transit - Young Americans Shift Away from Car-driven Culture
- Check out video of UC Davis' BFU development
- Strategies to promote bicycling
- U.S. PIRG study 'A NEW COURSE: How Innovative University Programs Are Reducing Driving on Campus and Creating New Models for Transportation Policy'
- U.S. PIRG study 'MILLENNIALS IN MOTION: Changing Travel Habits of Young Americans and the Implications for Public Policy'
- A health impact study on the health risks and benefits of cycling in urban environments compared with car use
Campus Off-Road Bicycle Network
Trails
- Please also see section on Bicycle Facility and Streetscaping Design Standards below
- Trailbuilding Resources
- FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Program
- See more about mountain biking on the Michigan Tech campus
Other Bicycle-Related Facilities
Bicycle Facility Maintenance
- Iowa DOT's statewide network and trail maintenance recommendations
- Seattle Spot improvement program
- How Communities are Paying to Maintain Trails, Bike Lanes, and Sidewalks
Engineering Policies and Design Standards
Complete Streets Policy
- Complete Streets resources, reports & guidance
- American Planning Association report on Complete Streets Best Policy and Implementation Practice (for charge unless you are a member)
- Taking it a step further by integrating Complete Streets, land use and urban design using the Model Design Manual for Living Streets
Bicycle Facility and Streetscaping Design Standards
- AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, 4th Edition (for charge)
- MUTCD Traffic Controls for Bicycle Facilities
- NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide
- NACTO All Ages & Abilities Design Resources
- Model Design Manual for Living Streets
- FHWA Bikeway Selection Guide
- FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning, Program, and Project Development
- Read about the University Courses on Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation
- Learn about bicycle specific conferences, visit the Pedestrian & Bicycle Information Center, APBP, and the Project for Public Spaces
Bicycle Parking and Storage
- APBP Bike Parking Guidelines
- Ground Control Systems Campus Bike Parking Toolkit
- Campus Bike Parking webinar and presentation slides from Ground Control Systems
- Dero Bike Parking Resource Library
- Dero's Bike Parking Guide
- Sample Guidelines for Artistic Bicycle Rack from the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition
- Model bicycle parking ordinance
- Making a Place for Bicycles fact sheet
- See an example of a bike parking garage at Portland State University
- See a map of University of Washington bike racks
- League Webinar: Two Hours Or More, Long term Bike Parking For Sure
Multi-Modal Transportation Accommodations
Bikes and Transit
Awareness Campaigns & Information Sharing
- The League’s Ride Better Tips and Presentations
- Marin County Bicycle Coalition’s Share the Road and Share the Path Campaigns
- Bicycle Safety Educational Efforts at Stanford
- Stanford's website of Bike Safety Information & Resources for New Students
- Review of Stanford's Bike Safety Program
- University of Michigan's alternative transportation promotional video for new students
- Using rewards, This App Saves Lives is out to make roads safer for cyclists and distracted driving a habit of the past. Students and employees at BFUs can find TASL in the iOS App Store or go to this link: apple.co/3kQAISu to download directly. Use referral ID ”LEAGUEBFU” at sign-up.
Classes & Training
Bicycle Culture, Support, and Promotion
Campus Tours
- See an example of unique bike tours at Alfred University
- See further examples of bicycle campus tours
Events
- Check out the bike rodeo and Earth Day event at University of Phoenix
- See an example of a bike rodeo at Yale University
- Check out the Indiana University Little 500, an example of a larger University cycling event
- Check out Centralia College PTS pit stop, an example of university involvement in a larger bike event
- See an example of a university’s participation in a commuter challenge
- Mentoring program for new riders
- See the League’s National Bike Day and Month guide
Other Encouragement Groups, Activities, Services, etc
- Check out the "Why Not? Campaign" from Emory University
- Review a directory of Youth Bicycle Programs
- Check out the commute club at Stanford University
- See an example of a commuter incentive program at CSUF
- Read a VeloNews article on collegiate cycling
- Augsburg Pedalers For Progress: an example of a student run advocacy group with a big mission
- How UNL creates a bike friendly campus culture
- 10 ways to encourage cycling on campuses
- Webinar on Bikes Count on Campus: Using Data To Support Bicycle Friendly Universities
Bike Share
Campus Bike Share Program
Bike Rental Program
- Check out Michigan State University's bike rental program
- Find our more about the University of Kentucky's Wildcat Wheels Bicycle Library
- See an example a bike co-op that also rents bikes, the UC Davis Bike Barn
- See an example of bikes available for renting at University of Colorado
- Read an example of innovative uses for abandoned bikes
- First Study Evaluating Free-Floating Bike-Share System on University Campus
Access to Bicycle Equipment and Repair Services
Campus Bike Center
- Check out the UCSC Bike Library, the UC Davis Bike Barn, and The Bike Hub at Portland State University
- Check out The Handlebar at Dickinson College, and Green Bikes at Pomona College
- See an example of a bike coop in Twin Cities
- Read information on how to organize a coop or campus bike shop from the Bicycle Collective Network
Route-Finding Support
Bike Maps
- Check out the bike map at Princeton University
- See another example of a bike map from the University of Arizona
Staffing and Committees
- Read LAB’s report why Bicycle and Pedestrian staff are needed
- Learn about bicycle advisory committees
Planning, Funding, and Implementation
- Check out the Portland State University's 2011 Bicycle Transportation Plan, as an example of a great college bike plan
- Read Western Michigan University's evaluation of best practices of bike friendly universities
- More Campus Bike Plans: James Madison University (2014), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2014), Utah State University (2012)
- Review other sample bicycle plans
- Read about funding resources and research
- Montana State University Bicycle Master Plan
Evaluating Ridership & Satisfaction
- Review the results of a bike survey at UC Davis
- Webinar Recap: Bike Count on Campus
- BFU Bike Count Data Resources
Evaluating & Improving Safety Outcomes
- See an example of a crash reduction report
- 2020 St. Louis City Crash Report
Other Evaluation & Assessment Tools
- Check out a bikeability checklist, a tool for evaluating the bikeability of a campus or community
Equity & Racial Justice Resources for Bike Advocates and BFUs
- League of American Bicyclists Equity Reports and Resources
- Race Forward Racial Justice Trainings
- Book (for charge): Bicycle/Race. Transportation, Culture, & Resistance by Dr. Adonia Lugo
- Fighting For Equitable Transportation: Why It Matters
- Toole Design Group: The New E's of Transportation
- Bridging the Divide: A Transportation Plan for the 21st Century
- Principles For Equitable Public Outreach & Engagement During Covid-19 and Beyond
- Resources from the Transportation Equity Caucus
- Active Transportation and Equity: Key Challenges and Opportunities from the Field
- Tamika Butler Consulting & Training Services
- List: Recommended Reading About Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Resources from The Untokening
- The Untokening: Mobility Justice and COVID-19
- The Untokening: Equity and Mobility Justice
- Equiticity Racial Equity Statement of Principle
- Attention Transportation Advocates: Race is a Part of the Work
- Bicycling Magazine: Why we Must Talk About Race
- Grist: "Biking While Black" is a thing, too
- Anti-Racist Resources for White Cyclists
Bicycling/Transportation Equity Research & Reports
- An Examination of Active Commuting by Race/Ethnicity, Income and Location
- ite journal Report: Fear: A Silent Barrier to Bicycling in Black and Hispanic Communities
- Making Bicycling Equitable: Lessons from Sociocultural Research
- Disparities in Bicycle Commuting: Could Bike Lane Investment Widen the Gap?
- “Are We Building Biking Solidarity:” Gendered, Racial, and Spatial Barriers to Bicycling in Portland, Oregon
- Sustainable Cycling For All? Race and Gender-Based Bicycling Inequalities in Portland, Oregon: Sustainable Cycling For All
Equitable Infrastructure
- BUILDING EQUITY: Race, ethnicity, class, and protected bike lanes: An idea book for fairer cities
- Equity of Access to Bicycle Infrastructure: GIS methods for investigating the equity of access to bike infrastructure
- Biking practices and preferences in a lower income, primarily minority neighborhood: Learning what residents want
- Not all crashes are created equal: Associations between the built environment and disparities in bicycle collisions
- Women and Biking: A Case Study on the Use of San Francisco Bike Lanes
Bike Share Access & Equity
- Better Bikeshare Partnership
- Breaking Barriers to Bike Share: Insights on Equity
- Equitable bike share systems: Removing barriers to access
- Engaging Youth in Urban Biking and Bike Share Toolkit
- Who is Biking for? Urban Bikeshare Networks’ Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Disparities in Bikeshare Access, and a Way Forward
- 6 Ways to Correct Bike Share’s Social Equity Problem
Equity & Accountability in Enforcement
- Center for Policing Equity: a national nonprofit organization eliminating bias in policing by measuring it
- Create Fair and Effective Policing Practices from The Opportunity Agenda: Transforming the System
- A Toolkit for Promoting Justice in Policing from PolicyLink and The Center for Popular Democracy
- Vera Institute of Justice: Ending Police Violence and Ensuring Accountability
- Campaign Zero: Police Use of Force Policy Analysis
- Changelab Solutions: Equitable Enforcement to Achieve Health Equity
- The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL): Defund the Police Resources and Messaging Guidance
- Black Cyclists Are Stopped More Often Than Whites, Police Data Shows
- In Chicago, cyclists in Black neighborhoods are over-policed and under-protected
- Technical report on bicycle infractions in Seattle (2003-2020): Methodology and preliminary findings on racial disparities
Inclusive and Accessible Bike Education
Read our full statement: Removing Enforcement from the '5 E' Framework
As of October 5, 2020, the League has officially and permanently removed ‘Enforcement’ as one of the pillars of the Bicycle Friendly America program’s ‘5 E’ framework.
As applicants and advocates consider how to apply these changes in their own community, we invite participants to consider the following resources on equitable solutions and alternatives to enforcement.
Read how other national organizations are making similar changes:
- Safe Routes to School National Partnership: Dropping Enforcement from the Safe Routes to School 6 E’s Framework
- Vision Zero Network: Active for Racial Justice & Just Mobility More Resources for Bicycle Friendly Communities
Equity & Accountability in Enforcement
- Center for Policing Equity: a national nonprofit organization eliminating bias in policing by measuring it
- Create Fair and Effective Policing Practices from The Opportunity Agenda: Transforming the System
- A Toolkit for Promoting Justice in Policing from PolicyLink and The Center for Popular Democracy
- Vera Institute of Justice: Ending Police Violence and Ensuring Accountability
- Campaign Zero: Police Use of Force Policy Analysis
- Changelab Solutions: Equitable Enforcement to Achieve Health Equity
Alternatives to Enforcement
- The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL): Defund the Police Resources and Messaging Guidance
- Our Streets Minneapolis: Why we don't Support Traffic Enforcement
- Transportation Alternatives: The Case for Self-Enforcing Streets
- Atlanta Bicycle Coalition: Petition to Remove Police Enforcement from Vision Zero
- Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia: We Are Dropping Police Enforcement From Vision Zero
- Walk Bike Berkeley: De-policing transportation to create safe streets
Bike Theft Prevention
- Bicycle Theft, Problem Oriented Guide for Police
- Bait bike program
- See a resource to track stolen bikes
- Read about what Berkeley is doing for bike theft prevention
- See more information on University of Oklahoma bike registration
Laws & Regulations
More resources for BFUS:
- Review Michigan State University biking ordinances
- See an example of a university policy for impounding bikes
- Check out the police bike store
- See a toolkit on helmet promotion programs
General Information
- Infographic on Bicycling in the United States
- Infographic on American's Support for Funding Sidewalks and Bike Lanes
- Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Report: Active Transportation Transforms America. The Case for Increased Public Investment in Walking and Biking Connectivity
- European Cycling Lexicon for bicycling terms in 27 languages
Health Benefits of Bicycling
- Research Article: Evidence on Why Bicycle-Friendly Cities Are Safer for All Road Users
- The health risks and benefits of cycling in urban environments compared with car use: health impact assessment study
- In the Northeast, Improved Walking and Bicycling Infrastructure Could Save Hundreds of Lives, Billions of Dollars