By Chelsea Biklin, Cupertino Safe Routes Coordinator 
In June of 2015, CUSD in partnership with Cupertino Safe Routes 2 School, applied for a grant from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to bring bike racks to schools in Cupertino. This grant program aims to reduce air pollution in the Bay Area by supporting clean, alternative modes of transportation. Safe Routes 2 School received interest from Hyde Middle and Lincoln Elementary schools and thus applied for a bike rack voucher to cover the majority cost of racks for these two sites. In August of 2016 Safe Routes 2 School Cupertino was awarded the grant and plans to have bike racks delivered an installed at Hyde and Lincoln.
“The Boltage program, now called “Dero ZAP” uses technology that tracks students who are walking or biking to school using RFID tags and units receptive to the tags installed that are installed on campuses. The City of Cupertino decided to partner with CUSD and fund this program through grants in order to increase the amount of students walking and biking through the use of incentives. Schools who use this program reward their most active walkers and bikers with prizes using methodology that the school site decides. The City of Cupertino funds the program prizes and technology but CUSD is responsible for installing the units on their campus’ and running the program on-site. The Boltage program was previously managed by the City’s Public Safety Commission and is now under management of the Cupertino Safe Routes 2 School Program. In the 2016/17 school year two CUSD schools will utilize the Dero ZAP program – Regnart Elementary and Kennedy Middle Schools.”
FMI: Chelsea Biklin @ ChelseaB@cupertino.org