The City of Bloomington is stepping up its game in the fight against climate change with the launch of a new e-bike Voucher Program aimed at making sustainable transportation more accessible to low-income residents. Qualifying individuals will see a significant incentive, receiving up to $2,000 in vouchers to be used toward the purchase of an e-bike at participating local bike shops, according to a recent announcement from Bloomington City.

Participants must first register with Go Bloomington, the city's Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program, which got the mission down to a science of reducing the number of Single Occupant Vehicles (SOV) in the community. This initiative seeks not only to cut down on carbon emissions but also to ease traffic and improve parking scenarios. Those wanting to double down on their carbon footprint reduction can also join Zero In Bloomington, a climate action platform providing customized recommendations to reduce household emissions.

Introducing an e-bike voucher doesn't just give a financial break; it's part of a grander scheme to reduce on-road vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 8% of 2018 values. Bicycle Garage, Bloomington Bicycles, and Revolution Bike and Bean have hopped on the bandwagon, partnering with the city to redeem vouchers. Low-income residents must apply for the e-bike voucher program after signing up with Go Bloomington and Zero In Bloomington.