The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) has launched an online survey to capture how Oregonians (whether they bike or not) feel about bike advocacy and the BTA in general.
BTA Advocacy Manager Michelle Poyourow says they want to hear what everyone — members or non-members — thinks about bike advocacy in Oregon and Southwest Washington. According to Poyourow, they’re specifically asking “non-bicyclists” and people who don’t consider themselves part of the “bike community” to take the survey. To sweeten the deal, they’ll give a $150 bike shop gift card to a randomly selected survey taker.
The survey asks a wide range questions — from perceptions of safety while riding to asking about what programs and issues the BTA should prioritize in its future advocacy efforts.
“We want to hear from BTA members and the public as we plan for bike advocacy and organizational growth in the future.”
— From the Bicycling and the BTA survey
The survey is also an attempt to gauge how the community feels about the job the BTA is doing in general. Survey takers are asked “In your opinion, what three words best describe the BTA as it is today?” and then “What three words best describe your ideal version of the BTA?”. The BTA also asks folks to rate, on a scale of 1-10 of whether they “strongly agree” or “strongly disagree” on how the BTA is doing on a variety of issues (for instance; “The BTA is very effective as an advocacy group.”)
One question asks to describe your “relationship to the BTA”. If someone selects “former member”, they’re asked to describe why they didn’t renew.
These types of questions will likely inform the BTA in their ongoing effort to re-envision their brand and better understand how they can be most effective as an advocacy organization. The BTA hasn’t done a survey on this scale since 2005 (which led to their Blueprint for Better Biking) and they have gone through a lot of internal changes in the past several months (stay tuned for an in-depth article about those changes).
Poyourow says the survey will be open until August 19th and that they’ve already gotten over 1,300 responses since it was launched one week ago. A brief report on the results is expected soon after the numbers are crunched.
The survey only takes a few minutes. Take it here.
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Wow I figured this would have had dozens of comments by now. I did not renew my membership this year after around nine years as a member mainly because I think the BTA has gotten way too political and I do NOT like that whole CRC situation.
I’m open to signing back up next year based on what happens from now til then…..
A real survey would allow critics of the BTA to craft some of the questions on the survey. If the critics are so wrong, why fear the question.
The BTA does a lot of good things, but their near SILENCE on the new CRC bridge is death for bikes.
Think I’m being unfair? The BTA email news digest has mentioned CRC only once in the last year.
For quick reference, here is the BTA’s CRC position.
(Joe, I hate to be picky but my review of the BTA Digest and Action Alerts over the last year finds 17 articles.)
If you’d like to get on the BTA’s regional or statewide lists (which cover local and statewide bike issues, news, events and action alerts) you can sign up here.
The only thing you need to know about how well the BTA is run: They fired their lobbyist and didn’t replace him in the middle of the legislative session. An effective organization run by adults would have at least had a backup in Salem the next day.
I won’t contribute another dime to the BTA until every last person in the office is gone.
“These types of questions will likely inform the BTA in their ongoing effort to re-envision their brand”
All the BTA has to to do is say: “Message: I care,” and all the people who can be managed by how an issue is “framed” or by bringing together “stake holders” to “reinvent the process” will be duely impressed with the BTAs bold use of bureaucratic doublespeak. I know I am.
Great way to challenge the paradigm outside the box.
Does anyone else enjoy watching Michelle angle for Scott’s position?
Will the board of directors please face reality and do some housecleaning already?
regular readers of these pages know that I am not a fan of BTA’s position on almost anything. but in fairness I would like to point out (a) that the board is elected by members each and every year, (b) more than half the board has been there less than two years (i.e., they are not entrenched), (c) a lot of what they do is driven by volunteers, so if you want to see something done, get over there and do it, and (d) if none of that works for you, get out of your chair and start an edgier organization. or (e) just sit around and post whining snarks to some blog somewhere.