The Portland-based non-profit Northwest Trail Alliance has decided to take legal action in response to the City of Portland’s decision to ban bicycling in the River View Natural Area. Yesterday, the group filed a Notice of Intent to Appeal with the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (PDF).
Getaround, the peer-to-peer carsharing service that we’ve covered since its 2012 arrival in Portland, has narrowed its fleet in exchange for a big reliability upgrade for its users.
For three years, Portlanders have been able to bring in extra cash by sharing their personal cars, trucks and vans on Getaround. But until this spring, a car owner had to personally approve every request, forcing reservations to be planned well in advance.
Now, the service has removed that hurdle. Anyone sharing their car on Getaround must obtain a Getaround Connect dashboard device for $99 plus $20 a month, then mark online any time slots the car is available for sharing.
Job Title
Bike Shop Mechanic & Customer Service Representative
Company/Organization
Bike Works Seattle
Job Description
Bike Shop Mechanic & Customer Service Representative
Bike Works, the Seattle bike education and community-focused non-profit, is hiring a Mechanic & Customer Service Representative in our community bike shop. This is a part-time, year-round position (24-30 hours / week, depending on season), paid hourly. The position starts May 18, 2015.
Position Summary: The Shop Mechanic & Customer Service Representative is responsible for performing professional-level bike repair, customer service, and general shop operational support within our earned-income bike shop. Duties include mechanical repairs, sales, and opening and closing the bike shop.
Start Date: May 18, 2015
Classification: Part-time, non-exempt, 24-30 hours / week, depending on season
Reports to: Shop & Operations Director
Primary Responsibilities:
Perform professional-level bike repair services (50%)
• Diagnose and process bikes dropped off for service at shop
• Adhere to service writing process, seeking to provide value to customer through repair instructions written for other mechanics
• Work with service manager and other mechanics to maintain and improve service scheduling
• Perform bike repairs with close attention to efficiency, detail, safety, and performance
• Maintain organized work benches, tool areas, and work spcaces
Deliver professional, accessible, and helpful customer service to a diverse customer base (20%)
• Assist customers in purchasing a bike, helping them find the size and style they need, within their price range
• Help customers choose bike parts and accessories to purchase
• Operate point of sale software and cash register to cash out customers
• Act as public face of Bike Works, providing general information about our organization and program offerings
• Diagnose repair and maintenance work needed on customer bikes
Support daily bike shop operations (20%)
• Open and close bike shop
• Answer phone calls and respond to voice messages
• Maintain a clean and organized work environment
• Assist with processing donated bikes, parts, and accessories as needed
• Assist with the recycling of bicycle parts and shop materials as needed
• Assist with inventory upkeep and yearly inventory reporting
• Work to create and maintain an environment in our bike shop where youth and adults feel safe, supported, and respected
Participate in organization-wide events, meetings, and staff development processes. (10%)
• Attend staff-wide and departmental meetings and trainings as scheduled
• Attend our Annual Fundraising Auction and participate in other fundraising initiatives
Required Qualifications and Desired Skills
• Minimum one year experience as mechanic in bike shop or related setting
• Retail experience with strong customer service and communication skills
• Strong foundational knowledge of bicycles, bike parts, accessories, and apparel
• Ability to work professionally and efficiently in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
• Proficiency with technology including point of sale software
• Hard-working, optimistic and enthusiastic demeanor that takes initiative and possesses a high tolerance for ambiguity.
• Ability to work well independently and execute projects with minimal supervision, as well as a collaboratively.
• Experience with, and understanding of, diverse South Seattle communities
• Commitment to environmental stewardship, social justice, and youth development.
• Passion for the mission, vision, and values of Bike Works
Job Location & Schedule
Typical hours for this part-time position are between 10am and 6:30pm, or 10:30am and 7pm, and will include weekends. This job is primarily based in our earned-income bike shop, at 3709 S Ferdinand St., Seattle, WA 98118. Occasional evening events will be required.
Compensation
$14-15 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications, paid hourly
Conditions of Employment
Bike Works is an equal opportunity employer committed to assembling a diverse and talented staff. In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, Bike Works does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or marital status. Candidates of color are strongly encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
To Apply
Please submit a resume and cover letter, including names, email addresses and phone numbers of three professional references to steve@bikeworks.org. Position is open until filled. Applications received by April 10, 2015 will receive priority consideration.
David R. got his bike stolen in the wee hours of Saturday morning. We’re posting this not only to help spread the word in hopes of getting it back, but also to share David’s story. He’s learned an important lesson. See if you can spot it in his email below.
Job Title
eBike Mechanic
Company/Organization
The eBike Store
Job Description
We are looking for a bicycle mechanic who has at least 5 years wrenching experience to join our team.
You don’t have to have electrical experience – we can teach you that. Our team is driven by a love for learning, so we are looking for someone who truly enjoys jumping into things they have not mastered figuring out what makes them work… (However, for this position, we are looking for folks who want to be part of our rapidly developing market segment. Problem solving is our bag.)
Essential for the position is great customer skills: from talking customers through mechanical issues with their bike to selling bikes or kits, about 15% of the position will involve direct customer interaction.
Time Management is crucial.
Position is part time to start and may grow to full time as it develops.
Wages depend on experience. We are looking for an experienced mechanic and are willing to pay for the skill you bring to the table.
How to Apply
please contact Wake at info@ebikestore.com
This week’s Monday Roundup is sponsored by Laughing Planet, where you can now get food delivered by bike in downtown Portland.
Here are the bike-related links from around the world that caught our eyes this week:
Better lock? The Litelok markets itself on its 2.2-pound weight, but the bigger feature might actually be flexibility. Here’s the $120 product’s promising Kickstarter.
Car-free retail: A narrow cobblestone street in Rome closed to cars and opened to walking during a construction project, but may never go back, because retail sales jumped 30 percent.
Sticks and carrots: Paying employees to bike to work won’t change any habits if you’re simultaneously paying them to drive by offering free parking.
Total comments this week: 883
We can see change happening. We can accept that change has to happen. We can even appreciate parts of it.
But that doesn’t always make change feel good, and it doesn’t mean that change is good.
Responding to other readers’ pro-housing-supply comments beneath Tuesday’s post about low-impact infill projects, BikePortland reader rachel b (who is, according to other posts, a Portlander since childhood) shared a take on the city’s development that was deeply personal, charmingly self-deprecating and a little bit heartbreaking, too.
What makes a great bike shop?
Four years after the Portland area’s transit agency furiously chopped costs and recruited other local governments to balance the budget for its new $1.5 billion rail line, the price tag so far is turning out to be more like $1.3 billion.
Though a few remaining bills have yet to be paid, the combination of far more cost-efficient track and systems construction than expected and persistently low interest rates has been so large that TriMet has been searching for new ways to spend some of the unexpected surplus locally.
Welcome to your menu of weekend rides and events, lovingly brought to you by our friends at Hopworks Urban Brewery.
Do you plan on riding this weekend? It looks like it might rain a bit, but you’re tough and that shouldn’t change any of your plans. If you need a bit of help deciding what to do, we’ve got a fun slate to choose from. It all starts with a big night of partying from the tony Pearl District to the low-down and dirty southeast.
NW Women’s Race Summit Ladies Night – 7:30 to 9:30 pm at Ecotrust (721 NW 9th Ave)
We’ve had two great job opportunities listed this week. Learn more about them via the links below…