Freewheeler for Fremantle - Active & Sustainable Commuting
Fremantle has a lot to offer. Its rich history, food & music culture, quirky characters and open-minded people attract plenty of visitors to the city and make its residents happy to call it home.
Fremantle retailers could still use some help getting more customers in the door. The Freewheeler pilot aims to bring more visitors to Freo.
Website: www.freewheeler.com
Twitter: @FreewheelerApp
Facebook:
Freewheeler App
Email: [email protected]
The One Planet matching competition
Freewheeler is one of 4 winners in the innovative City of Fremantle & Startsomegood “One Planet” sustainability competition. Freewheeler has won a grant of $10,000 from the City of Fremantle to further develop the app and roll out
the pilot project. To get this grant, Freewheeler must first match it by raising another $10,000 from the community, to reach the $20,000 tipping point goal. If we don’t achieve the goal then we won’t receive any funding. Please get involved and let people
know about the campaign.
Paul & Alex
Paul Fletcher has been riding to work in the Perth CBD from Fremantle for years. He realised that people should be rewarded for riding to work, given the benefits.
Alex Fletcher then got involved and expanded the idea to a tracking app that encourages all beneficial forms of commute, not just cycling, so people could be encouraged to use a "multi-modal network" of transport options. For example, Alex's daily commute
involves walking, bus & train. Alex is a firm believer in relaxing. He avoids cars and traffic jams whenever possible, preferring to stare vacantly into the horizon.
The Freewheeler app
We are developing an app that uses GPS and sensors in your smartphone to automatically work out your commutes and different modes of transport.
Whenever you travel in a way that is healthy or environmentally friendly, the app will award you points per kilometre/mile. For example, walking will get the most points, then cycling, then public transport.
This is a mock-up of the app interface, though the design is going to be changed:
We are arranging a network of local Fremantle (and Perth CBD) businesses where you can go to redeem your points for rewards (eg discounts), creating a like-minded community of people.
The system will eventually be rolled out across Perth (and Australia?) and will also be used to encourage physical activity in schools and workplaces, including fun competitions.
Active and sustainable transport benefits
Active and sustainable transport brings huge benefits:
- People get fitter and happier
- There's less air pollution
- It brings communities closer together & makes them safer
- People drop in to local businesses more and spend more time generally hanging out
- Children learn life-long exercise & outdoor habits
- Roads are freed up for the vehicles that need them
- Long-term road and healthcare spending decreases, meaning lower taxes
Some people don't have the option of taking active & sustainable transport to work. But if you do - as more people do it, governments will take notice and start improving the infrastructure to make it easier for everyone.
For local businesses
If your street has nice trees and benches, and it's easy for people to walk, cycle and relax, then more people will spend time there.
More people tends to mean more customers. Car drivers are customers too but they usually go from Point A to Point B. Pedestrians and cyclists take more time with their journey and visit multiple shops along the way. See the Heart Foundation's report on
this:
www.heartfoundation.org.au/active-living/Documents/Good-for-business.pdf
Freewheeler will help local businesses attract more quality cashed-up customers:
Some campaign rewards information
The stickers will be sticky (100mm x 25mm).
The bags will make a good plastic bag substitute with the Freewheeler logo printed on them. There are 3 options: (1) fairtrade cotton tote bag 38cm x 38cm with 65cm handle, (2) fairtrade cotton messenger bag 38cm x 38cm with 95cm shoulder
strap (good for cycling), and (3) heavyweight canvas market bag. The cotton bags can be posted but the canvas market bags will need to be picked up in Fremantle.
The t-shirts are available in white, grey or yellow. They are high quality, with the Freewheeler logo printed on the front. The size measurements are in the below picture. Please choose carefully.
The Fremantle Buffalo Club memberships will need a form to be submitted to be passed by the Committee. The Buffalo on High Street is one of the last great hang out spots. Its friendly people, reasonably priced drinks and good honest attitude
can't have changed much in the last half-century. Become a member and help keep the Buffalo around for the next 50. Also keep it in mind for functions where fun is preferred over glamour.
The Yallingup Siding property is a rural property with a solid, cosy house, open fireplace, 4 bedrooms, vegie garden, fruit trees, chooks etc. Dates to be negotiated. 8 person limit. The guinea fowl and rooster are bloody noisy.
The school and workplace nomination rewards are subject to Freewheeler approving the nominated school/workplace and will happen when the Freewheeler system and prototype are ready for rollout to schools/workplaces.
For Headline and Premium sponsorships, Freewheeler will do its best to publicise your (very much appreciated) sponsorship for the duration of the 6 month pilot project. Sponsorships are also subject to approval.
If postage is expensive then you agree it can be added to the donation amount.
Further rewards may be announced as the campaign progresses.
Annoying reminders
A few reminders:
- Most people are painfully aware that the planet is running out of resources and urban sprawl, road congestion & carbon emissions are creating big problems.
- We tend to remember, mainly on New Year's eve after a few drinks, that we need to focus on the important things, like getting more exercise and spending time with family & friends.
- Driving cars can be frustrating & exhausting and is not always necessary. How often do you automatically drive to the local supermarket when you could have easily walked or cycled? And why not catch the bus or train to work and read a book, rather than
swear at traffic?
Many Australians drive to work, but this is shifting. Cities around the world are pro-actively investing in infrastucture to encourage people to walk, cycle and catch public transport instead. This lets people live in denser communities, where they are
closer to the places they want to go and can get there easily.
Disclosure
Alex and Paul are lawyers. But they don't take themselves too seriously, and do have some friends. They have invested, and will continue to invest, a lot to make Freewheeler happen. This campaign is to get the community interested and engaged, and to
help with costs.
Alex owns a big four wheel drive. But he uses it for moving stuff and going on trips, rather than daily commuting. In fact, he will be in the Pilbara from 25 September to 4 October, so sorry if the campaign goes a bit quiet then.
