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Pat Cray

Uplifting Buffalo's East Side with E-bikes

Updated: May 7


Patrick Cray

Shared Mobility Inc.

NYSERDA Climate Justice Fellow, 2022


Patrick is a Buffalo NY based photographer that has been working with Shared Mobility Inc. (SMI) for nearly 2 and a half years. Patrick has been working as a community outreach coordinator/ Photographer/ operations specialist for the WNY E-Bike Library and E-Bike Pilot connecting with the community. Patrick's work with SMI has brought him massive amounts of knowledge and experience thanks to support from NYSERDA's Climate Justice Fellowship program.


 

Pat’s work focused on helping to develop and pilot an E-Bike Library program in Buffalo with SMI’s partners at the East Side Bike Club (ESBC). This program is the first of its kind in New York State and provides e-bikes to local residents at no cost to help alleviate transportation, economic, and health disparities focused on disadvantaged communities within the city.


Based out of ESBC’s Community Workshop in Buffalo’s Kensington-Bailey neighborhood, the program not only helped give folks access to new ways to get around, but also serves as a focal point for the Club’s community building events and group rides.


Patrick’s work with SMI and ESBC has helped propel the E-Bike Library program forward and, with support and guidance from our partners at LISC NY, NYSERDA has awarded funding from its Clean Neighborhoods Challenge prize to build and grow the program even further.


This is a body of work that shows what this past year has been like for him. Consider these snapshots of progress as we all work together to use transportation as a tool to build and uplift our communities.


Danilo Lawvere fixing a bike at Eastside Bike Club's bike build-up

George Johnson of East Side Bike Club and Will Reckley, NCMM Grant Facilitator, at ESBC's Community Workshop.

Reddy Bikeshare's Marketing & Communication Coordinator Simon Husted and M&T Bank's AJ enjoying a ride down Buffalo's Waterfront using Reddy's pedal bike and pedal-assisted e-bike.

Fred, an E-bike Library participant & cyclist, used e-bikes to commute a total of 30 miles a day traveling to Tonawanda from Buffalo's East side.


Here are some participants from East Side Bike Club's E-bike Library Program

 



Darrel, an E-bike Library rider, road the most bikes in the entire pilot!


In 2020, Jump donated thousands of their pedal-assisted e-bikes to Shared Mobility Inc., saving them from being scrapped and opening up the future use in E-bike Libraries.

Community members working on bikes in East Side Bike Club's Community workshop.


Brittany Perez of LISC NY receiving the NYSERDA Clean Transportation Prize

E-bike Pilot bike

Reddy Bikeshare's Micromobility Technology Specialist Sage Welte dropping off batteries to docked bikes in downtown Buffalo.



ESBC's E-bike Library and Community Workshop.

Shane Paul outside of ESBC's Community Workshop & E-bike Library location.

ESBC meets every Saturday at 10am for a community group ride around Buffalo. Pictured here is a group ride to Seneca one in downtown Buffalo.

Alongside providing an E-bike Library, ESBC's Community Workshop offers a program called "Our Earn a Bike Workshop" which provides members of the east side community the opportunity to receive bicycle safety training, maintenance, and repair. To participate, one must complete a bicycle safety course, a basic bike mechanic course, and volunteer two hours of your time at the shop!


Damon of ESBC with a Park tool pedal wrench.

Cornell High Road Fellows riding on Northland Ave in Buffalo, NY.

Emile Bensedrine joined SMI as a Cornell High Road Fellow in the Summer of 2022, and learned about the opportunities that the E-bike Libraries and Bike Share can have on filling the mobility gaps throughout underdeveloped communities in Buffalo.


The folks at LISC NY

Reddy Bikeshare's Operations Team installing Reddy Bike racks outside of ESBC's Community Workshop

E-bike Library rider George off on his first ride from ESBC'S Community Workshop

The Reddy Operations Team fixing e-bikes to give to ESBC's Community Workshop

Rebecca Reilly of ESBC and QCC working on adding new technology on an e-bike

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