Getting Started
Thank you for showing an interest in piloting our wheelchair tandem! We hope to begin offering rides to passengers in Spring of 2022, once the weather is comfortable. We’ll plan on having a get-together with interested pilots so that you can see the bike and we can discuss any questions you might have.
All pilots must first complete a simple background check with Raleigh’s Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources department. You’ll only need to complete this process once, even if you continue to volunteer in future years. To start the process, download the volunteer application form and email it to Christen Winstead. In the Volunteer Interests section, enter “Raleigh Riders” in the “other” field.
Be sure to join the Facebook group for Raleigh Riders pilots. This is where we’ll communicate about scheduling, etc.
We’re still working out the best format for the program, but a typical trip will last an hour. Pilots will meet their passenger in the parking lot at the Buffaloe Road Aquatic Center on the Neuse River Greenway. Passengers will be responsible for transferring themselves to and from the tandem. Pilots will be joined by another rider, either another volunteer like you or a family member or friend of the passenger. The amount of time spent on the bike depends on the time your passenger spends transferring from their vehicle to the bike. Our bike has electric assist, so it’s easy to pedal your way back up the hill to Buffaloe Road from the greenway. We will always have two adults present during rides. That might mean that the passenger brings a companion, but it may mean that one of our volunteers rides along. It would be great if two pilots could team up for a 2-hour “shift” and trade off piloting and riding-along.
